Have you ever felt pressure to join a church or “get on
board” with other Christians around you? Ever felt you have to do something, to
commit to something, to prove that your faith in God is real?
Or perhaps you feel the opposite. Perhaps you think that as
long as you have a notion that God exists and because you pray to Him, you can
live your life as you please, but are assured you are going to heaven.
Both of these views are not what God says to us. The first
is listening to the voice of a Christian subculture, and the second is
listening to our own desires (also known as the world and the flesh).
God never says in scripture, “I need you to be more active
in church. I need you to help more homeless people. I need you to read your
Bible and pray more. You owe it to me because, after all, I sent my Son Jesus
to die for you.”
God also never says, “Hey, man, I just got a lot of love for
you. Whatever you want to do is cool. Just go with the flow and I’ll try to
stay out of your way.”
Instead, God says, “I created you to be like me (Gen.
1:26-27). I love you. I made you and I said that you are good (Gen 1:31). When
you lead a life that doesn’t obey me, it shows that you don’t love me back (I
John 5:3). I want you to follow me with your whole heart, loving others as
yourself (Luke 10:27).”
God wants us to be in a loving relationship with Him. He is
not looking to be a dictator over our lives, nor a vice principal whose office
we get dragged down to when we have not “done the Christian thing” correctly. He
is a perfect Father, and a Shepherd who cares for us, His sheep, when we do
stupid things and mess up.
So here is what I propose: our hearts should be naturally and
continuously responding to God with love, if we are truly understanding what He
has done for us. His kindness towards us should lead us to repent! And try to
live a life that pleases Him (Romans 2:4).
And here is what He has done for us:
“But
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
God
didn’t ask us to repent first. He has shown His love first, offering
forgiveness for all we have done wrong. Our desire to please Him should come not
from obligation, but from gratitude.
So the next time you feel pressure, or feel no desire to serve God, remind yourself that you are a sinner in need of God's grace and mercy, and then remember how freely He offers it! Accept God’s forgiveness and commit your
ways to Him today!
