Pondering the Implications
Lately I’ve been contemplating the implications of being a Christian. I think of things like being a child of God, being blood-bought by the Son of God, being filled with the Holy Spirit, being sanctified (set apart by God), being forgiven of my sins (those I’ve already committed and those I’ve yet to commit), being set free from the bondage of sin, being reunited with God in a relationship, being added to a universal family of believers with whom I find comfort, given hope, and receiving peace and joy.
How many people in the world today have those things? When I stop and ponder the presence of Almighty God in me through the Holy Spirit, I am astounded. That God himself would choose to dwell in me is humbling. Christ in me. I have all the benefits of Christ Jesus himself! When the Father looks at me, He sees Jesus!
Christians are literally sitting on a powder keg and we often don’t realize it. God wants to do so much through His children, but His children are too often oblivious to it. I want to start living my life with the power of God’s Spirit clearly evident to others.
I believe with all my heart that Christians can turn this world upside down (or maybe I should say right-side-up) for Jesus Christ. Maybe instead of sitting around complaining all the time about how rotten the world has gotten, Christians should come together in the power of the Holy Spirit and allow God to reclaim, redeem, and revolutionize our broken world. Perhaps that’s what He’s waiting for.
Hawk-man, two points I want to hit on. First, thank God He sees Jesus when He looks at us! I can’t imagine the horror He would see of me otherwise. I do a great job at sinning and being a dirty rag. Thank God for His grace! What an amazing gift.
Second, you mentioned Christians turning the world upside down without complaining. I have a good friend who is not a Christian for the simple fact of how Christians make her feel. She said she has no interest in being like the ones she’s met because of our judgmentalism, elitism, and complaining. (I hope she wasn’t talking about me, but I’m included in the indictment.) I notice more and more that Christians focus too much on changing the world thru politics and government, rather than thru the gospel of God. I truly believe the gospel will change people, and because of individual change, corporate, governmental change can follow. Instead, I wonder if we rely too much on a political messiah!
Thanks for the thoughtful post.