This weekend I heard Todd Agnew singing "My Jesus". If you don't know this song, or haven't heard it in a while, have a look/listen here.
Listening to the song got me thinking about the message I sent out on Friday about being more "Christlike". If we are to become more like Him, then what exactly do we think He is like? In the song above, Agnew challenges me and you to look at our lives. Do they (or do they not) reflect the true life of Christ:
Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ
Then why do you look so much like the world?
That stings a bit. But the message here is not to beat up on ourselves for our past, but to reflect on it and change course if necessary.
C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity:
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.
Jesus said to his disciples "Who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16:15) and He asks us the same question. So ... Who do you say that He is?
Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace to you today,
Bruce
God, our Father,
You redeemed usand made us Your children in Christ.
Through Him You have saved us from deathand given us Your Divine life of grace.
By becoming more like Jesus on earth,may I come to share His glory in Heaven.
Give me the peace of Your kingdom,which this world does not give.
By Your loving care protect the good You have given me.
Open my eyes to the wonders of Your Lovethat I may serve You with a willing heart.
Amen.
My favorite Lewis quote! I'd like to add to your query, Bruce. At a small group meeting one evening we were talking about Revival coming and what we expect it to look like. My question then as it is now is: What do you think you would be doing differently if Revival comes?
ReplyDeleteI think I would be in continuous prayer. I think I would be in awe of God's presence. I think I would open myself to everyone around me and love them and let them love me, instead of guarding myself. I think we would pray together as a family. I think I would be humbled and more meek. And as I think, I ask myself: why are you not doing it now?? God is ever present and these things should be the sum of my days now. Revival needs to happen in me. I need to work on that.
Love and Blessings to you and all!
xo