Posted on Monday, January 15, 2007 | By Kaye | In
Being a " christian " isnt all about professing and letting everybody know that you are, it isnt all about reputation, it isnt all about ' fitting in ' to the latest trend. It is more than clapping our hands and saying Amen, it is more than warming our seats on Sunday mornings, it is more than all that and it really takes a good heart searching for us to ever realize- why we decided to become a christian...
Did we become born-again to comfort the unrests in our lives? did we do it to please someone else? did we became a christian to ' keep ' the family tradition? did we dived into it to cover up our sins and use it as a scapegoat? for business perhaps? did we sincerely started the journey, got bored and then backslidden for good? or perhaps still attending church and bible studies, for reputations sake? do we use Him as a crutch to go through life? What is it really? What does following Christ mean to you?
Did we become born-again to comfort the unrests in our lives? did we do it to please someone else? did we became a christian to ' keep ' the family tradition? did we dived into it to cover up our sins and use it as a scapegoat? for business perhaps? did we sincerely started the journey, got bored and then backslidden for good? or perhaps still attending church and bible studies, for reputations sake? do we use Him as a crutch to go through life? What is it really? What does following Christ mean to you?
I have asked myself these questions over and over again, blog-reader, not because I doubt the faith that I have but because I want to make sure I am following Him for the right reasons and not for self-serving reasons. Because, you know what? its that easy to slip to the left or to the right, its so eay to get sidetracked. So, personally I find it important to check myself every now and then.
The world abounds with professing christians they say one thing and yet manifests another. Or sometimes not manifest them at all...no life to match the words.
To be a genuine follower of the Lord means we are bethroted to Him, its a love affair, its a marriage. It is about Gods great love for us. Come to think of it- everything He did for you, for me was all because of love. He took on OUR punishment at Calvary, OUR diseases and sicknesses, OUR damnation, OUR death, every evil and bitter thing He has carried to the grave. He made a way for us to get saved. And yet we neglect this great gift. We say, we claim, we profess we are christians even if our hearts betray us. Still we go on pretending...
I think we are running out of time friends. It's time to take things seriously. Its time to get real. Its time to dig deep into the depths of our soul and choose the paths we are going to take, and then take it. Walk it. Live it.
The christian walk is not a bed of roses, it is the fiercest battle we are ever to take on. The world, the carnal mind will never understand and will always doubt and ridicule and mock a believers decision to take this battle on, and why wouldnt they? they've got no eyes to see nor ears to hear what the spirit of the Lord sayeth.
Taking up our cross and following Jesus is never going to be a practical thing. It is, to a believer- a heart over matter decision, because Gods love is already sown into their hearts even before the foundation of the world. And that still, small voice will always be our absolute even if sometimes we are at odds with ourselves and with the world. We go to battle daily, we take on the reproach, we take on the persecutions, the fiery trials because we love Him.
To a believer- its not the rewards that matter, its not the earthly priveleges, its not the jewels in our crown, its not the roll call in heaven, nor the robes clean and white, its not even salvation... do you want to know the real reason why?
Its to just be with Him. Its just to be able to feel His sweet presence everyday of your life, its just to have the joy, the privelege of being able to serve such a righteous, loving, great God. Its the reality that we are going to spend eternity with Him. Walking beside Him, our Creator, our tower of strenght, our Hope. Its just that reason and nothing else. Just to be with Jesus.
A waste of time? a waste of effort? why would one waste his life away like this? not worth it? dont know what were missing? fanatic? cult? puritanism?-- Yes, to the unbeliever, it is. To the whole world it is. Except for the Bride of Christ.
...But this love that we have for our Lord Jesus can and will never be quenched. It is the tie that binds us to Him. It is only a small reflection of the greater love He has for us. I hope somehow you try to dig deep into your heart and really be true to yourself and to Him. He knows everything about us. Our hearts most especially. Let us do some heart searching. All of us. I think we owe Him that.
" But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away...
But, now O Lord, thou art our father, we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand." Isaiah 64:6 & 8
" I said, Lord be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee."
Psalm 41:4
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