While the "discussion" that happened on my Facebook status about my view on the news of Osama Bin Laden's death, got turned into semantics battle and my whole point was lost in translation, it honestly revealed a lot of things about religious people that really make me want to punch them in the throat. It's moments like this that I really hate that people can't see that the "God" under which our one nation stands is a cheap, man-made, prosperity-gospel imitation of the true King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
I'll keep it short, get off my soapbox and then move on with this:
Think very hard before the next time you say ANYTHING about the grace of God, and how much he loves you. Christ did what he did to extend the same, full measure of grace to EVERYONE and Bin Laden, or Hitler, or Mother Teresa didn't deserve death or Hell any more or less than YOU or I do.
So anyway, I've obviously been thinking a lot about eternity and why God would want us to stay here after being redeemed. It's so very evident that our lives are a message to the world. A message of repentance, rebirth and redemption. Frankly, I feel we as a the body of Christ really suck at sending that message because we do not strive for consistency in our lives with God's word. We have many times in which we seek our own heart's fleshly desires in the name of Jesus so that we get what we want with His power instead of our own. A quote from John Piper that is so simple, yet describes our distorted view of grace is, "The New Birth is not enjoying the same meal with a different butler!" The new birth implies that a drastic change has been made at the deepest level of our motivations for anything. Once, where our heart sat on the throne, Christ takes reign and becomes the basis we form opinions on and make decisions from. (At least thats the way its SUPPOSED to work...)
YET there are so many practical Christians out there who only indulge in the word of God when it talks about how much He loves them, or what His power can do for them, all the while they have lost the fear of the Lord (if they ever had it) and tread on Holy ground with their shoes still on so that they don't have to feel their toes getting stepped on by the truth of God. (hopefully you were able to follow the mixed metaphor)
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. - John 4:23
I say all of this not as a word of discouragement of "shape up, or ship out." I say this as an encouragement that God's people need to rise up and worship Him. If you have and are, remain steadfast! If you have but aren't anymore or never have, then rise up and stand because the more who do the less crazy we will all feel if we don't have to stand alone.
This message hits me so close to home, because I see in my own life areas that I fail often to give over to the Lord. What's crazy is that sometimes it not even intentional. Its so engrained in my nature to sin BUT that is not unconquerable! The perspective of God's grace and how he is so patient with us in allowing us to grow to know, love, and honor Him, is something I want to take to the people of Senegal, and everywhere I go so that the TRUE message of repentance, rebirth, and redemption will come out in my life in the purest form that my humaness will let me.
Grace and Peace
amen
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