It's time for a little rest! I will be absent for a few days in writing my blog as we are presently planning a camping trip to White River in Arkansas. All our children and grandchildren will meet us there, along with another couple who are like family to us. It will be a wonderful time to get away and I could use the rest. My next blog writing will be Tuesday, March 24.
Recently a mother spoke to me about her son, who is in his twenties and struggling with spiritual matters. She said her son needed a firm slap up side his head to wake him up. Parents are like that. We get frustrated with our children when they are not responding correctly. In this young man's case, he just doesn't have much desire to worship the Lord or be with God's family and she thinks as his mother (and the father too) that they can get him to turn around with some badgering or a "firm slap up side the head." The problem in this case, and in many others like him, is not getting their attention physically. They are sick in their spiritual heart. They have died spiritually. Jesus told the church at Sardis that they were holding to a name only that they were alive but were dead (Rev. 3:1-6). That's what happens to so many. They hold to the name "Christian" thinking of themselves as alive to the Lord but their heart is dull and insensitive as sin has taken hold and deceived them into thinking they are fine. Their lives and attitudes tell the story. How serious is it for someone, who claims Christ as theirs (and they may even read their bibles from time to time), yet has no interest in Christ's body? How can a part of Christ not be concerned about the other parts of Christ? To not want to be with His body, to rejoice with them in thanksgivings to God for what He has done for them and encourage each one to faithfully walk during the week, they have died. They have no connection. They have a lot of excuses but the reality is they have died. They have walked after their flesh so long, it has caused a deep separation between them and God (Rom. 8:13). Walking with the Lord will only cause people to be united, closer to one another, not independent. Jesus brings His children together and they care about one another.
There is another side to think about. What if when you are missing from the body and you aren't missed? I have heard many over the years who stopped their worship with the saints only take a bad attitude at Christ's body saying nobody cares about them because no one contacted them. Is that really the problem? Could it be that they have already been taken out and removed from the sight of the Lord and therefore no one feels the pain of their absence? The dead expect attention from those alive while the Lord calls those dead to wake up and respond (Eph. 5:14). When a live part of the body is missing, you will feel it but when a dead part is missing, there is little awareness of them. Maybe the real question is, are they dead to God?
2 comments:
As parents we often believe we can treat our children's responses to the Church the same as we treat their responses to the rest of the world. We can badger, belittle, beg, and plead getting our children to respond when it comes to worldly matters (not always though).
The Church is not the same as the world (now that's a topic unto itself). With spiritual matters, children cannot see the outcomes of their choices. With the world they see immediate and tangible results. Their youth seems to cloud their eyes just as it did the prodigal son mentioned in Luke 15.
What are parents to do? We walk the walk instead of talking the talk. By that I mean that we always walk in Christ to the very best of our ability to be an example to our children. Simply talking or taking a smack upside the head attitude will not bring about what is needed in children.
Remember that Christ never forced anyone to follow him, not even the Apostles. They all wanted to do so. Children, as we all were at one time, must come to that point in their hearts and lives. The best way we can HELP them is to be that living example of Christ to them. (I know...there's more to it than just this, but this is where it starts.)
As far as those that are concerned about being missed or believe that no one cares, I must ask this of them. Where is your focus? On Christ or on yourself? As members of the body, it is encouraging to know that someone has missed us. If our focus is on Christ and the Cross, then we will not have to worry if someone cares or if we are missed.
I'm going to throw something quick in here about yesterday's posting, "Trust In The Lord". The very last sentence made me pause. In fact, it has been with me since I read it. I first thought it was to be finished with "Let's be honest...with ourselves", but soon came to realize that was incorrect. What I settled on was "Let's be honest....with the Lord."
Jim, you always touch my heart with your wise insight and comments. Thank you very much!
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