The Wide Divide

by AnythingbutLukewarm

As a Christian, I pray to always possess the insight and humilty to stop, reflect, and truly examine where I am and where I need to be regarding my faith and obedience to God. I never want to get too comfortable thinking I have nothing to worry about or improve upon.

I can remember when I was first introduced to the concept of evangelism. I clearly was as excited about it as a dog being dragged on a leash for the first time. I complained, I rationalized why it could possibly be a waste of time, and slowly I eased into a false comfort of allotting only a minimal amount of time per week doing it. Any invitations outside of my set minimums were quickly denied. I felt that I was doing more than most by having my minimum time and therefore I was comparatively better off. Unfortunately, comparisions don't exactly work within the realm of Christianity. We get judged on our own! Looking back I see myself standing on the edge of a Grand Canyon-like divide - where there was no way I was going to be able to get across to the side of enjoying or being comfortable or actually really wanting to go out and share the Gospel with people. It wasn't even that I was shy or afraid of talking to people- I was just lazy! There were other things I thought were more important for me to do- tons of other ways I felt I could honor God. I convinced myself that outside of church, weekends were for yard work -that having a weed-free garden and meticulously cut grass showed God our thankfulness for a beautiful home. Somebody must have prayed for me to have a Biblical reality check (I think I know who!) because it ruined my plan. Slowly I began to understand that serving God is not about what we want to do -its about what we are told to do. Mark 16:15 - it clearly tells us what happens to those who don't believe- they will be condemned! So, as a Christian, I ask myself, do I value plants (fill in the blank - money, golf, reading, relaxing etc..) or the souls of people who God wants to see saved? This forces you to put your time where your heart is. It is about appreciating the blessing of what you are commanded to do as someone who has been saved from eternal death and damnation, and finding joy and fulfillment in simply being obedient to the Creator of everything.

Somehow God took me through the weeds, rocks, brush and dangers of that wide divide and brought me to the top of the side where God fills in the events on my calendar. Where every opportunity that He reveals to bring one person closer to knowing Him is one I treasure. God will bring the garden to you. You will get to tend precious seeds! I am not even slightly surprised anymore when I have the baby in my arms, a car full of groceries and fudge bars melting away, and I get to spend over an hour explaining what the Bible says about salvation to two lovely young women trying to promote Mormonism who approach me in the parking lot. What a blessing! There will be balance - God will still give you relaxing things to do - but only after you have served Him on the streets, in the parking lots, on the sidewalks, in the workplace, etc. If evangelism is only a weekly or monthly or bi-annual activity for you then my prayer is that God takes you across that wide divide - to a place where the views are amazing and the knowledge of how faithful our merciful God is - is breathtaking. Where you don't miss the many amazing opportunities to GO OUT AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL NATIONS - to rest and relax in the joy that only comes through obedience.