Don't start this Christianity thing and then leave halfway. Once you go , "Oh, I didn't know it was going to be this hard." It's like going to war. You don't start the battle and go "Huh. I should have never done this." Think about it ahead of time. I love this battle analogy, I love this war analogy, because we've forgotten what Christianity is. We forget that we're a part of an army and that's why there's so much complaining when it gets difficult because we thought Christianity was going to be this, or it would be that. We complain because things don't go the way we thought they were going to because someone misled us and told us that this life was going to be full of good things and easy things and fun things rather than suffering like Jesus said it would be. Can you imagine if a soldier was in the middle of a battle and he comes running to the general or the commanding officer out of the battlefield and goes "Man, those guys are shooting things at me! This guy threw this thing and it exploded everywhere!" Well, what did you expect? We're in a war here. I get these people who go to church and complain about this, this, and this. You guys, we are at war. Jesus wants us to understand where we are going. We may go to the cross. This is what you've signed up for... Don't sign up for this battle unless you're ready to die for it. Jesus tells us, if you are not willing to pick up the cross and die for me, I don't have a use for you.
How far are we willing to go for Jesus?
It might cost us the financial freedom we thought we had.
It might cost us the comfortable farmhouse we fixed up with vintage flooring and creaky stairs.
It might cost us hours of practicing lines of scripture and ironing costumes and rewriting scripts to share the Resurrection story.
It might cost us our friends who tell us we've crossed the line.
It might cost us our pride to repent and accept salvation freely.
It might cost us our spare room and laundry detergent to give someone a home.
It might cost us six weeks at boot camp obeying orders from a drill instructor.
It might cost us to take a shaky step of faith into an unknown future.
It's Good Friday and Jesus is bearing the cross of our iniquities. He was able to finish the task His Father set before Him because he knew there was to be victory after He drew His last breath. And THAT'S why we can bear ours.
How far are we willing to go for Jesus?
It might cost us the financial freedom we thought we had.
It might cost us the comfortable farmhouse we fixed up with vintage flooring and creaky stairs.
It might cost us hours of practicing lines of scripture and ironing costumes and rewriting scripts to share the Resurrection story.
It might cost us our friends who tell us we've crossed the line.
It might cost us our pride to repent and accept salvation freely.
It might cost us our spare room and laundry detergent to give someone a home.
It might cost us six weeks at boot camp obeying orders from a drill instructor.
It might cost us to take a shaky step of faith into an unknown future.
It's Good Friday and Jesus is bearing the cross of our iniquities. He was able to finish the task His Father set before Him because he knew there was to be victory after He drew His last breath. And THAT'S why we can bear ours.
2 comments:
thanks for sharing this, very thought provoking & definately inspiring to be a better warrior for God!! Judy
love your examples of the cost... because even the hard and uncomfortable ones become beautiful (and much less uncomfortable) at the foot of the cross. His sacrifice puts it into perspective. And when I see things listed out like this, it builds up motivation to actively look for things I can do to show (even in the smallest of ways) gratitude for the debt He paid!
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