What has God been telling you to do that you have been putting off? It’s okay to admit it; we’ve all been guilty of ignoring God many times in our lives. Even the apostle Paul said that he didn’t do the things he wanted to do, but rather kept doing those things he didn’t want to do (Romans 7:15). Each of us know the things we should be doing to glorify Christ, but more often than not we keep to our old habits and more “comfortable” ways. Who are we to believe that what we are doing is more satisfying than obedience to God? It’s ludicrous and very dangerous to flaunt our freewill in the face of the One who granted it. Yet time and again we play with fire and ignore the commands of Christ in order to continue our greedy and selfish pursuits.
Romans
Spoiled Rotten Brats
Western believers must be ever diligent to prevent themselves from being sucked into the materialism that permeates the culture of our day. It seems we are often more concerned with keeping up with the Jones’ rather than serving them. Without a clearly defined list of priorities based on the teachings of Christ, we will easily fall prey to the temptation of acquiring wealth and goods that will burn in the fire instead of storing up treasures that will last for eternity (Matthew 6:19-20). We are called to be separated from the ways of the world, not to indulge in them (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 6:15-17). Our lives should look like that of Jesus, not our next door neighbor’s.
Following Jesus is a Choice
When you committed your life to Christ, this was a choice you determined to make. No one can do this for you; following Jesus is a personal commitment and a personal decision (Joshua 24:15). For many, this is the only choice they will make. In reality, we must choose repeatedly throughout our lives to follow Him. Being a disciple is not a one-and-done kind of deal.
We choose to commit our lives to Him, and then we must spend the rest of our lives choosing to follow Him because following Jesus is a choice we make every day (Luke 9:23). When the rubber meets the road, many choose to take the off-ramp. Making a one-time decision is easy; a lifetime commitment is something exponentially more.
What’s Next?
It’s easy to become discouraged in our walk with Christ. The mission ahead is daunting and the pressures against us mount every day. There are so many in the world who hunger and thirst, how can we ever reach them all? Every day wars are creating more orphans and widows, and we haven’t yet begun to be able to help the ones we had the day before. We long to live a life that looks like Jesus, but the odds against us seem increasingly overwhelming. So many die without ever knowing the peace and love that can come only from Jesus; our hearts ache and we become paralyzed at the work before us.
Why God Allows Evil
For generations, people have pondered why bad things happen to good people. If God is good, why does He allow evil to occur in the world? The answer lies in God’s gift of freewill. He has allowed us to make our own decisions, regardless of how disastrous the consequences may be. Love requires freewill, so without it we could never choose to love Him.
If He required our love and devotion rather than requested it, we would not have the genuine collaborative relationship He desires. We cannot have freedom without being ready to accept the consequences it carries.