July 31 ~ John 5:37-40
The Father who sent me also speaks for me, but you have never heard his voice or seen him face to face. You have not believed his message, because you refused to have faith in the one he sent. You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them. The Scriptures tell about me, but you refuse to come to me for eternal life.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I really love a good cookbook. I can sit and read the recipes for hours and dream of creating wonderful casseroles and soups… rich, calorie-laden desserts… delicious, fragrant breads… and even something light, healthy, and tasty. But most of the time, I slide the cookbook back onto the shelf and cook the same old standards in my “culinary repertoire.” This is partly because I don’t want to expend the time and effort required to create these dishes. But there is also a part of me that fears a poor result – a part that lacks faith and confidence in my ability to deliver the outcome promised in the cookbook!
Let’s be honest. Watching cooking shows on TV, buying the fancy knives and utensils, and reading recipes does not make one a great cook! There is a commitment involved… a determination to accept the challenge, do the work, and step out in faith that the delicious dishes detailed and photographed in the cookbooks can indeed be accomplished by a “regular Joe or Jane”.
I’m afraid we are a often a lot like that in our Spiritual life. We read the scriptures and give ourselves a pep talk… “Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life! He’s got the answers. We really ought to follow Him and share His Good News with others.” Or we read the Psalms and think, “LORD, this surely sounds good… You are our rock… You can handle all of our cares.” We read the stories of courage and faith in the Old Testament and the incredibly sound advice of the Proverbs… we read the letters of the Apostle Paul and hear Him encouraging us to live for Jesus.
Then we shelve our Bible, say a quick prayer and go back to life as usual. We never fully commit to the cross. We never leave our old, sinful, burdened life at the feet of Jesus and let His blood wash over them. We talk a good talk… but we never fully embrace the walk. In part, we are afraid and lacking in faith. In part, we are just plain stubborn and lazy! But in total, we are totally missing out on all that Jesus offers… and some of us are even risking the opportunity to spend Eternity with Him in heaven.
Our life in Christ is no recipe, and the Bible is no cookbook. This is serious business, and operating in faith is critical. It’s time we “hitched up our britches” and stepped up and out toward Jesus. It’s time we completely acknowledged that we truly can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens us. We may have never seen Him in the flesh, but He is completely with us… even in the air we breathe… and His message is, “Come to Me. Open your heart and let me inside… I will give you peace, comfort – and Eternal Life!”
What are you waiting for? Isn’t it time you stopped merely reading and talking about your Christian faith and took action? Isn’t it time to truly come to Jesus and believe in Him completely? Your future depends on how you choose… what will you decide?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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