What if the key to the Christian life isn’t about trying harder?
What if reading more, praying more, fasting more, singing more, and striving more… just produces more reading, praying, fasting, singing and striving?
Does effort beget Spirit? Isn’t that the message of the gospel, that no amount of trying can produce salvation? Then why do we think any amount of trying can produce growth or progress or anything else of eternal value?
Why do we live as though our faith is the means by which we seek God, connect with him, and unlock his blessing, when the entire New Testament is about God seeking us, trying to connect with us because he’s eager to pour out his blessing?
What if the issue isn’t God speaking, but us listening?
What if God is communicating continually—through a sunset, a Bible verse, a billboard, a breeze? What if his love flows through that hug our friend offered, through that perfect parking spot, through the joke on the radio that made us laugh?
What if God pours himself into our pain, so that even there, we can find his embrace and comfort?
What if we’ve successfully turned the Christian life right-side up, when it should be left upside-down?
What if the key to the Christian life is… simply…
“Wake up, O sleeper; rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14).
whoa. i will be thinking about this for awhile.
Thanks for the whoah. Have a good one.
Holly asked me to read this. I like it. I think God requires different things from each of us to know we are serious about Him. I think God often speaks to our heart and let’s us know the area He wants to use to talk to us, and for some that’s more prayer, or more community work, or watch that sunrise, etc. There just is no rule saying you need X number hours doing this or that. Again, I like this. It makes me think about friends who are “sort of” Christ followers, they don’t call themselves Christians but know God is real. Now these truely are some of the best people I know. Their actions speak so loudly, they can show Gods love more than a conventional church can at times. I think God can be just as pleased with them as He is with the guy who reads and prays for hours a day. We are different, in turn, so is our steps to listen to and follow God.
Hi Rhonda, thanks for stopping by. Good thoughts, too.
Well said Rhonda. It has been my experience, as a pastor, that some “believers” as opposed to “followers” will read this column and justify sitting under a tree and accomplishing nothing for themselves or the Kingdom of God. Our “Actions” willspeak louder than our words. St. Francis said it best, “whenever possible, preach the Gospel and if necessary use words”. Blessings.
So true. Even Paul realized his words about grace could easily be misinterpreted as licence to sin “so that grace may abound.” He didn’t then nullify the risk inherent in grace, but redefined grace as a force so powerful that it produces real fruit and piety. It’s so easy to feel the need to “protect” grace, and there is some need for that of course, but it’s a razor’s edge to walk, trending toward legalism again.