.png)
A few years ago, my son was gifted with a little toddler-sized car that he could drive. He loved his new red mustang, and he couldn’t wait to take it out on the road, aka, the sidewalk.
The coolest parts about the car were that it had a radio and two seats, so any of his friends could ride with him. The only problem was that my son would constantly try to make me fit in his car. No matter how much I wanted to ride in it with him, it just never really worked out. This would leave my son frustrated and not wanting to ride in his car anymore.
Coming to Christ, I’ve realized that this is how most of us expect our Heavenly Father to conform into our lives. We have all these great plans. Then we try to force God into them, and we are frustrated when He doesn’t fit.
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." - Romans 12:1-2 KJV
A majority of Christians think that coming to Christ means sitting in a church service one day a week, eating peppermints to stop our stomachs from growling. What we don’t understand is, Jesus actually died for every single day of our lives. The problem is that when we receive baptism, we are inviting the Holy Spirit to live in us. So the question arises — Would the Spirit of God come into a person that was only offering parts of themselves?
"When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It’s your life that must change, not your skin! And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and flourishing? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire." - Matthew 3:7-10 MSG
If we are coming to Christ with the idea that we only need to give Him a few days of our lives, would His Spirit come into us? Would the Holy Spirit of God be gifted to someone who wasn’t truly ready to give all of themselves to Him?
"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." - John 14:23 KJV
Oftentimes, we come to Christ thinking of everything He’s done for us, but not everything that He expects from us. If we are getting baptized with this mentality, is it truly a baptism? Or, are we simply just bathing without soap?
"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his [own] father and mother [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God] and [likewise] his wife and children and brothers and sisters—[yes] and even his own life also—he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not persevere and carry his own cross and come after (follow) Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, wishing to build a farm building, does not first sit down and calculate the cost [to see] whether he has sufficient means to finish it? Otherwise, when he has laid the foundation and is unable to complete [the building], all who see it will begin to mock and jeer at him, Saying, This man began to build and was not able (worth enough) to finish. Or what king, going out to engage in conflict with another king, will not first sit down and consider and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand [men] to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if he cannot [do so], when the other king is still a great way off, he sends an envoy and asks the terms of peace. So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple." - Luke 14:26-33 AMPC
It’s so interesting to hear Christians say, “I need to make time for God,” thinking that our lack of commitment will land us a spot in eternity with Him. Would God want to spend all of eternity with someone that didn’t want to spend every day of their lives with Him?
"And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his [lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life]." - Matthew 10:38-40 AMPC
A father and a son riding in a kid’s car is probably the cutest thing we will ever see. But if you think this is the kind of relationship that Jesus got tortured for us to have, then you have a lot of learning to do…
Question of the day: Why would Jesus take the wheel when he died for the soul of the person driving the car?