Comfortable Christians?

In Sunday school we’ve been studying the Spiritual Disciplines, based on Donald Whitney’s book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. A couple other good books are Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, and his son Nathan Foster’s The Making of an Ordinary Saint, among others. The latter book illustrates one man’s attempts to live in the disciplines, and is perhaps the most encouraging example for those of us who try and fail.

As I finished reading these books, the thing that stood out most to me was that the reason we tend to avoid many of the Spiritual Disciplines is that we don’t want to be uncomfortable. Studying and memorizing Scripture takes time, and we don’t want to give up something else in order to make time. Evangelism can lead to some pretty awkward conversations, and we don’t want to look bad. Stewardship means we have to give up some of our resources, and we don’t want to find ourselves shorthanded. Fasting means going without food for some period of time, and most of us have never really experienced true hunger. Prayer seems a little easier, provided we aren’t asked to pray out loud or for a long time. And most of us are used to attending worship services, though we may not actually worship often. Solitude may seem desirable, especially for parents of busy children, but we may be reluctant to use that time to seek God.

I think “comfortable Christians” should be an oxymoron, but it is all too common, especially in the Western world. We’ll put on the religious act so long as it doesn’t inconvenience us or make us look bad. But if it interferes with our work, entertainment, hobbies, and habits, Christianity gets put on the back burner.

Donald Whitney says this about the role of struggle in the Christian life:

“Referring to the Godliness mentioned in 1 Timothy 4:7-8, the Apostle Paul writes in verse 10, ‘And for this we labor and strive.’ The word labor and strive tell us that becoming like Christ involves a lot more than to ‘let go and let God.’ The Greek word translated ‘labor’ means to work until one is weary. We get our English word agonize from the term rendered here as strive” (242).

Does that sound like the kind of effort that most Christians put into seeking godliness? Whitney lists several other Scriptures:

• Colossians 1:29 (ESV)- “For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.”
• John 15:18-19- “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
• Galatians 5:17- “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”
• Galatians 6:8- “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
• 1 Peter 5:8- “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
• Ephesians 6:11- “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

Those don’t sound like encouragement to “make yourself comfortable” while waiting for Christ’s return. No, they are commands to remind us that the battle is real and that we have an enemy who will do anything to try to pull us away from Christ and prevent us from being effective witnesses for His kingdom.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 Paul writes, “For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” In this dark world, it’s easy to get complacent. Even though an abrupt end is coming, we lose vigilance as time goes on with no end in sight. Darkness seems so pervasive that our little lights don’t seem to make a difference. It’s easy to get distracted with the routine of living and forget that this world as it currently exists is not our eternal home.

The Spiritual Disciplines are meant to keep our focus on God and to prepare us for eternity. They remind us that some things are more important and comfort and convenience. They help us to run from sin and run to our Savior. They call us to run the race with perseverance, keeping our eyes on the true goal of life only in Christ.

“Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” -1 Timothy 4:7-8

Fruitful Works

This week I’ve been working on memorizing Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV): “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” At the same time, I’ve been praying my way through Colossians 1:9-12. Verse 10 says “…so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

In reading those two passages together, I felt that perhaps I was not “bearing fruit in every good work” at least in some areas of my life. I was reminded also of Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” So if God has equipped us with everything we need, and He has prepared the good works for us to do, why does it feel like we’re not bearing fruit the way we should? I think there may be a few reasons:

1) We may be expecting the wrong kind of works. I think we’d all like to be known for accomplishing something great for the Kingdom—saving thousands of people at a crusade, writing a worship song that is sung worldwide, raising a million dollars for missions, etc. But God may have an entirely different agenda—taking care of your kids and raising them to know Him, teaching a Sunday school class, counting the offering every week, or praying for those in need. We’re all doing some small thing every day that can have an eternal impact in our own lives and the lives of those we love. That may be the good work set before us.

2) We may be expecting fruit to grow too fast. The fruit of raising children in a godly home may take decades to realize. Not many people will accept Christ as little children and never stray away. The fruit of being faithful in prayer may not be in ways we can immediately see. The fruit of studying Scripture may be a slow pull away from the things of this world. God never said our good works would change the world overnight.

3) Our good works may be hidden or hindered by life in a fallen world. Being a good, upright employee working for an ungodly boss may feel like a waste of time, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we should change jobs or give in to the corporate culture. Even Christian organizations can be hindered by the distractions of pleasing people and funding programs. Being a prayerful, godly parent may be tough if the other parent doesn’t agree. Scripture is full of examples of people who had to remain faithful in the midst of difficult circumstances. They may not have seen the fruit of their labors, but we can still read about them today.

So perhaps we need to adjust our expectations. In writing about the discipline of service, Nathan Foster says:

“Certainly by our standards Jesus was really unproductive. He spent thirty years in a broken-down, working-class town doing what? In his ministry he really only invested in twelve guys, and even they didn’t seem to understand what he was really trying to do. He didn’t write books or leave clear, concise discipleship methods. Jesus even gave the responsibility of furthering his message to Peter, the guy who had just ditched him. According to worldly values, his service work was inefficient. Jesus was relaxed; we are stressed. Jesus was patient; we are obsessed with progress. Jesus was content; we want more. Jesus’s church was small; we insist on mega” (The Making of an Ordinary Saint, pp. 124-125).

God’s idea of success and fruitfulness has a lot more to do with our relationship with Him than with completing some grand task. The Apostle Paul also links fruit with knowledge of God and His will. Besides the Colossians passage mentioned, in Philippians 1:9-11 he prays “that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment… filled with the fruit of righteousness…” In Ephesians 5:8-9 he says, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light, for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.”

May we be found faithful in seeking the Lord and His will so that we will bear fruit in the good works He has appointed to us.

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” –Matthew 25:21 

Nearer to Thee

One of the best books I’ve read this year is Following Christ: Experiencing Life the Way It Was Meant to Be, by Joseph Stowell. Although it’s more than a decade old, it seemed particularly relevant to what I’ve been thinking about and experiencing lately. Other books have also addressed the difference between being a Christian leader and being a follower. (More recently published I Am a Follower, by Leonard Sweet, although I found the style of that one hard to read.) Stowell comments:

“Scripture is crystal clear about the profile of a true follower of Jesus Christ… First, a follower was one who had a growing and deepening relationship to the one they were following… Second, a true follower is in the process of a radical reformation because of the influence of the leader on his life. True followers do not remain the same once they start following Christ… For us then, following means to adopt Him as the local rabbi of our lives and surrender; to sit under His wisdom in order to learn from Him; and to serve Him in every way possible. It means to give Him the highest priority as the supreme relationship of life out of which every other relationship and activity is defined and directed” (73,75).

Once you’ve become a Christian and learned the basics, it’s easy to fall into the “religious habit” of doing certain activities but not really following Christ and not growing in faith. You can be active in the spiritual disciplines—reading the Bible, praying, going to church, etc.—but not be changed by any of it. Stowell gives a great word picture of this life:

“Going into orbit around Christ mean stifling any further impulse of movement toward Him… Fully devoted followers are involved in a passionate pursuit of Christ and are never satisfied with stagnancy or a stalemate. Yet becoming an orbital Christian is alluring because it is more comfortable and less challenging, and besides, we can always take satisfaction in the fact that there are others whose orbits are father out than ours” (96).

I’ve been realizing anew that I don’t want to be satisfied with the status quo. I don’t want to be content with going through the motions without being drawn consistently nearer to Christ. I want God to do whatever it takes to keep conforming me to the image of Christ (see Romans 8:29 and 12:2). Stowell asks, “Can you believe that there is no price too high to pay to experience the privilege of walking with Him?” (102). Missionary David Livingstone wrote in his journal, “God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours.” That can be a frightening thing to pray, unless you are convinced that God is worth it all and following Him is the supreme adventure in this life.

The old hymn by Charles Tindley urges “Nothing between my soul and my Savior…” It has been my prayer lately that God would not allow anything to remain between us—no sin, no habits, no desires, no goals or priorities—nothing that would interfere with being “rooted and grounded in love” and comprehending “the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:17-19). I want Him to keep pruning away all that is unfruitful in me.

Even as I write and pray that, I am aware that my choices don’t always line up with my heart’s deepest desire. I know how often I choose distractions instead of seeking God. It’s easy to turn on the TV, flip open a novel, or even go to bed early rather than spending time in the Word and prayer. Although I’m somewhat more disciplined than I was a year or two ago, I know I’ve just settled into a new orbit a little closer to the Son. But I also remember from physics that if you get too close to a large mass, the gravitational force will continue to pull you in unless you are actively working against it. So I trust that God’s pull on me will be ever increasing and He will not allow me to remain at a distance.

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” –Hebrews 11:6

Cheer One Another On

Just a quick thought for today...

This morning I ran the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K. I arrived at the course as the first batch of runners took off for the timed race, which started before the recreational run I was in. It was moving to see this crowd of people in pink running and many others cheering them on. A later report I heard said 17,000 people were registered.

As I started my run I noticed that most people were running with at least one other person, though there were a few of us singles. After the first half mile there weren't too many spectators to cheer on the runners until the end, but every time I heard them encouraging us it spurred me to keep running and to pick up the pace. At the finish line, aside from the many people lining the sidewalks and cheering, an announcer was reporting the names of breast cancer survivors as they crossed the line. It was really an amazing display of people united for a cause. It was also pretty exhausting as I set a new personal record.

I was reminded of a few verses from Hebrews:

• 10:24- "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (NIV).
• 12:1-2- "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (ESV).

We need to be cheering one another on in this race of life. We weren't meant to run the race alone, but to come alongside one another with encouragement, challenge, and even rebuke at times. We should all be running toward the same goal, united in Christ to bring others into eternal life with Him. And one day we will hear Him call our name as those who have not only survived, but have "finished the race and kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for [us] 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 loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Let us "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14).

The Prodigal Father

Most everybody knows the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, but as a friend pointed out many years ago, the word prodigal means wastefully extravagant or lavish. It was the father who said, “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate” (vv. 22-23 ESV). Here comes the son covered in muck and practically crawling home in his shame, and yet the father treats him like royalty. That’s wastefully extravagant spending!

He had absolutely no reason to honor the son with clothes and a party after the way the son had dishonored him and walked out… except for love. The father could have required some penance, or at least made the son wait in fear for a few days while he decided whether to hire him as a servant. But love compelled him to give his best to the son who had treated him so poorly. The thing is, the son could have enjoyed the party and then wandered off again, and yet the father would have treated him just as well the second time he came home.

Our heavenly Father is just as crazy about us! How many times do we wander off into sin and come back repentant only to find the Father waiting with arms open wide? Just before the story of the Prodigal Father, Luke 15:10 says “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” I don’t think that has to mean just the first time a person repents and turns to God. Why shouldn’t the angels rejoice every time we realize our mistakes and turn back to our Father?

The book of Hosea illustrates God’s love for His people through Hosea’s adulterous wife. Never does He say, “That’s enough. I don’t want you back!” How many times did Israel turn away from God sometimes for years at a time? Yet God still calls them His people. And even though God has opened the door to salvation for the Gentiles, He hasn’t still given up on the Jews.

Over and over the Scriptures say “Come back… Return to Me… Return to the Lord…” Isaiah 55:7 says “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” This passage is often used as an evangelism tool, but is it possible for someone to “return” to the Lord if he never previously knew Him? This statement was made as a prophecy to those who knew Him as the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. I find it interesting that this verse is followed immediately by “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.” It’s as if God is answering the argument that “This person is too far gone for compassion and pardon,” or “I’ve failed one too many times.” No, God says, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Romans 9:15).

We aren’t the ones who can judge who deserves forgiveness and compassion, even when it comes to ourselves (as explained in Sunday’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5). I’m reminded of Annie Johnson Flint’s song “He giveth more grace… For out of His infinite riches in Jesus He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.” He keeps on giving like the prodigal He is, and we keep on taking. Sometimes we remember to thank Him, but many times we don’t even notice what we’ve received.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I need frequent reminders that God’s love for me is not dependent on my performance, holiness, service, or lovability. It also doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of me or even what I think of myself. His love is steadfast and unchanging because He is unchanging. That knowledge should keep me running back to Him.

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” –Psalm 73:25-26

Serving in Weakness

In Souvenirs of Solitude, Brennan Manning quotes Father Michael Buckley on the qualifications of a priest: “Is this man weak enough to be a priest? …Is this man deficient enough so that he can’t ward off significant suffering from his life, so that he lives with a certain amount of failure, so that he feels what it is to be an average man?” Manning follows up with the comment, “I believe that this applies to every follower of Christ because we are a ‘priesthood of all believers’ (see 1 Peter 2:9). It is in this deficiency, in this interior lack, in this weakness, maintains the book of Hebrews, that the efficacy of the ministry and priesthood of Christ lies.”

Hebrews 4:15 tells us “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (ESV). How amazingly incomprehensible that the same God who created the universe came to earth and lived in weakness, inability, and suffering. Philippians 2:7 says He “made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” In His obedience to the Father, He chose not to exercise the powers of deity in many circumstances. In the temptation in the wilderness, Satan suggested that Jesus could short-circuit the process of salvation by using His power rather than submitting to weakness.

You’ve probably heard the question—could God create a rock so large that He couldn’t move it? This is called the omnipotence paradox because it is a logically impossible question. Supposedly, no matter how you answer, it proves that God is not omnipotent. However, I would assert that God already did create a rock so large He couldn’t move it. When Jesus was dead and in the tomb, He was physically incapable of moving the stone away from the entrance. Just as He wouldn’t come down from the cross (Matthew 27:40-42), He wasn’t going to do anything to compromise the salvation He was offering. If the stone had been moved away prior to Sunday morning, the evidence of His resurrection would have remained highly questionable.

Jesus chose weakness in order to fulfill His ministry. That’s completely foreign to most of us. Our work is determined by our competency in a particular field. Promotions are given to those to surpass their peers. Education and training are seen as being of paramount importance. Even when it comes to positions within the church, we look for who is most qualified, and people are likely to say, “I can’t do that. I don’t have the abilities.” While there are varying spiritual gifts within the Body, some folks are reluctant to try anything new and may have no idea how God has gifted them.

I think we tend to apply the same logic to the spiritual disciplines. “I can’t fast… I can’t pray… I can’t study the Bible… I can’t memorize Scripture…” Have you ever tried? The funny thing is that God delights in our weakness because He can then be proven strong.

• “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). If the Spirit Himself if praying for us, what excuse do we have to not pray?
• "Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (2 Timothy 2:6). If the Lord is the One who gives understanding, what excuse do we have to not study the Bible?
• But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). If the Holy Spirit serves as our memory and prompter, what excuse do we have to not memorize Scripture?

If all we say is “I can’t,” we’re limiting what God can do in and through us. However, if we say “I can’t, but You can,” we open the door for God to glorify Himself by revealing His strength in our weakness. The question is not “Do I have the ability to do this?” but “How can God work through me?”

“For He was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but in dealing with you we will live with Him by the power of God” (2 Corinthians 13:4).

Listen

Lord, forgive me
for shutting You out
and silencing Your voice.
Distraction is far too easy.

I avoid silence

when there are things
I need to understand,
but I don’t take the time.
There are things

You’re trying to tell me,
but I’m too busy to hear.
There are truths
I need to see,
if I’ll just stop what I’m doing.

I want to hear

Your still, small voice,
yet I don’t give You
much chance to speak.

Help me to listen

better and more often
to hear Your words
of love and compassion,
instruction and rebuke.
Let me honestly say
“Speak, Lord,
for Your servant is listening.”