Tuesday's Thoughts

Mark 8:36, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”

This passage of scripture can be found neatly tucked in the passage in which Jesus calls each of us to take up our cross and follow Him. He teaches that this decision is a personal one and that no one can make that decision for you or for me. This eternal decision is a personal choice in which I choose to step out of my old life into the new life that is revealed in a relationship with Jesus Christ. I am thankful that I chose to lay aside all of the hindrances of life and make the decision to follow Christ. I am thankful that God continues to provide the grace and mercy that I need in my journey of life.

Each of us have faced and continue to face those attempts of satan to hinder the development of our relationship with Jesus Christ! Each of us could choose to find many reasons to avoid making the right decision regarding our relationship with Christ. Life throws a variety off "curve balls" our way that we could use to opt out of our relationship with God or at least postpone our decision until our life is "better." But in reality we know that day will never fully come. There is no such thing as a "perfect moment" for us to chose to follow Christ. The daily challenges, struggles, trials, etc. of life will always make sure that there is "something happening" either in us, to us or with us that provides us an excuse for postponing our decision. Let me hasten to add that these "moments of excuse making" can be present in the lives of believers as well as non-believers. 

We live in a time in which people want to avoid taking personal responsibility. Life provides us enough ammunition that we can always point at others who have created an environment in which I can not chose to serve God. I was raised in a family of six siblings. Trust me I understand the ease of excuse making. It was always "finger pointing" in the Willingham family when it was time for our Mom or Dad to exercise the use of discipline or correction to us. In a family of six children there were plenty of fingers pointing at someone else but it still did not change the need of taking responsibility for our individual failures or mis-steps. 

Society is producing a culture in which this spirit of "finger pointing" is even being used when we are called on to make a decision regarding Christ. I would serve Christ but... I would be faithful but... I can't serve God because... I want to serve God but... I know that I need to pray and read the Bible but... Each of us need to look at the words of Jesus in Mark 8:34-38 once more before we make our decisions regarding the development of our relationship with Christ. There will always be an excuse waiting in the wings to interfere in our relationship with Christ but the reward of eternal life will surely be worth each good decision that we make concerning our walk with Christ.