In 1997 I was starting to really follow Christ. I had grown up in the church. I prayed. I knew of God, but I didn’t really have a relationship with Him until then. I guess you could say that I was “saved” at that time, but I really think, for me, salvation has been more of a process than a single event. Maybe that’s a little heretical for some. All I know is “Christ and Christ crucified.” I don’t remember the day and time that I came to this revelation as some do, but I really don’t think it matters.
The big thing at that time was the “Left Behind” series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. These books were HUGE! They chronicled the biblical events of the second coming of Christ. I must admit. I bought into the hype. I was mildly addicted to the series. I remember the hand-wringing anticipation for the next book. What was going to happen to Buck and Rayford and Chloe? Every book ended on a cliff hanger. The funny thing is, there were people in the church who were really getting on my case about reading these books. Some even said that I shouldn’t be reading them at all. They were warning me that they are the author’s interpretation of the bible and are not a substitute for the bible itself. Thanks. Do you wanna check the presets for the radio stations in my car and make sure there aren’t any secular stations on there too?
I was a new Christian, but the “end times” stuff really fascinated me. The good thing about it for me and many others was that it ended up being a gateway to intense study in other areas of the bible. I was in a small men’s group that met once a week for coffee and prayer. One of the guys asked if I thought that the rapture was going to be pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, or if there was even going to be such a thing. I remember saying, “Man, I’m still trying to figure out how to love my neighbor!”
The bible has a lot of commandments, guides, instructions, wisdom, stories of success, stories of failure, and hope for the future. With 66 books, 1,189 chapters, and 31,240 verses it can be a lot for most people to absorb and apply to their lives. In a lot of cases, churches or denominations will just focus on one or two things; worship; baptism and communion; or missions work and evangelism; or snake handling and poison drinking; or end times; or works. People will gravitate to the churches that focus on the areas that interest them or that they are comfortable with. I’m not suggesting that any of these things are bad because they all have their foundation in the Word of God. However, I might suggest that we as individual Christians refocus on what God considers the priorities.
Tell us, Pat. What are God’s priorities? I’m glad you asked, but let me first put out a disclaimer in an attempt to avoid a lightning strike. “ALL SCRIPTURE is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16 Now that the lightening rod is firmly in place, here are God’s priorities: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31. I believe that all scripture exists to support these two commandments…which are in the red, by the way. Jesus said that there is no commandment greater than this.
Thanks, Pat. We’ve been to Sunday school. We know this. So, what is the practical application? You want me to bake some cookies for my neighbors? Sure, if that’s what you want to do. Look. For most of us, God is not going to send us to a third world country to build a church. God will command some to do that. It's necessary and if you are called to do that, GO! But most of us are called to worship Him in our car on our way to work or while we are out for a jog (I wouldn’t recommend closing your eyes and raising your hands in either of those situations, however). We are all called to get to know Him, His mind, His will, and His Word. We do that by spending time alone with Him intimately in prayer and study. We also do that by gathering with people who are committed to the same thing and learning from their experiences, successes, and failures.
Loving our neighbors can be a bit tougher…especially if you lived in my previous neighborhood! When Jesus was asked what it meant to love our neighbor, He told the story of the Good Samaritan. How do we apply that? Try this: The next time you’re in line at Starbucks, buy a coffee for the person in line behind you. Maybe just hand the cashier an extra $6 for that purpose and don’t even let the person know what you did. When you go to work or to the store, put your antennae up and see if you can find a person that looks lonely or is having a rough day. Then, offer them some comfort; an ear or a cup of coffee (yes, I’m a coffee addict too) or a shoulder. A hug and a smile can do wonders for someone going through a storm. Use some discretion, though. You could end up in handcuffs! People who are hurting, especially the ones that don’t know the Lord, don’t always want to hear that God loves them. But most will welcome a loving word or gesture from you and THAT comes from the Lord. And yes, bake some cookies for your neighbors.
A note for the people around me: I like caramel macchiatos and chocolate chip cookies.
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