I think Christians are better at rationalizing than any other people on earth. It’s easy for us to come up with explanations and excuses why we aren’t living the life God created us to live. We wait to “feel led” and diligently “seek our calling”. We’ll do about anything to avoid doing what Jesus told us to do. If the time we spent running away from our mission was employed actually working for the mission, we might just have completed it by now. Unfortunately the comforts and the cares of this life keep us from selling out and going all in for Christ.
Living Light
I recently heard a song by Kari Jobe called, “We Are”. The lyrics say, “We are the light of the world/ We are the city on a hill”. Combined with the beautiful melody, it was very moving. Then I began to reflect a bit more and do what I do best: ask questions. As Christians, are the lives we lead really lighting up the world? Are we truly a beacon in the darkness? How many believers listen to songs like the one mentioned above, feel good about the message, and then carry on with their lives as usual? It’s the modern equivalent of always hearing but never understanding (Matthew 13:14). We don’t put our faith into action, or more specifically, we are ever learning but never doing.
The Way of the Disciple
Not many look at each moment of their life as an opportunity to serve God. Time passes so quickly and we lead such frenzied lives that we scarcely notice the opportunities we miss and the decisions we make by rote. It is for this reason that we do not experience great growth in our spiritual lives. Until we learn to capture each moment we encounter, we will struggle to live our life wholly devoted to Christ. A life that is wholly His recognizes every decision is an opportunity to say yes to God and no to our selfish desires. Every breath we take, every thought we think, is a new opportunity to die to ourselves and find ourselves alive in Christ.
What’s Your Isaac?
One of the most dramatic stories in the Bible is that of Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22:1-17). Most are familiar with the details, but allow me to quickly recap. God promised Abraham that many nations would come from him, and that the entire world would be blessed through his lineage. Yet Abraham and his wife had grown old and still had no children. But miraculously, Sarah became pregnant and had a son named Isaac. Fast forward about ten years. God told Abraham to offer Isaac, he and Sarah’s only son, as an offering to Him. After all these years, all that waiting, it now appeared that God would take away what seemed to matter most to Abraham.
Who’s Following Whom?
Many people endeavor to follow Jesus, but most end up expecting Him to follow them. Whereas in the beginning we surrendered our lives to Christ, the way we live day to day is more like inviting Him to follow us on our quest to grab our dreams and accomplish our goals. When times get tough, it’s great to have Jesus by your side. Just in case we get into a bind, there’s nothing quite like having the Son of God show up and rescue you from your troubles. Once back on solid footing, we are quick to reassume the lead and relegate Jesus to a secondary position, with Him presumably just waiting to be summoned when we need Him.