When I came to know Jesus it was in full submission to Him, but have I served Him over all else in my life? Have I been the servant He expected me to be, or has my commitment to Him become a much sought after convenience on my part? These are my thoughts this morning, and they convict me.
Today I am thinking back to the moment when I confessed Jesus as my savior, and the events that brought me to that place. I am considering the strength of the gospel that I heard and comparing it to all the preaching I have heard since then. What made the message of my youth germinate in me? What have I heard since?
This morning I read of God's provision and gifts to us. I am strengthening myself in the understanding that He is always there, always good, and always hears and answers my prayers. My confidence in these facts forms the basis for my expectation in Him and relieves me of doubt and worry.
How far would I walk to hear the gospel, or to see the grave of a disciple whose hand had been held by Jesus? How many miles would I travel to save the soul of one man or woman who had never heard of our Lord? Would I walk on Pilgrimage over the Pyrenees Mountains and across Spain to Santiago de Compostela? Would I sail across raging seas in a wooden boat to preach the gospel to a single Roman centurion?
I am thinking about what it means to turn the other cheek this morning. Is it a sign of cowardice, bravery, or something else entirely? I think that perhaps it might be the latter. Although it could be construed as a sign of weakness, or that it takes courage to stand firm and not retreat, it also demonstrates great faith to resist being provoked, or enticed to sin.
Does God have to move something, or someone, out of the way before we will see Him? Is our attention focused somewhere other than on Him? Our God is a jealous God... He told us so, which begs the question... why do we taunt Him with our inattention? This is my concentration today. I am asking myself if there are people or things in my life that keeps me from Him.
How mature are we as Christians? Have we moved from that stage in our faith where the focus has shifted from learning who Jesus is, and how to live the life of Christ, to that of actually knowing Him and abiding in Him? Are we fully engaged and surrounded by the will of God and in close relationship with His Son Jesus, or are we still battling within ourselves to wrest control from the sinful man that resides there?
Everything in our lives points to Jesus. The greatest and the least of our experiences lead us to Him. Saints haven't achieved some higher plane of self-realization... they have simply come to the understanding that everything in life reveals God, and Jesus Christ. Then, in all of this, nothing trumps the embodiment of God's will and grace in The Son! In this realization comes a relationship of incredible closeness.
Am I working hard for the kingdom of God? Are my efforts encouraging others in their faith? Do I merely work in a physical sense and neglect the spiritual? These are the questions I encourage each of us to consider this morning as we prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ. The coming of our Lord is imminent, are we preparing ourselves, and those around us, for that moment?
Some say they are unworthy of God's consideration, and they convince themselves that they are not acceptable vessels for God's grace or to do the Lord's will. My response to this is... who are we to judge... even to judge ourselves? By what authority do we determine our worth?
How loyal are we to our Lord Jesus Christ? I am inclined to say "absolutely!", but then I catch myself pausing the television on some terrible show filled with violence, and foul language. Am I really serving God faithfully, or do I walk a fine line between righteousness and serving my base human desires?
Am I working hard enough and practicing my faith with enough diligence and dedication to, at last, be called a mature son of God? Is my faith increasing, and my everyday life reflecting that increase by exhibiting the characteristics of Jesus? Life doesn't grow easier for the Christian but it does grow more certain.
Visions and God's will, His plan, for us. This is my contemplation today. God gives us glimpses, and sometimes very detailed insights into what He has planned for us, and then He goes about accomplishing His will through us. The question becomes this... are we totally on board with His plan for us; are we excited about the vision (where He is taking us), or are we reluctant passengers, ready to disembark before the final destination has been reached? Are the goals we have for our lives consistent with His?
Do we include the Lord in all of our plans? Do we consider him in the minutest details of our lives? Is He not only our God in the grand plans of life, but the friend who walks beside us throughout the day, and sits with us in the evenings to talk over the smallest details that have transpired? This is my contemplation today, and I invite you to make it yours.
Today is Independence Day in the United States, and as a citizen of my country I think about the significance of this celebration to me. But what this leads me to is a deeper consideration of the day when I announced my personal independence from all but Jesus Christ... seeking to become a citizen of God’s heavenly realm... a Christian.