Sermon Reflection

After today's message and a conversation that I had with a youth pastor, I've been really chewing on something that I want to share and challenge other Christians with. Today's message, in keeping with the season of Lent, was about the betrayal of Judas.  I'm sure that many of us hear the words "Judas" and "betrayal" and immediately think, "I would never do that. That's not me.  I love God.  He is my all in all."  Some of those various thoughts are even lyrics to some popular Christian songs, but have you ever thought about betrayal in a different light?

Growing up in a Christian community, attending Christian schools, and a CRC church I feel surrounded by my beliefs and others who share those beliefs.  We do our duty.  We go to church.  We listen and open our hearts.  We pray.  We ask for forgiveness.  Then we leave.

These are all good things to do, but do they really sink in? Many of us blow off adult Sunday school.  Skip church or youth group for different social events.  Don't read our Bibles because we are too tired or claim not to have enough time.  We dig out a dollar bill to put in the offering when our weekly pay is much more than $10.  Aren't we betraying our beliefs (and our God) when our actions aren't matching up with what we profess to be important.

Jesus asks us to be the light to the world, to be different, and shine in the dark world.  We do this but only when it seems to be convenient or when we are supposed to (like on Sunday mornings).  I don't believe that there is a verse in the Bible that supports this. God wants to swallow our lives whole.  He wants to be a part of EVERYTHING ALL the time.

 I admit that I don't go to church services in the evening which basically means that I'm telling God that He matters in the morning on Sundays to me but the evenings are me time. I have decided to change this starting today.  Even if I have something else going on, or I'm not prepared for work tomorrow, I am going to evening service.  I'm not just going to say or sing that God matters to me but show Him and others.

So here's where the challenge comes in. I challenge you, yes you as in the person who happened to read this, to let God swallow your life whole.  DO something (as in an action with your body and not just your mouth)  that shows that God matters to you.  What ever you decide to do, commit to it.  Don't let it be something you did once or because it was during Lent.  Let this become a habit.  Something that you do because it is important to you and aligns with your beliefs.  Don't forget to pray too because the enemy has a crafty tongue and he will tell you each and every step of the way that either you can't do it, or that you don't need to.  Don't listen to him.  God loves and supports you and I believe that you can do it.

Let us live as Christians; followers of Christ by our actions and our beliefs.

Inertia

Inertia is a physics concept that basically means things keep moving in the same direction and at the same speed. On, and on, and on.  They don't stop. They don't slow down. They don't change direction. I've been feeling like my world has been doing the same thing. I think this is what normal people, meaning non-science nerds, call being stuck in a rut.
In school world we are between quarters, finishing up one with another one just getting started.  One day ends and the other begins. And so the cycle continues. Inertia.
The thing about inertia, though, is that it can be changed when acted on by a force.  This force can cause our object to slow down and eventually stop or it can change the object's direction.
I would say that the same is true for our own lives (beyond the physics and science realm that is). We can keep on keeping on; plodding along an endless trail. Or we can introduce a force and change our direction.
Perseverance is an admirable quality but I think it needs to be spiced up from time to time by doing something different. Force yourself to try something different.  Force yourself to break out of the routine.  Force yourself into a new direction.