Being a Christian is not meant to be as easy and comfortable as we have made it. I see more and more how we have turned our faith into something that suits our desires more than turning our desires into something that suits our faith. The Jesus we want to follow blesses us with easy lives and lots of stuff. He asks us to do things for Him, but only in the ways it works for us. The Jesus we seek places more emphasis on personal growth than on pursuing lost souls. He feels good when we sing at church, and He gladly accepts whatever we decide to offer Him at our convenience.
That is the Jesus we want.
But the Jesus of the Bible is different. Yes, He wants to give us good things, be happy, sing songs, and receive our gifts to Him. But not in the ways we have decided to do it.
The Jesus of the Bible said that to follow Him, we have to give up everything. Everything. He told us...promised us...hard times and persecution. Even death. He repeatedly illustrated and emphasized the greatness and importance of His eternal Kingdom, and how it is worth more than all the treasure we can find here on earth. He told us to go and make disciples, and he said that by giving us this task He was putting us out there like a sheep among wolves. He didn't say His work is easy and safe; He said it is difficult, painful, and even deadly.
That is the Jesus we serve.
He gave us a Mission. But how many of us are doing that mission? I know I'm not. I like to dance around the fringe, picking out tasks that are easier and less risky, that don't demand a lot of boldness on my part.
And then I ask Him to bless my efforts.
We don't take the Mission seriously. We fill our days with things that distract us from it. Then we make excuses for why we don't have time to work on the Mission. We've set up home here.* We forget why we were created in the first place.
With seven years of higher learning behind me, I've had to do my share of studying in life. The longer I was in school, the harder it got. Finally, when the school part was over, I had one final test to take. I had to prove my knowledge. I had to take a five-hour board exam in order to make it into the world of therapy that I had spent years preparing for.
I'm not a great studier. I prefer distractions. Most of my set study times ended in either facebooking or napping. It's just plain hard for me to sit down and study.
But as this big test hung heavier over my head, I kicked it into gear. My entire future now hinged around this one event.
I studied.
I removed myself from distractions. Got away from my computer so I couldn't get on facebook. Sat in the middle of the living room on the floor so I couldn't tinker with things around me. Left the house and went to Starbucks so I wouldn't fall asleep. Made notecards for the physical stimulation to keep my mind focused.
In the same way, it's easier to focus on the Mission when we remove ourselves from distractions. Spend time in prayer. Read the Word. Volunteer our time. Have coffee with a non-Christian co-worker instead of a Bible study pal. Drive a cheaper car and send that extra money to missionaries.
Move to a grass hut to build a Church where people hate you.
Yeah, that would keep your mind on the Mission, wouldn't it?
You see, there are a few things in life that matter, and many things that don't. Jesus called us to this Mission, and one day we're going to have to stand before Him and present our work. Everything we've ever done here on earth is going to be thrown into the fire. The eternal will withstand; the earthly will be burned up.
What am I doing in life that will still be intact after it has passed through the fire? On the day I see Jesus, what's going to bring reward and what's going to bring regret?*
What have I done this year...this week...even today, that I am not ashamed to place at the feet of Jesus?
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*Quotes from Francis Chan's sermon, Living a Life that Matters - "Living Eternally."
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