I was reminded the other day about the significance of the cross. It seems, unfortunately, that the symbol of the cross has lost its power in our culture today. In the first century, the cross was a symbol of death and shame, but today, it’s been diluted and even turned into jewelry. When we, as believers, see a cross today, it just does not evoke the feelings that it should. Our Lord and King gave Himself over to face such a torturous death that was saved for only the worst of criminals. Jesus committed no sin, yet He willingly bore the punishment for all our iniquity. Every ounce of His blood was poured out for you and for me. He was beaten, bruised, broken, and pierced so that our relationship could be restored with His Father.
After His death, the followers of Christ took up the symbol of His death as their own. This was not done out of some sort of misplaced pride or simple memorialization, but out of pure reverence. They took up the cross as a symbol of themselves dying daily to the things of this world. When Jesus said that we are to be in the world rather than of the world, He meant it. We are to take up our personal cross each and every day so that our worldly desires can be crucified with Christ. The life of a Christian is to be markedly different from those who are living for themselves, but that is not what I see when I look at the Church in America today.
The arts of self-denial and self-discipline seem to have been lost in a culture that is all about individual gain and material possession. I have also witnessed a growing number of local churches that are struggling to find enough volunteers to make ministry happen. Jesus knew this would be the case when He said the “the harvest is great, but the workers are few.” Why is this? Why do we cheapen the sacrifice of our Savior by playing games with our faith? Don’t get me wrong; I am asking these questions of myself as well. Am I as devoted as I should be? Does the way I spend my time and my resources reflect the faith I claim to have? What does the cross really mean to me? These are questions that I want to challenge every Believer to ask themselves each and every day.
I believe a revival is coming.
Is the Church ready for a harvest?
Are you?
Am I?
God is.
What Can We Give to an Almighty God?
We live in a society that often asks “what can God do for me?” But rarely is it asked “what can I do for God?” This has left us with a culture in the Church that is full of consumers rather than producers. Let’s face it, we have raised a generation in the Church that would rather be entertained than do work. I’ve heard countless stories of local churches that struggle to find volunteers to do the ministry that they are called to do, and it breaks my heart. If the mission of the Church is rob”equip the saints for minsitry,” his do we buck this trend? What message can be preached that will rekindle the fire that is felt upon conversion?
Christians often refer to God as our “Heavenly Father,” but do we really view Him as a father? A (good) father delights in the affection and efforts of his children. A (good) father is willing to give up everything in order to lift up his children. A (good) father’s number one reason for existence is to provide and to protect his children. Do we view God in this way? Do we view Him as a Father who sacrificed everything in order that we may find eternal life? Do we view God as our Father who desires and deserves our love and devotion?
You may be asking what this all has to do with the title of this post, and I promise I will get there, but first, imagine this picture. A man is at his workbench building a birdhouse when his child comes up and offers to help. Would a good father turn down his child’s offer even if it would be easier for him to do it all himself? I have thought long and hard about what we as children of God can give to our Heavenly Father, and I have come up with one answer – empty hands. With empty hands (and a willing spirit), God would be more than delighted to include us in His handiwork. Why do we feel the need to make it more complicated than this?
I believe this is part of what Jesus meant when He said we should be more like children. We should be running to our Heavenly Father begging Him to include us in what He is doing. We should be so desperate for His affection that we can’t take our eyes off Him because of our wonder and awe of who He is. I know I don’t always look at God that way, but imagine for a second what the Church would look like if we all did. This is my challenge to myself and to anyone reading this – let us each grow to become obedient and devoted children of the Almighty God.
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