I often listen to Christian radio in my car. I never thought I'd say this, but I've started to like it. Yesterday, they were talking about missionary work and about people becoming Christians, asking Jesus into their hearts.
I hate to say this because I'm a Christian. But, sometimes "asking Jesus into your heart" doesn't sound convincing to me. In fact, it sounds too easy. It sounds like there's got to be a lot more steps or something. But, there it is. Accept Jesus. Love Him. Follow Him. Share Him with others. Love others like Jesus loves them.
My cynical self wants to disagree. It wants to argue, to protest.
But, I had to think that the Bible says that the Church is the bride of Christ. Now, I've not yet been a bride, but I guess what being a bride means to me is saying to someone that I love him. That I want to spend the rest of my life loving him. That I want the love we have to be shown to other people--children, relatives, strangers who come into our lives. That I want the love we have to be so apparent that people see us and know we are different because we have this love in our lives. That we are not the same people we were before we got married. We're perhaps not as selfish. We're perhaps more accepting of others. We're perhaps people who care more about our community because we have children and we want those children to live in a place where they are safe and they are loved.
And, the thing is, there's just one time when you vow to do those things, when you make that decision to accept a husband into your life. But, after that, it is a lifetime. A lifetime of learning more and more how to love that person. A lifetime of learning more and more how to know that person. And, a lifetime of knowing that that person will be there. Even when they're not there.
And, when I thought of it that way, accepting Christ didn't seem so strange. It actually seemed more like the dream that most of us have. To one day promise to love and be faithful to someone, even when loving seems hard. And to spend the rest of our lives honoring that commitment.
2 comments:
This is really good. I wish everyone would read this. It makes sense that we aren't "buying hell insurance." We're investing in a lifelong (eternally long) RELATIONSHIP. When you look at it that way, it starts to make sense why Jesus said to enter thru the narrow gate. Most people probably do try to get hell insurance. Many fewer try to have a real RELATIONSHIP with God - especially THE God - of the universe.
I'm glad you wrote this. Now write the one on sinful pig slop, and I'm gonna save them both to my computer to re-read everyday!! ;)
PS - This also takes off some of the pressure to "get it all right right NOW!" It really is a process b/c it is a relationship - and ALL relationships take TIME. (emphasis added for myself) I'm content to let the relationships with my family, husband, and friends take time, so why am I so quick to rush into perfection with God? I think I am still trying to win His approval - to keep Him in the relationship instead of recognizing His truth that no matter how good I ever got, without His faithfulness, we wouldn't even have one. I think that thought makes me panic b/c I keep waiting for Him to do what everyone else in my life has eventually done - finally called it quits - told me I was too much, they were outta here, and I was left on my own. I have THE HARDEST time believing that isn't me and God too. THE HARDEST.
What would you pray if you were me??
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