You should. You know why? Because we, the Church, are called to live as the Body of Christ on this earth. And we are called to glorify, praise, and love Him. We are called to walk, talk, speak, and serve as Jesus would -- we are called to live as Jesus would live.
Do you know what that looks like? Do you know what that feels like? Do you know Him, so that you would know what He would do? Have you sought Him, that your heart beats with His, that your soul recognizes the tones of His Voice calling you, that your footsteps follow His?
Would witnessing of a 'God' who does not sentence people to hell bring glory to the God who created the earth and called forth the flood to save a remnant of our race? Would singing songs to a 'God' who is not the God of righteousness and justice, love and mercy, and the truth that is hated by this world bring a beautiful melody of praise to the God who longs that we would be one with Him in heart? Does devoting part of your life, your love, your affections to purity, holiness, and service truly express a love for the God who hung on a Cross so you wouldn't have to go to hell?
We claim to be Christian. We claim to know Christ. But do we? Do you? What would it look like?
In communist China, it looks like a man who is willing to be imprisoned for months and even years for the chance to speak the Name of Jesus to his unsaved friends and family members, it looks like a man willing to be publicly mocked and flogged for boldly witnessing the truth of God's grace in the streets to complete strangers, and it looks like a man who is willing to be beaten, spit on, and crippled for life rather than deny his love for the One who first Loved him in such ways. But, what does it look like in America?
Well, first imagine yourself in the place of that Chinaman. Imagine how afraid you might feel, how lonely it would be to bear the Cross at times, and how your heart would ache for the freedom to live the Gospel, not more fully, but in a broader sense, were your land a free land. Now take that Chinaman, and imagine him in your place. Imagine through his eyes the opportunities -- the family, the fellowship, the resources, the wealth to give, the freedom to speak and live and pray and shout and sing and share and even to study God's Word that you now have.
Do you relish these things, do you use these things, do you joy in these gifts and how Jesus can work through you as you suspect he would? And, would you willingly surrender all these things, bid He, as He might? I make no apology for saying this: You can pretend to use this blessing of life and wealth and prestige and success and fellowship and gifts you've been given for God's glory, but if you would not give it all up, surrender, willingly risk it, 'leave' it all to follow and obey Him, it is not His, and in your heart, it is not for His glory. Friend, is it His?
Or has the 'hard' life of Christianity slipped both your heart and mind? Has fear of man and the little things you might lose compromised you into religious complacency in place of Christianity? Do you bear the Cross as Jesus would, or even as that humble Chinaman would, that you might fellowship in His sufferings? Do you see the loss of things and people of this world, even loss of the worldly religious, for the sake of the Gospel, as obstacles to your success or opportunities to truly prove your love? Is it about success and advertising and making a career out of this thing you call 'Christianity,' or is it really about the Cross? Do you carry a cross as you might, or do you simply watch one from afar?
Tell me, who is Jesus? Do you see Him clearly and truly, that the world might see Him when they see you? Oh, open your eyes, friends. Open your eyes and seek Him!"
Nicole Tera
