06/10/2019
Let’s ask ourselves an honest question today: “who do I live for?” We profess to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and we go to the altar giving our lives to Christ, then we walk from that place and begin living once again for ourselves, our family, or something/one other that God, and Jesus. Why were we left here after our conversion? Why didn’t God transform us completely at that moment and take us to Himself?
“For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.”
Romans 14:7-8 ESV
I read an interesting discussion regarding this subject written by Charles Spurgeon, and in it he gives his answer to two very similar questions “Why then are we here.”, and, “Why would God keep his children out of paradise a single moment longer than necessary?” He answered these questions with one very simple answer...
“The answer is this: they are here that they might live for the Lord, and help others to know His love.” - Charles Spurgeon
So having read this I did some real soul searching regarding how well I was helping others to know God and Jesus, and how completely I was conveying God’s love to them. I came to the conclusion that for many years I lived in the light of God with an umbrella above my head. I wanted to be close to God, but not so close that while doing His will I was sunburned. I wanted to walk with Jesus, but not to the point where it wore me out, or gave me blisters.
I have mentioned before that I was miraculously saved from drowning as a teenager. I had professed my faith at a young age, and loved God, but also lived the life of a roughnecked boy. So here I was some five years later, and the Lord saved me from a watery death... why? I went on in life living for God, and walking with Jesus, but always asking myself...”Why did God save my life?” I knew there had to be a reason, but what, and why would He save someone who was doing nothing remarkable for Him? I read scripture telling me I was the salt of the earth, and yet others weren’t having that salt I contained sprinkled on their lives.
“"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.”
Matthew 5:13 ESV
Am I describing your life as I tell you my own story? Are you a salt shaker full to the brim because you have never spent a grain of your salt seasoning someone’s life?... if not, are you truly living for God by doing His will?
We are each called to serve the Lord in a certain way, some of us will go out into the world, traveling abroad to spread the gospel, but others will be called to keep His sanctuary clean, tend His garden, preach, teach, write of Him, make music about Him, or other such things. Yet as certainly as you have been called you are going to be asked to sprinkle your salt on someone.
“And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
Mark 16:15-16 ESV
So I went years asking myself why God had saved me spiritually, and physically. I lived an up and down Christian Faith, but always came back to that burning question... “Why did God save my life?” I lived through many personal experiences with Jesus, and God, but never felt I had answered His call for me. Then one day a young Christian man walked into my office, and we became good friends, and following the Spirit he gave me a tiny leather bound devotional book on prayer. I didn’t open it for some time, but when I finally did it spoke to me, and I sent my friend a text message one faithful Saturday morning telling him what I had heard in that day’s message, and each day following I did the same. He shared what I was writing, the story spread, and the messages became devotional and prayers that are now read around the world.
One day after sending my message I was sitting n my prayer chair and it dawned on me... this was my calling, and this is why the Lord lifted a drowning teenage boy from the murky depths of a lake.
“Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
2 Corinthians 6:1-2 ESV
We each have a lake that God will pull us from; it might not be as dramatic as my experience, but there is a lake. For every person’s life God has a plan, and a portion of His will that Calls us to, and wants us to play a part in. Each of us who asks himself “Why did God save my life?” will receive an answer. It might come the instant you ask, or many miles down the road, but it will come if you keep asking this faithful question... and keep seeking. When the answer does finally come to you, it may be in the realization that you need to do something new, or perhaps that you have been living in His will all along, and doing exactly what He intended for you to do from the start. You might look around you and see that your salt shaker had been dribbling salt as you walked, and that your salt is scattered everywhere. Are you asking the question? Are you looking for the answer to why God reached out for you, and sent His Son to save you? Are you listening, obeying, and spreading the salt? Maybe it’s time to start shaking!
“"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for calling me, saving me, and giving me a job to do towards accomplishing your will for this work, and all creation. Thank you for the big jobs and the little ones because each is just as important as we live out your will, and as we lead others to know you, and Jesus Christ. Help us Lord to have patience as we ask the faithful questions regarding why you have saved us, and what your will is for our lives. Teach us to look for the answers, and to obey once we have heard your voice. Give us a strong arm as we sow your salt of faith, and salvation into the lives of others. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who draws us to Himself, redeems us by the blood of His Son Jesus, and puts us to work doing His will. Merciful are you who lifts our lives from the lake of sin in which we are drowning, and glorious is your grace that sees fit to remove all traces of that sin from us through Jesus. Praised be your name Father as we spread the gospel word to all those around us... healing each with your salt... not wasting a grain that you have placed into us... your vessel.
“He said, "Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it." So they brought it to him.”
2 Kings 2:20 ESV
Rich Forbes