Hello, Hello. Here I am, my back against the wall in UNT's One O'Clock Lounge, sitting on the floor in a sea of textbooks and midterm study guides.. and all I can really think about is how I've been dying to do a blog post for so long and haven't had the time. So, I'm making time to give room for a little update. :)
The Lord has been doing so many wonderful things in and around me, I can hardly write all of it down. But, one specific idea that has been burned in my mind is the phrase, "Do justly, live simply." This is the prophetic statement for the church that I heard preached at Agape Christian Fellowship in Groves, TX this past Sunday. However, this idea has been bouncing around in my head for a couple months now, ever since Toby Slough preached a sermon over the exact same thing at Cross Timbers Community Church in Argyle, TX. How on earth two pastors that don't talk to eachother and that live hundreds of miles apart preached on the exact same text and exact same concept, was beyond anything that could have happened simply by chance! (At least, in my heart. :)) God has been giving a specific word to me over the last couple months, and I'm slowly but surely learning what it means to be obedient and faithful to that word.
So, what was this wonderful, fantastic, mysterious sermon I keep talking about? I'm glad you asked. :)
Both Toby and Michael talked about Matthew 25:31-46. This is where Jesus talks about the final judgement, where he will "separate the sheep from the goats," which is an analogy he uses for the believers (sheep) and nonbelievers (goats). But I believe there is something a little more to the concept of "goats" that many of us, as "believers" miss. Jesus says this:
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'" (vs. 34-36)
Immediately after Jesus talks about who He considers His "sheep," he mentions the kind of life they lived: generous, sacrificial, and intentional. (Stay with me, I'm not talking about legalism here!) Jesus also goes on to talk about those who live the opposite way.
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'" (vs. 41-43)
He also says,
"...the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'"
Jesus talks about the evidence of a life truly changed by the Gospel. It is a lifestyle that gives and loves the "least of these" without hesitation and despite circumstances. Who are the "least of these" in our/my life/lives? As I sat through the sermon that day, I prayed for an answer to that question. I asked for an ability to see beyond the Kingdom that I see with my physical eyes (the one that tells me I'm too fat, i need more stuff, i need to look/act a certain way to be accepted, etc...), and the strength to live in the Kingdom I cannot see, but my heart longs for (things of the Kingdom, eternal treasure, the ultimate glory of Christ!). I believe He has given a very clear answer, and I'm so excited (and nervous!) to see how it all plays out..
I am fascinated with the idea of "less"... of giving and giving until I can't give anymore. However, when it comes to actually living it.. it's much more difficult to do than it is to say.
Do we give until it hurts, and then give some more? Are we faithful in the small things? Are we faithful in the big, trusting that the Lord will provide? Do we grumble? Do we do these things with a joyful heart, because we know there was One before who gave it ALL for us? Do we bring justice to those who have no voice? Do we make a difference in our families, cities, communities, or the world? Do we love as we have been loved?
Tired of the questions yet? :) I just have a few more..
What if we were more intentional? What if we made the little extra effort to buy things that supported good causes? Or, what if we spent more wisely and bought less, so that we were able to give more to those in need? What if we got rid of that extra space we have in our homes and opened up a little more in our hearts?
The call of God is clear. The Redeemed of the Lord are to bring justice to the injustice in the world. Sometimes that means selling everything and moving to a foreign country, and sometimes it means rearranging our budgets so that we were able to give just a little more. Or a lot more. What if every believer made it a point to throw in some spare change or a couple dollar bills into every benefit collection bin they see? They're everywhere: gas stations, fast food drive-thru's, convenience stores, etc. I wonder how much those small, simple donations would add up and make a difference? Can we find out? Can we give up our "rights" to convenience, comfort, and spare change for the sake of the Kingdom?
"The Gospel is free, but it will cost you EVERYTHING."If we believe this to be true, then we ought to be able to take a look at ourselves and ask.. what is the Gospel costing me? If the answer is nothing, we may need to reevaluate what direction we're heading. What do we really believe?
I'll leave you with the words of Jesus, that I read this morning over some Mi Casita breakfast tacos and a cup of coffee...
"give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you." -Luke 6:38
No comments:
Post a Comment