In a recent Sunday School class, our discussion revolved around a crazy love for God and what that looked like in our daily lives. This talk led us to contemplate our purposes. Are we called to be servants to everyone like Paul and to spend our time sharing the gospel? Am I called to do all for the sake of the Gospel as Paul suggests in 1 Corinthians?
1 Corinthians 9:22-23 “22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
The Bible provides us with many examples to answer this question. God tells us to care for the hungry, the downtrodden, the captives and the widow and orphans. 1 Peter 2:9 shows us we are a holy people so that we may declare the God’s praises. Max Lucado also addresses our purpose in one of his devotionals called Upwards – “You may not wear a clerical collar, but you could, because your work is God’s pulpit.” So what stops us from serving God?
[bctt tweet=”Max Lucado- You many not wear a clerical collar, but you could,because your work is God’s pulpit.”]
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
I think what stops most of us from lives fully committed to Christ is fear. Some fear things like the perceived dangers of mission work in other countries. Some fear came from the feeling that they were unqualified to share the good news of Christ. But, I think many of us fear what our friends and family will think of us if we dedicate ourselves entirely to Christ. We don’t want to be “the religious nut” among our friends. The first chapter of James explains that we should consider it a “joy” to face any trails for Christ, even ridicule from our friends. Paul also encourages us today with his final words to Timothy when we finish our race, a crown of righteousness awaits us and that all our trails will be worth the reward.
[bctt tweet=”I think many of us fear what our friends and family will think of us if we dedicate ourselves entirely to Christ.”]
2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ in our world despite our fears or what others might think of us so let’s begin today.
Blessings,
Yvonne – #blogger, #speaker, and #author
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”