I'm in the middle of buying a house. First off, I don't like pressure to make decisions that are going to taking money out of my bank. I don't know anyone who does. Second, I don't like all the deadlines and "drop dead" dates that contracts require. Third, and most important, I don't like to rely on others to do what I can't and am uneducated to do. Makes for a stressful situation for me. Maybe others have gone here before. I just don't have the expertise and education for all the complications of real estate transactions. While our society has become more and more complicated (largely thanks to lawyers) more and more decisions are being relegated to the "system" than to the individual. So, I haven't read the contract yet. It's long and for the most part boring. I trust my realtor to have my best interests at heart and to direct my path to make the best of decisions. Because I am tenacious I ask many questions which I'm sure drives him crazy. However, I not only want to know but need to know if I am going to be held accountable to the deal. Someone else's urgency doesn't dictate an urgency to me. So, how does this apply to being a Christian?
For many Christians there apparently are no urgencies in the Christian part of their lives. Lackadaisical attention to the Gospel seems to be the norm for many who call themselves Christian. There, like real estate, are dictates, timelines, and the uncertainty to be addressed. What happens with many not rising to the occasion is...well...nothing. That's not right. Should I not meet God's expectations and address those tasks he has given me to do, I sin. Wow! Did I just say that? Yes, I did and for good reason. When we look at Scripture (James 4:17), we are faced with our basic decision making and ramifications of that decision making. The verse reads: "If you know what is right to do and do not do it, you sin." How much clearer do we need to make it? It's not someone else's job. It's yours. It's not someone else's problem. It's yours. When will the Christian rise up and do what is right? When there is a sense of God's urgency driving them. I want to buy this house. I want to be God's servant. Both require me to not only be dedicated to the task but to also be consumed with the urgency that both demand. What happens when we don't have either? Nothing.
Evil wins when good people do nothing. I look around my world (your world as well) and see that evil is winning all over. Evil is demolishing the world and people we know. Evil is what Satan does. He is the father of lies and lies to believers and non believers as well. The obvious question is why do we let him? Why do we believe that there is no urgency to see dead souls brought to life through Jesus grace and mercy? Why do we do nothing? Because it's convenient? Because it's easier? Because we simply don't care? Whatever the reason we don't believe the Gospel's dictate to go and make disciples of all mankind. We don't believe we need to care for the orphan and the widow. We don't believe that all we are and everything we have belongs to God when we surrender our lives to Him who is able to save us. Many Christians don't have urgency to seek and know Jesus and as a result don't see any need to hold to the truth of the Gospel. All of my children heard about Jesus from an early age. When they were old enough to understand I had the privilege of praying with them as they gave their lives to Jesus. I didn't wait for someone else to do the job. The urgency I felt remains as I speak Christ in their lives every time I talk with them. And I pray for them with urgency as I do for others in my life. Christianity is an action not a place to go on vacation. It's always been and always will be your choice.
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