Saturday, May 9, 2009

what are you?

I refuse to think that going to church and filling a pew is the most that God expects of me (or any of us for that matter). When my neighbors see me, I don't want them to wonder why in the world I would waste my time going to church when I live just like they do or worse. God desires a true relationship with us, the relationship that deep inside we all yearn for as well. People choose different paths to fill the God-shaped hole in their hearts, but there is only 1 way, thru the blood of Jesus Christ. Once that relationship is formed, it is our responsibility to continually seek His face and get to know Him. Will we stumble, yes. Will we fall short of what He expects, absolutely! (Romans 3:23) The question is, will you let your sin hold you down and pull others down along with you, or will you get back up and continue to grow?

How many times have our actions caused someone else to fall or question our Saviour's love? None of us are perfect, but as children of the King, our aim should be to bring people to the saving knowledge of His love. I'm all about reaching people where they are, after all, that's what Jesus did...but if we participate in sinful actions along with them, how are we going to reach them? Jesus reached out to the woman at the well, but He didn't sin with her! We can build a relationship with someone and show them His love without being involved in the things we know are wrong. That's like me saying "Well, Jessica is really into ____________ (fill in the blank with whatever random sinful action), so I just know I can reach her if I do it too!" Are we so easily fooled into believing that?!? My neighbor's drink LOTS of beer, but I don't find the need to drink right along with them so that I can tell them about Christ. The first time they offered me a drink (which was not long after we moved in) I politely declined and told them that we don't drink. I didn't break out my huge family Bible and tell them they were going to hell, and they didnt' offer me another drink. Shortly after that happened, I had the opportunity to talk to her about church and my faith, then she opened up to me and I was able to pray for her and her family. She knows that I continue to pray for her and has talked to me a few times, and just keep letting her know that she can't ever run too far from His love. But, just for consideration, let's say I did take her up on her offer and partied with her. Do you think she'd take me seriously when I got dressed up on Sunday morning and toted my family to Sunday School? I'm pretty sure the answer would be no. I've never told her that she is doing wrong because she knows that she's far away from where she once was with God. When I see another party going on, or see another 12 pack being carried into the house, I just ask Him to give me an opportunity to be His light to her. She knows I'm praying for her and that because I see "bad" behaviour continue, I won't give up on her, but I'll keep doing what my Father asks me to do.

Revelation 3:14-22 talks about the church in Laodicea, and how they'd allowed themselves to become complacent. They were letting these "everyday sins" could their view of what was really important. They allowed themselves to become satisfied with what the world offered and indifferent to what REAL faith was about. Jesus didn't die a horriffic death on the cross so that we could sit in our pews and sing hymns and doze off while the pastor preaches. He died to forgive our sins so that we could have an eternal home with Him, and He wants us to share that hope with others. Can we really share the true message of His hope when we're partying on Saturday night, hoping that our hangover headache doesn't make it too hard to focus and pretend we're listening in Sunday School? He came that we could have life...abundant life at that! We were never promised that the Christian life would be easy, but He did promise that He would NEVER leave us or forsake us. He's right there, walking alongside the 6 year old who just came to Him for salvation, with the 60 year old prayer warrior who you know you can count on to lift up your needs to our King. He's also with those who called upon His name and according to Scripture, are His own, but have turned away from Him and follow the world. All I can think of is how it must break His heart to see us wallowing in our sin and bringing other people into it with us! Every action, big or small, will be judged in the end. Whether you're "hot", your life bringing others to Him, "lukewarm", coming to church because you're expected to because it's just what people expect, or "cold" and running far from God, taking people along with you, people are watching you! Especially for those in ministry of any kind, you are an example to those you serve. Seeing you do things that go against Him, from breaking the speed limit, questionable pictures on your social media profile to drinking and smoking or having inappropriate relationships (sexual or emotional) all take away from the cause of Christ! I am not saying that I think I'm perfect, nowhere near it. I know that there are things that I need to change, like stewardship for example, but I'm willing to admit that I am flawed. I don't come to church on Sunday morning and have my faux halo on, then go live like I've never known what "is good and what the Lord requires of thee". I want people to know that God uses flawed and broken vessels, that He gives us beauty for ashes. God loves us just the way we are, but He loves us too much to leaves us that way. He wants us to grow and flourish in our walk with Him. He doesn't want us to be lukewarm, stagnant Christians! I've had several unsaved people tell me thru the years that they'd rather stay the way they were and be honest with themselves and those around them, than to claim to be Christians and then live in sin. How sad! It makes my heart ache to think of the number of souls who have an eternal life in torment and darkness because some Christian took their walk with Christ so lightly. I know that in my teenage years, I had a hard attitude toward "sinners" and foolishly thought that I was better than them and I think of them often. I wish I could go back in time and apologize to those I wronged and let them know that His grace is enough for all their needs. I would tell them that the ground truly is level at the foot of the cross, and that He longs to pour His mercy out on them. I was young and foolish then, but I've learned so much in these 33 years. I only wish that people around me would open their eyes and see the lukewarm attitudes that are ruining the outlook of those who are seeking to fill the void in their lives.

My prayer is that God would light a fire under all of us, a fire that won't go out until He returns. Young or old, it's your job to be the light...don't settle for the "casual Christian life". To close out this blog, here are the lyrics to a song that should be our prayers.

Casual Christian
It's more than a wish, more than a daydream
More than just a passing whim
Yes, I've said this all before
A thousand times or more
I don't wanna waste my life in chains of sin
CHORUS
I don't wanna be, I don't wanna be a casual Christian
I don't wanna live, I don't wanna live a lukewarm life
But I wanna light up the nightWith an everlasting light
I don't wanna live the casual Christian life
This life is filled with strong distractions
With pulls from the left one from the right
I've already made up my mind
Gonna leave this world behind
Gonna live my life a living sacrifice.