Fit Subjects

He was traveling to the city with His usual entourage, but while pausing for rest a man approached saying, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go." Jesus responded with a declaration of foxes having holes and birds having nests, but that He didn't really have a place to lay His head. It was then that He invited a few men to join Him and His disciples on their journey. Unfortunately, each of them offered excuses for not being able to follow at that particular time. Jesus then proclaimed that those who turn to follow Him but who keep looking back to the things of this world, will not enjoy eternity because they are "unfit for the kingdom of God." [see Luke 9:57-62]

There can be no mistaking the impact of Christ's words on those determined to take the road less traveled when looking to the future. Another road appears to be going in the same direction and its multi-lane expressway has more traffic. Multimedia promotes the diverting attractions on the roadways of life, but word of mouth can often be the most effective medium for drawing people to numerous attractive exits along the way.

When contemplating life's journey, consideration must be given to the exits taken if we are to reach our destination. Some exits can be costly, especially when the currency or medium of exchange is time. God gives to every person an equal allotment of time. There are elements of life such as sleep, exercise, and occupational work that require portions of this time. The hours that remain and the exits we take will determine our final destination. What are the exits? I suggest they are anything that diverts our attention from the kingdom of God.

Watching sporting events and other cable programming consumes the time of many. Internet surfing, video games, and card playing also prove to be popular exits along life's highway. All these things detract from the time that may be used for the benefit of others while developing a personal relationship with our Lord. Limiting devotional and worship time to a few minutes twice a day is hardly sufficient for developing a lasting relationship. How long do you suppose a marriage would last if spouses restricted their communication to mere minutes each day? More important is whether at journey's end, we will be known and recognized by our Lord as fit subjects to enter the kingdom of God.

Never give your hearts to this world or to any of the things in it. A man cannot love the Father and love the world at the same time. For the whole world system, based as it is on man's primitive desires, their greedy ambitions and the glamour of all they think splendid, is not derived from the Father at all, but from the world itself. . . . Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God remold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all His demands and moves toward the goal of true maturity. [1 John 2:15,16; Romans 12:2 J.B. Phillips Translation]

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Exchange

Through the years I've watched as dozens of men are released from prison, only to return again. It is not difficult to predict who will be returning. A few weeks of state approved classes do little to change self-centered character. Such character is revealed in the daily interaction of peers living together in a closed environment. Their interaction with staff is generally controlled with their putting of best foot forward approach. I find myself thinking of such things as I consider the person of Barabbas. Most Jewish men were connected to their fathers by name. James and John were sons of Zebedee, Simon Peter was known as Simon son of Jonah; (Matthew 4:21; 16:17) . In Aramaic the name Barabbas means son of father. He is not identified with a specific family. He could have been anyone's son, and maybe that is the point. It appears he may have grown up feeling virtually unknown which could explain his inclination toward trouble. He became notorious in his efforts of insurre...
Read more

Expectations and Disappointments

Being in a position of expectation is often a setup for disappointment. Perhaps you may remember feeling despair or frustration when hopes were betrayed. Last week was such a time for me. With the encouragement of family and friends I moved to apply for clemency after serving more than forty years in prison. After completion of long delayed legal appeals, I thanked my attorney for his pro bono time and efforts. I then turned to an organization working with volunteers and attorneys to assist in preparing clemency petitions for incarcerated individuals. This organization expressed an interest in taking on my petition for clemency and contacted my former attorney who told them that he still intended to work with me. Because of his maintained interest in my case, they withdrew from taking me on as a client. I was happy with this development and sent petition paperwork to my previous attorney with expectation he would proceed with clemency petition. Knowing that such proceedings take tim...
Read more

Isaiah's Holiday

Leaves of memory rustle among dormant branches as people wander through Arbor Day plantings of yesteryear. For some the holiday season stimulates recall of community celebration with friends and family. There are others who erect curtains in an attempt to obscure the past and prevent future pain. Oblivious to the past is a new generation wallowing in present experience of Black Friday savings. Amidst holiday hustle and bustle, nonprofit organizations rejoice with the season's impetus to generosity and compassion for those less fortunate. There is good reason to be thankful for the compassion and generosity manifested during the holidays, but it is not enough to banish society's real need. Isaiah gives God's warning to church members regarding their failure to follow His way, choosing rather to worship Him in their own way. God recognizes the enthusiasm in their approach to Him, but He points out that their fasting is done for the wrong reasons (Isaiah 58:1-5). In like man...
Read more