Andrew is an inquisitive child. Our days together are riddled with "Why's?" and "How comes?" Some of his questions are light-hearted banter; other thoughts are so serious that you can almost see his little brain turning as he contemplates them. Today as he watched me roll my hair and pretended to pilot a six inch toy plane, he looked up from his favorite play spot on my bathroom floor and asked me if we would live at home together forever.
"No, Andrew," I responded, "I'm going to live forever in heaven."
"Well, I'm going to live here forever!" he passionately retorted.
"That's not an option," I explained. "Everyone is going to live forever, What you do with Jesus will decide whether you will live forever in heaven or in hell," I patiently reminded him.
"No, Andrew," I responded, "I'm going to live forever in heaven."
"Well, I'm going to live here forever!" he passionately retorted.
"That's not an option," I explained. "Everyone is going to live forever, What you do with Jesus will decide whether you will live forever in heaven or in hell," I patiently reminded him.
"I'm not choosing! I'm hiding!" he shouted. What followed was a futile attempt to conceal himself as if refusing to acknowledge the choice would somehow exempt him from having to make it. Despite his best effort, his squatty bare legs and his Jake and the Neverland Pirate pull-ups lay across my bedroom floor fully exposed. Only his face was hidden because he refused to look at me or face the truth of my words.
Our exchange did not upset me nearly as much as it upset him. I know that at three years old, his understanding is still immature. Until that time he is able to fully comprehend, I will continue to speak truth into his life and pray for his salvation at a young, tender age.
Our conversation did, however, turn my thoughts to friends and family who are much older and more mature, but still think they can somehow avoid the truth.
The truth is for many people this earth is a "comfort zone." A place where they can rest on the foundation of "being a good person" and "believing in Jesus." They call themselves a Christian. They display a little white cross in their yard and click "like" on Facebook posts blasting Starbucks for taking Christmas off their cups. But they haven't truly chosen Jesus.
What's the difference? Isn't being good, believing in Jesus, calling yourself a Christian and joining in the latest cause making a choice?
The truth is no, it's not.
Choosing Jesus, choosing heaven, is about a faith that leads you to repentance, a faith that leads you to be different. If you have never decided that what is most important to God will be what is most important to you, then you haven't chosen Jesus. If you believe that being a Christian is a checklist of good deeds, then you haven't chosen Jesus. If you would rather spend every Sunday at home than in God's house with God's people, then you haven't chosen Jesus. If you believe that going to church is enough, then you haven't chosen Jesus. If you know that Jesus died on the cross, but you don't know Him as your best friend, then you haven't chosen Jesus.
I know that my statements may seem harsh, but they are spoken out of love because no matter how much you don't want to think about it, you cannot hide from the truth. It's an all or nothing choice.
So if your heart is beating a little faster, your ears are ringing, your chest feels warm, or you feel a little nervous right now and you don't know why, then God wants you to know He sees you. He is asking you to choose because He has chosen you.
Promise for Today:
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9: 27-28
Our exchange did not upset me nearly as much as it upset him. I know that at three years old, his understanding is still immature. Until that time he is able to fully comprehend, I will continue to speak truth into his life and pray for his salvation at a young, tender age.
Our conversation did, however, turn my thoughts to friends and family who are much older and more mature, but still think they can somehow avoid the truth.
The truth is for many people this earth is a "comfort zone." A place where they can rest on the foundation of "being a good person" and "believing in Jesus." They call themselves a Christian. They display a little white cross in their yard and click "like" on Facebook posts blasting Starbucks for taking Christmas off their cups. But they haven't truly chosen Jesus.
What's the difference? Isn't being good, believing in Jesus, calling yourself a Christian and joining in the latest cause making a choice?
The truth is no, it's not.
Choosing Jesus, choosing heaven, is about a faith that leads you to repentance, a faith that leads you to be different. If you have never decided that what is most important to God will be what is most important to you, then you haven't chosen Jesus. If you believe that being a Christian is a checklist of good deeds, then you haven't chosen Jesus. If you would rather spend every Sunday at home than in God's house with God's people, then you haven't chosen Jesus. If you believe that going to church is enough, then you haven't chosen Jesus. If you know that Jesus died on the cross, but you don't know Him as your best friend, then you haven't chosen Jesus.
I know that my statements may seem harsh, but they are spoken out of love because no matter how much you don't want to think about it, you cannot hide from the truth. It's an all or nothing choice.
So if your heart is beating a little faster, your ears are ringing, your chest feels warm, or you feel a little nervous right now and you don't know why, then God wants you to know He sees you. He is asking you to choose because He has chosen you.
Promise for Today:
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9: 27-28
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