Are You for Real?
When Jesus came to earth to redeem mankind, He had a huge task with many challenges. When you read the Scripture as it describes the life of Jesus, there is one situation that seemed to really get to Jesus. It is the issue of genuine worship and true devotion. The Gospels tell us that many people were attracted to Jesus. Many people sought Him out of curiosity. Some people wanted to see what “goodies” they could get for free. A few people came seeking the truth. A quick look at how Jesus responded to people reveals someone who had far more patience than I possess. However, Jesus did become frustrated with those who were not really seeking God and His truth. Jesus knew that He could not trust the fickleness of the masses. One day the mob was yelling, “Hail Jesus," and the next day they cried out, “Crucify!” What Jesus seemed to look for in the hearts of people was a genuine desire to follow God. Jesus was not interested in parades or applause; rather, He was pleased with genuine, humble worship.
Today I ask the question: Are you for real? Are you a genuine follower of Jesus? If you are reading this article and have not made Jesus the Lord of your life, I would encourage you to check Him out. That is a worthwhile quest and an important decision that has eternal implications. But to the rest, are you really a follower of Jesus, or are you just someone who pretends that Jesus is important? I am not attempting to judge anyone. I defer to Jesus as He says that many will claim to follow Him, yet few will really walk in His steps. As a matter of fact, the words of Jesus haunt my mind and heart. I want to be a disciple who is relentless in giving my life to Jesus, but I know that I daily fight a battle over who calls the shots in my life. While I want to give the controls over to God, I far too often find that I have my hands on the steering wheel.
This time of year is often a time of transition. Summer is in the rear-view mirror, kids are back in school, and we look to find familiar routines. For many people, summer was busy, and they took a “vacation” away from God. People often fill their appointment books with events, activities, and journeys that seem to lead them farther away from God. The Bible speaks to Christians and tells us that each Christian is a pilgrim in this world. We are just passing through, and we are commanded not to be tarnished by the ways of this world. However, the simple truth of the matter is that we are excellent at distracting ourselves and forgetting about God. Perhaps we need a vacation from distraction. Perhaps we need a holiday from self-indulgence. Would it do us some good and make us happier if we checked into a “Spiritual Detox Unit" to get away from the toxic things of life? Perhaps this could be a time of renewal for us as we draw closer to God.
Over the next several weeks, as we move deeper into the autumn season, I want to share some thoughts about drawing closer to God. We will journey to a place where we can discover what real contentment is. We will look for a peace and purpose that diversions and distractions cannot provide. Check back next week as we begin the journey of getting real. Keep looking up!