recentchristian

Today, I’m thinking of a sermon from a few weeks ago.  Pastor Bill is great at metaphor and the power of metaphor.  He talked about a few women out shopping over the Christmas season and one made a comment about religion invading Christmas.  In the pews, there were chuckles.  I remained still and tears started streaming gently down my face.  I was deeply saddened and my heart grew blue knowing that there are many out there that haven’t experienced Jesus.  I was one of them.  If Christians could just allow non-believers and professing Christians to be in our shoes for a day, to experience the glory of God … the world would change.  Conversions would happen and we’d be building so many more churches.  What a heartwarming thought.

“Christian conversion is the act or process of being changed (without coercion but through our own volition) into a person who believes and treasures Jesus Christ, his saving work, and his promises above everything else, including all that we were believing or treasuring before conversion.”

John Piper. ©2014 Desiring God Foundation. Website: desiringGod.org

Instead, we are looked at through a different lens.  On December 20, I received an email from RJ, a friend who said “the fact is, you’ve gotten all weird with religion and shit.”  My response was to pray for RJ.  He doesn’t know that has been my response but it’s the most powerful ammunition available.  Hit him in the heart with a good, earnest prayer that his heart may be softened to know the glory of God.

I know, you may be thinking that “her response was to pray?  She didn’t retaliate at all?”  My answer is yes, my response was prayer.  And, no, I didn’t retaliate at all.  I’m still new at this whole Christian thing and just don’t know the Christian response or the best response but I’m doing my best.  I’ve said “no one ever told me that being a Christian would be easy” too many times to count.

I get it!  I was there just a year ago.  I looked at people who went to church as a bit strange, people who don’t do what the bulk of people do.  Really??  People actually get up every Sunday and go to church instead of having a lazy Sunday morning or going out for a jog??  Are you serious?? Do people really get together and pray for a few hours or study the Bible for a few hours??? What’s the good in that?  How can that help advance a career?  How will that make me more popular?  How can that possibly be a good use of my time???  Huh?  The Bible (God) wants us to be humble?  I’m not getting any of this time back – how can I possibly justify sitting, studying the Bible or praying for a few hours each week?  Yep, I know you’re asking those questions or similar questions.  I was there and pray that somehow, you’ll start to understand these things through the eyes (and heart) of a Christian.