Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV)

The Great Commission

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

Mark 8:37-38 (NIV)

³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

I feel convicted.  As a matter of fact, I'm going to let you in on a little secret.  Most of the posts and lessons that I have on this site are results of God dealing with me or prompting me to study more in a new area.  You see I am a teacher by trade.  I make a living by taking information and translating it into understandable and digestible bits of information.  Over the years, I have found that in preparation for lessons I often end up learning more myself than I am ever able to pass along to my pupils.  In short, God knows that my best learning style is teaching others.


So why do I feel convicted?  I have to admit to you, and to God, that I fall short when I read Matthew 28.  Yes I have this website, which I also must admit has been neglected for far too long.  Yes I study God's word and try to create devotionals that my readers will find meaningful and worthwhile.  It is, admittedly,  much easier to be bold and outspoken for Christ on the other side of the screen than it is in real life.  


Why?  Why is it so hard to step out and be a bold disciple of Christ?  In a word Consequences.  We live in a world that does not love us, that does not love God.  Oh, the world tries to tell us that it loves us.  It will even tell us that it loves god (notice the little g) but the world loves the god that they have created;  the god that tolerates all things, the god that not only loves the sinner but embraces the sin.  Turn on the television, the radio, your computer and we are flooded with "everything is okay, everything is permissible, don't be so close minded, what is right for you is not right for everyone, god would never tell me no....."


Taking a stand for Christ means to split from the world, to be different, to be set apart.  Anyone over the age of 6 knows that being different is like painting a bulls eye on your back.  Being different and vocal about how we are different is like passing out arrows and shouting, "you can't hit me at the world."  So why do we do it?  Because Jesus told us to.  We don't serve a God who tells us that being different is good enough.  We serve a God who tells us to be different and to help others find their way into the light, into His love.  


I don't think anyone who has lived in the last 2,000 years has done this perfectly.  We all mess up, we all find that sometimes we look a little too much like the world.   We make concession after concession until we no longer stand out like a target, but are camouflaged and indistinguishable from those we have been sent out to reach.  I feel today like I have blended in.  


Perhaps you too are reading this and, if you stop and are honest with yourself, you find that you look more like the world than a candle on a hill.  Work, money, stress, worry I have let them all close in and place a basket over my joy, over my light, over my testimony.  It's time to go to God and admit my short comings, to ask for forgiveness, to ask him to recharge my batteries and to make me bold.  I need to remember that if people reject the word I bring, they are not rejecting me, they are rejecting God.  


Yes, it is easier said than done.  But I am taking the first step, going to the altar of God, kneeling before his glory, repenting and asking for the only thing that can ever truly fulfill me, more of Him.  I invite you to join me, we serve a great big God, his altar is large enough for all of us!


Prayer:  Father God, I love you.  You are an amazing God, a God who has the power to create our world, the universe, heaven and earth.  You stir the cosmos while listening to the cries of each person, coming close to us and holding us in your embrace.  We praise you, we love you, and we thank you for hearing us. 

We know, Father, that we are an imperfect people.  We humble ourselves before you now admitting that only through the blood of Christ are we clean and able to come into your presence.  We ask your forgiveness for our short comings and for your guidance and strength in not repeating our mistakes.  


Lord, we pray that you would be with us, with us this moment, with us in the time to come.  We pray that when we are faced with choices, choices that look like the world or to shine the light of your love, that we would choose to look like you.  That we would act in such a way that even without words, the world would know that there is a difference in who we are, a difference that would point them to you.  Father you can accomplish your will in anyway you choose, if it is pleasing to you to use me, I pray that I would be a willing vessel, pleasing in your sight.  For all you are, and all you do, we thank you God.  We love you!  In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.