Finding Your Way In Christ

Asleep in the Light

Friday, October 5, 2012. Written by Hannah.

. . . 

It's better to be awake in the dark, than to be asleep in the light. 

   What I mean by "asleep in the light," is that you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, but you haven't let him steal your show yet. You haven't allowed the Holy Spirit to change your heart. You haven't surrendered your life to the Lord. You don't care about the lost, when Jesus pleads and cries that you speak! But sometimes, like Jonah, we run when God commands us to do something. We keep holding it in because the fear of man is so strong. An unfaithful god, would pack up his bags and walk away if Jonah ran. But, God's name is mercy. Instead of just forgetting about Jonah and choosing someone else to preach to Nineveh, he kept seeking Jonah...and you know the rest of the story. 

   Why are we so dead when we've been so well fed? Jesus commands every single one of us Christians, to preach the Word. (Mark 16:15) As Christians, we need to wake up. People are awake in the darkness. They are searching for answers. God is constantly seeking them. He wants to use us. He wants to live in us and to speak through us. He wants our heart. But Jesus doesn't just say "give me everything." He gave his life first. He humbled himself, and became a man. He learned to cry for his milk and walk on his own. He was born in a manger! He lived a life of rejection (Isaiah 53:3). The Son of God who came to save the world was despised and rejected by the men he came to save. The Pharisees hated him. He was called a glutton and a drunkard (Luke 7:34). And then came the cross. The whipping, the spitting, the insults. He was nailed to a cross for us. He spent 6 hours hanging on a piece of wood. All for a bunch of sinners like us. If that isn't giving up everything, then I don't know what is. Jesus doesn't just sit on his throne commanding us to surrender. Jesus' love and his sacrifice should compel us to change and surrender our lives. We are saved by grace. But the grace of God should spark a fire inside of us that results in a joyful surrender. God isn't a fan of robots. He didn't make us to worship him, he made us to worship. It's our decision to choose what we're going to worship. It's ultimately a decision between shallow happiness and deep joy. God wants us to want to worship him. He doesn't force anything. What an awesome God!

   So anyway, God wants us to share the good news with others. He doesn't want us to fall asleep in the light. Some Christians really do have a desire to share their faith, but they're scared of what others will think about them. They're afraid of rejection. Jesus was rejected. He was despised and rejected. Romans 8:18 tells us that are present suffering is nothing compared to the eternal glory that awaits us. There are lost people out there! There are looking for the truth! They need a Shepherd. And no, it is not our job to be the shepherd. We need to point lost people to the One Shepherd Jesus Christ. We are only called to share Jesus, not convince people. We can only plant the seed and water it with prayer. It's God's job to save. It's our job to share. 

   But how can we share Jesus if we've fallen asleep? It's time to wake up because Jesus' coming is nearer then ever. Remember not to use your own words and ideas when sharing the gospel. 1 Peter 4:11 tells us to use the very words of God. The Holy Spirit will carry the conversation, and tell us what we need to say. Someones eternity is more important than your discomfort. It's my prayer that the Christians will wake up, and be alive in the light of the Lord! I also pray that God will use us to help rescue those that are walking in darkness. He will use us to introduce people to the Light. Praise the Lord!

 "Yet I hold this against you; you have forsaken your first Love." -Revelation 2:4

*This post was inspired by the song, Asleep in the Light, by Keith Green.