Each time you read my blog you get the inside scoop on my personal story of Christian living. Sadly, my life is full of ups and downs and downright failures, but all in all I hope it is clear that I put forth great effort to live a life that is pleasing to God on a regular basis. Some days are better than others.
Today’s story is that I’m hot (temperature wise…think I’m having hot flashes…grrrr), loud and obnoxious and I think I need the t-shirt!!! A day like today makes me very grateful God loves ALL of His creation! Sigh….
Having said this, I find the reasons people choose to follow Christ fascinating. Obviously, there can be a number of reasons one would select this path, but there really are many opportunities throughout one’s lifetime that might lead them to Christianity.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20
For example, some of the reasons to follow Christ might be:
You were born into a Christian family and you decide it’s the way for you, too.
You meet someone who shows you the way of Christ and you like it.
You hear the story of Christ’s love and you want to spread this love around the world.
You have an inner voice that calls you towards Christ and you want to find out more.
You stumble upon the path and decide to continue down it.
You feel obligated so that you can get into heaven.
What a minute!!! Did you read No. 6?!?!?! Obligation?!?!?! Surely not!!!
Ahhh, but yes, many of us follow Christ because we think we are supposed to. OR…we are scared of going to hell and Christ says if we follow Him we will be saved, therefore, He’s the ticket to staying out of hot water (pun intended).
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
Pray, pray, pray because obligation should not be the reason we follow Christ.
We should follow Him because we LOVE Him and by loving Him we want to PLEASE Him and take care of His CREATION through whatever means we have. It’s very simple. Because He loves us, we love Him and then love others as a result.
However, it makes me sad to think that sometimes I might be trying to ‘pull one over’ on God by following Christ just to get into heaven. I don’t want to be that follower. In fact, I want to be the one that loves others as Christ loves me.
I’ve got some work to do in this area, but I doubt I’m the only one.
If you’ve never considered the reason you follow Christ, I encourage you to do so. You might like what you find, but you might not. Either way…we can ALWAYS pray, ask for forgiveness and make changes if we don’t like what we see.
The great news about our Heavenly Father is that He is a God of second chances, third chances and so on!!
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 1John 2:2
Don’t live another day feeling obligated to follow Christ. Ask Him to soften your heart so that you follow Him because you love Him!!! It’s a much better way to live!
Some Wisdom for Today: Proverbs 8:17 – I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
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