A GOOD QUESTION

042 – FEBRUARY 2007

A GOOD QUESTION

When concentrating on your faith, one particular way that your entire awake time may be divided is into the time you spend with God, church folk fellowship, or people outside the faith.

On a scale of 1 to 10, (“1” being “not Important” and “10” being “Very Important”) place a number for the following:
1. Importance of time spent intimately in prayer or meditation with God …………. ______
2. Importance of time spent in fellowship or study with the people of church …. ______
3. Importance of time spent with unchurched such as fellow workers, street folks, golf
buddies, and other acquaintances, etc. …. ______

Pause …………………… C’mon! Be a sport! Place the numbers before you read on.

Many people have contracted a religious affliction and will quickly plop a “10” on #1 and #2, while pondering over #3 with an eventual “4”, “5”, “6”, “7”, or “8”.
These results are the product of a highly contagious religious disease that that I have named “churchy-itis” … and it’s not a pretty sight!

Think about it! All of our time should be a “10”. Moreover, Jesus put much emphasis on spending time with those who need a bit of faith, hope and love.
* He, himself, spent much time with sinners and tax collectors. Luke 15:2
* He taught that we are the light of the world and the salt of the Earth. Matthew 5:14
* He explained that we have the same “call” and purpose for our life that He had. Luke 4:18 & John 20:21
* His last words to us, after His resurrection and just before He ascended to the Father, could have been “Attend Church!”, “Pray!”, or “Be Holy!”. These instructions are all important and worthy of the Last Words category, but He chose to say “Go!” Matthew 28:19 & 20

A prayer closet for times with God is crucial to a victorious walk. And, surely, fellowship with the saints is important. However, those who have caught a glimpse of God have a responsibility to share with others. If we have hung around God and taken possession of His heart, we should begin to see with new eyes. We should understand that we are ambassadors to the world from the kingdom of God. And, we should realize the urgent need to “Go!”
I think that C. Austin Miles understood the Heart of God when he wrote the last verse to the great hymn, In the Garden:

“I’d stay in the garden with Him Though the night around me is falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe, His voice to me is calling.”

God places great importance to the opportune times we have to care for others. Embrace the times when you have the chance to share love, faith, hope, grace, praise and encouraging words.

Reconsider Question #3. If, originally, you placed anything less than a “10” on question #3, take this TAI as medicine for any religious disease that you might have contracted.