Even If i Walk Alone

Instructing and encouraging you to live your life as a disciple of Jesus

Archives for July 2009

Your Last Day

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Imagine that an angel appeared to you when you woke this morning.  Imagine he told you that your life would be over at midnight, and then vanished.  What would your response be?  How would you order your day?  There would be no time for any major plans, no time for that fantastic cruise to the Bahamas or to climb Mt. Everest.  With only 18 hours or less to complete your life on earth, what would be your plan?

While everyone’s actions would be different, to be sure, I believe there are many things we would all agree we would not do.  I would not spend time in any trivial conversation, just to pass the time.  I would not spend my last hours sitting and dwelling on my failures and regrets.  I would not be afraid to tell someone that I loved them, or to introduce myself to someone I always found intimidating in any way.  I would not waste a moment bickering with friends or family over inconsequential activities, or fretting about any political speeches or sitting in front of the television.  I would not worry if the house was clean or the car was washed.

What I would want to do would be to spend every possible moment with those I love.  I would want to encourage everyone I met in hopes of leaving some sort of legacy behind.  I would certainly not be afraid to speak my mind, to tell the truth regardless of the circumstance or consequence.  I would spend much of my day in prayer, preparing myself for the next stage in my life.  I would ask God to show me what I needed to accomplish on this day, to show me those I needed to speak to, and those I needed to forgive.

As I look back over my list, I am struck by the fact that the way I would live my last day on earth is the way I should be living every day on earth.  Why are we so afraid to live this way, to live out loud for Christ?  Instead we try and live quietly, under the radar, and ultimately in insignificance.  I don’t want to be quiet; I don’t want to be insignificant; I want to live loudly.  I want to live each day as if I knew it were my last.  Join me in making a joyful noise every day we live.

No Days Off

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I’ve been kicking around an idea for the past several weeks, and think I am finally comfortable enough with it that I need to integrate the principle of it into my life. The concept is simple, yet I believe it can have an incredible impact on the effectiveness of our walk. The concept is simply this: we as Christians are not allowed to take any days off. In fact, it goes deeper than that; we’re not even allowed to take a lunch break. Just as I have long espoused that every second of every minute of every hour of every day we make a choice to follow Christ or turn away from Him, I now am convicted that we must be “on” every second of every minute of every hour of every day.

For too long we have bought into the illusion that we deserve to have everything that Western culture has to offer, and oh by the way, we’ll also follow Christ. This isn’t the call I see in Scripture. Jesus demands that we give up everything and follow Him. We speak our belief to others whenever we are seen by them throughout the day. We speak our belief to God when no one else is around. This covers our actions, thoughts and words at all times, not just some of the time. God never ceases to observe us, and as long as there are other people on this planet, neither will they.

We don’t have the luxury of time. When we meet someone, we must demonstrate the love of Christ and the integrity of our faith to them; we may never get another opportunity. When we are alone, we must always use that time to recharge our spirit by communing with God, practicing spiritual disciplines and resting quietly in Christ – not in front of the latest television phenomenon. There are many things in this world that are inherently neutral – sports, hobbies and entertainment to name a few; but time is not neutral, it will either be used for God or it will be used against God. If we use the time God has given us to indulge in things that do not further His kingdom then we are not living true to our commitment to forsake everything for Him.

Nurture relationships, show love to others. Share a kind word and a few dollars with those in need. Perhaps now more than any time in American history we must realize how quickly our window of opportunity is closing. Our nation is changing and we do not know how long we will enjoy the absolute religious freedom we currently do. We must redeem the time – every second of it. We must work harder to live and love as we told Jesus we would. There are no breaks, there is no time off, but there is a great reward for all who persevere.

What If?

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What if this week were different? What if we approached tomorrow in a brand new way? What if we got so excited about doing life the way we are called to do it that we made a radical change in the way we lived? What if everything we did was done in honor of God? What if, before we go to bed tonight, we dedicated the rest of this week to Jesus? What if we didn’t stop at just words, what if we really meant it?

What if we rejected our pride and started actively seeking ways to serve others? What if we determined to love – truly love – everyone with whom we come into contact? What if we, once and for all, surrendered those things we have kept back from God? What if we stopped worrying if we had the latest electronic gadgets or the biggest TV? What if we stopped caring what kind of car we drive?

What if we skipped our own lunch and used the money to buy lunch for someone else instead? What if we took some time to speak to the homeless? What if we spared an hour to listen to someone who was hurting? What if we treated our families with the same courtesy and respect that we treat those outside of our inner circle?

What if we started living like Jesus was truly alive within us? What if we decided – right now – to set the world ablaze with the love of Christ? What if we just let go and let Him flow through us? What if we stopped being afraid and started trusting Him like we say we do? What if we started living as if nothing mattered more than pleasing Jesus?

What if this all weren’t just wishful thinking? What if we stopped asking all these questions and started to be the answers instead? What if?