Ok, how about a trip down memory lane? Whether a short time or many years ago, jump back to the day you gave your heart to
Christ. All the stories; messages; songs; prayers finally made sense. It finally became real and you realized that God does love you and you desperately need him… and want him! That feeling of being clean and being loved was so incredible that you were probably like me and drove some of your friends crazy chasing them around and railing on them to get saved… and get saved now! Though we had only a small measure of spiritual knowledge, we sure had a lot of zeal! You wonder how could you have waited so long for this. And why would anyone else not dive headfirst into this kind of joy and peace?
Oh, what an amazing time! But… life has a way of tarnishing such seasons. The newness wears off. We run into some tough times. We get disappointed by our leaders. Our quality time with the Lord diminishes. We don’t feel God quite the same way. Finally, living for Christ just becomes a schedule, something we do. It’s just normal, right? I mean, how many people do you know still having glorious encounters years after they gave their hearts to God?
Were we tricked with that exhilarating touch on the front end, thinking it was the starting point for what was to come? I mean, is this what we signed up for when we committed to serve God forever? Was there some fine print in the contract that we didn’t see? Forget living in awe and wonder today, is what we’re experiencing right now even enough to keep us walking with the Lord for the next 40 years? Is this what the apostles were beheaded; sawed in two; crucified upside down for?
Well, take heart! For what you experienced during those first months as a new believer is indeed the starting point for what is to come. We want to be fascinated anew every day for a reason- God created us that way! That desire will be met when Jesus returns to the earth, but what about now? I know we have read about it, but how about a living, breathing model in front of us who is living out the kind of Christian experience we are longing for?
This is the invitation of 1 John 1- This is what we proclaim to you… what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched… 1:2 we have seen and testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us 1:3 What we have seen and heard we announce to you too, so that you may have fellowship with us (and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ). 1:4 Thus we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
Walking in relationship with Jesus, when you feel every day you’re slipping more and more into eternity. Now that is what we expected! Becoming knit together with Christ was never meant to be more of the same. It was never meant to be just a different expression of what we already know- Church service instead of a bar; same music- different lyrics; different speech- same lifestyle. We were made to live forever! We were made to taste eternity,and taste it in part now. John just gave us permission to be unsatisfied. If you want to be a living, breathing dilemma for those who say the miraculous is not for our day,you just received permission to live with one foot in eternity!
This is so good. I’m convicted and provoked.