Life's too short - eternity's too long
"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." Romans 12:9
It's time to stop screwing around. As the pastor today at church preached on, "Life's too short - eternity's too long." What we decide to do right here, right now during this short time on earth, will have eternal ramifications. Either abhor what is evil, completely and totally, or embrace it with every ounce of your being. So I go to church every week. So I read the Bible, so I say I'm a Christian. Well, what am I doing about it? Who am I witnessing to? When will I start praying as I should? When will I start acting like a man who has been redeemed by a God who has shown compassion to someone as lowly as myself? Why don't I start giving something back to God... how about giving Him everything I am.
Yeah, so here I am writing about what I need to do, on this meaningless blog, but three hours from now... a day, a week, a month.. what kind of a commitment am I really willing to make. I need to be constantly reevaluating myself. I'm sick of having the attitude that, "I've arrived." I'm here, I've done it, I'm a good person, "hey God, look at me!" Pride causes a lot of problems... namely complacency. Complacency leads to self-righteousness, which in turn leads to a neglect of God, which then leaves me alone to myself, wallowing in my sinfulness... right where I want to be, away from God. But no, I won't let that happen. I have to constantly and consistently fight for what I believe... fight against that sin in my own self that keeps dragging me down, producing guilt, fear, and despair.
God is faithful. Today's sermon was so fitting. God has blessed me so much with His message brought through Rev. Thompson today. The sin will always be there. But never should I let that fool me into thinking that I can just give into sin since it will always be present. Rather, I need to have a constant state of hatred for my sins, along with a zealous desire to pursue those things which are truly, inherently, purely good. I cannot arrange those two goals (hatred of evil, love of good) into: "Well first I'll start hating evil... and then I'll work on loving good." NO, those things go hand in hand. Through my desire to cling to what is good, I will start to hate sin and abhor evil. God is coming. Life is too short. I have to decide now... either to continue and be a complacent Christian, or be a Christian who is fervently in love and passionate about the God he serves.
"Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not fair." O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord God. "Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the trangressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord God. "Therefore turn and live!" --Ezekial 18:29-32
posted by Modern Day Stonewall @ 2:08 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I think just by being who you are is plesing to God. You are faithful and you do witness to so many beleive it or not, through this "meaningless" blog. You are so young and there will probably never be a time in THIS life when you will be able to say, Ok, NOW I know it all and I am a good Christian. It's not like graduating. It's constant process. Much like a rewarding marathon that never ends. My grandmother studied the Bible her whole life, up until the day she died, she NEVER stopped learning about being a good Christian, although she was the best Christian I ever knew. I actually use her Bible in Bible study...
You are a very strong Christian witness, your journey began at birth. By living a virtuous life and giving thanks to God, and proclaiming the Word of God, THAT is being a good Christian witness.
I will say it again, you are an amazing young man and it is so inspiring to read what you have write... I believe you are, in all honesty, making a difference in my life...Keep up your studies of the Word and stay strong, by going to church and surrounding yourself with fellow Beleivers is wonderful. But as Christians it is our place to go out into the world, not to judge non-beleivers, but to love them and show them through our example the Love God has for us...
Thanks beachgirl.. I'm just trying to keep challenging myself day in and day out. And yeah, that's exactly right.. we are called to go out into the world and not sit back and judge "non-Christians." Well, thanks again for your encouraging comment, I really do appreciate it. ttyl.
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