Sunday, December 21, 2008

I Want to Be a Sheep (Part 5 of 5)

Eventually, the servers at Google North American Division International Coop, Inc., LLC, Corporation started throwing smoke and emitting high frequency noises so I had to stop googling. Drats. I was forced to stop and think.

People fainting over a man because they think he’s going to transform the country—maybe even the world. Man says “I’m confident we can create a Kingdom right here.”

New Agers, based on the teachings of “Jesus” and various other spirits, say humanity is on the brink of a spiritual awakening.

Emergent church leader says, “(What if Jesus came) to start a political, social, religious, artistic, economic, intellectual, and spiritual revolution that would give birth to a new world?”

Throw out traditional Christian teachings on Satan and the end-times! Sadness, pain, suffering—these things only exist because we humans haven’t gotten it right yet. If we try harder, if we become more spiritual, if we continue to learn, study, gain more knowledge, learn more, study more, evolve more, then pain, anger, hate, murder, oppression—we can eradicate them all! So, what do we need to do? We’ve got to fix it! No. Not just “it”. We’ve go to fix everything! We’ve got to try harder. We’ve got to become better people. We must! Better, better, better, and better! We’ve got to keep getting better, and keep getting better, and keep getting better, and keep getting better, and keep getting—

Does anyone else feel a little overwhelmed?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

I am not divine. Satan wants me to think I am.

No matter how hard I try, I cannot perfect myself or this world. Satan wants me to think I can.

Jesus knows I am limited in my strength, power, and ability. He knows me better than I know myself. He knows which parts of me need broken and recast, which parts need polished and touched up. And he’s there to help me do just that—at any moment, any hour, any time of day, at the drop of a hat, he will help me. When I’ve made a mess, he will help me clean it up. When I’ve been knocked to my knees, He will pick me up. When I’ve been slapped in the face, He will take way the sting. He’s there. He’s there to listen to my cries, my shouts, my praises, my repentance and my grief. He’s there to forgive me, to love me, and carry me when I am weak. To smooth out my rough spots, wipe my tears and cleanse my mind with cool, clean water. What a relief.

Now, that’s what I call a spiritual awakening.

So why do I want to be a sheep? Jesus refers to his followers as sheep: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:28 NIV. Does that mean I have to grow wool, crawl around on all fours, and eat straw? Luckily . . . no. Rather, I need to do as Peter said in Acts 2, verse 38: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”

Yet, I think still hear some naysayers. “What about people who followed Christ’s commandments but never went to church and consciously accepted Him as their savior? What about people who love God, but follow other religions, or people who never had the opportunity to hear the gospel? What about everyone else? Are they all goats who will be sent away to eternal punishment?”

Those are tough questions, and my only response is this: I don’t know. I don’t know and it’s not my job to know. That’s God’s job. He is in control. I am not. He is divine. I am not.

But, I do know this: God is merciful, loving, just, and he hears my prayers.

I also know this: I want to know Jesus—the true Jesus.

I want to be a sheep. How about you?

1 comment:

sally said...

wonderful post. Thanks for linking to it over at Becky's blog. I've appreciated your comments there, as well.

 
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