As school has started back recently, I have found myself having less and less time for Jesus. I have been focused on myself. What I need, what I want, what makes me happy, etc. Ever been there before? If we are honest this is the normal state we stay in unless we are actively thinking about a life outside ourselves. We put so much time and effort into everything else, but do not have time for God. Now could I go on living life and giving five minutes to God a day and be saved? Yes. Would I be walking in the abundant plan that the Lord has for my life? No.
Some of you right now are saying, well I am content doing what I am doing. My life seems pretty good, and things are going well. I am glad, but we are not called to a life of mundane Christianity. In fact, God hates lukewarm Christianity. In Revelation 3:16 it states, “So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. We want the kind of Christianity that is watered down so that we are not asked to step out of our comfort zone for Jesus.
In Acts 20 Paul is getting ready to go to Jerusalem to preach the gospel and he knows that he will face prison and hardship, but that does not stop him. In Acts 20:24, it states, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
Wow. Think about that verse for a second. When I read this verse, I felt so convicted. Here I am in my comfortable life barely making time for Jesus when Paul knew he was going to be persecuted for the sake of Jesus Christ and decided that it did not matter what he wanted to do, but only what the Father was asking of him. Paul had decided that no matter the cost, he was going to finish the race. There were lives at stake.
Friend, and I am writing to myself as much as you, when is the last time that you decided you were going to do what the Lord wanted you to do no matter the cost? When is the last time that instead of looking at the negative things in life, you were going to testify about the good news of God’s grace? Is heaven growing in numbers because of your life and your obedience to what Jesus is asking of you, of all of us?
There is a song called, I have decided to follow Jesus. In the lyrics, it states, “Tho’ none go with me, still I will follow.” It is not popular to follow and obey Jesus, as we ought to be, sharing the good news of God’s grace, but will you do it? There are lives at stake. This blog post is not meant to shame anyone or judge them, because I am in the same boat as you. However, I would not be a very good friend to you if I did not share what the Lord had put on my heart. It is a daily decision to die to yourself and follow Jesus, but it is the best decision you will ever make.