With all the hustle and bustle of life these days, it’s easy to miss the point of this life, the point of the christian walk. We get caught up in all the structured things in life, sports practice, work schedules, social clubs, etc. We get so caught up in the “doing” that we lose sight of the importance of “being”. Being in God’s presence and being in the moment.
We translate this into our christian walk. We get so caught up in trying to be a better christian. Trying to be more forgiving, more compassionate, more loving, more giving. etc. We try to do this by our own power. Herein lays the problem as his can only lead to two things. One, we feel so defeated and horrible about ourselves. Because we can’t live up to all that and feel like hypocritical christians. Or two, we get full of pride at how well we think we’re doing and start to look down on others that aren’t living as well as we think we are. Both of these things are deadly traps that derail our christian walk.
We as a church, have been aiming at the wrong goal for over the last fifty plus years. The primary purpose of our salvation is not to establish a religion of does and don’ts. It is not to escape the fires of Hell. It’s not so we can escape our past and become a better person. While these are important and are side effects of the main purpose of our salvation, they are not the primary reason for our salvation.
The primary purpose of our salvation, the most important reason Jesus died on the cross, is so we can know Him. So we could build a relationship with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. I’ll let that sink in a bit. What an awesome opportunity we have been given! To be able to get know and be friends with the God who created the universe.
It is also important to remember that it is God who initiated this relationship. we read in John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” In this once sentence, Jesus summed up his primary reason for His coming to earth and dying in our place.
It also says in Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
So, you see here that it’s possible to do all the right things, even the supernatural ones, and still not know God or who He is. And more alarmingly, for Him not to know us! Sp we clearly see it’s not about performance, or appearance, but relationship. So let us focus our christian walk on getting to know God the Father and Jesus Christ whom he sent.
How do we accomplish this? That is the question I’m still exploring. A good place to start is to read God’s word asking the Holy Spirit to speak to us and tell us how it applied to our lives personally. Then pray God’s word to him and thank Him for His great love for us (you). Another way is to meditate on God’s word, let it flood you mind as you quite your other thoughts. As you do, listen for the still, small voice of God to speak to your heart. This is a form of two way prayer.
Two way prayer is key. Two way prayer is not mystical or magical, it’s simply having a conversation with your best friend. After all, you wouldn’t talk to your closest human friend and never let then get a word in edgewise would you? How much more must we take time to listen to what our Heavenly Father has to say to us?
Remember, it is God who wants us to know Him and for Him to know us. He loves you so much that He sent His one and only Son so that whosoever believes in Him, can have everlasting life and an everlasting relationship with Him.
So, lets not waste this marvelous gift we have been given. Lets not miss the mark. Lets take time to wait upon the Lord and listen to His voice. Unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain.
Your Heavenly Father has made the first move. The next move in yours. Or as they say “The ball’s in your court”.