Over the past few days, a
thought has been plaguing my mind and continues to arise within my every
conversation. Today, it came as I spoke to some dear friends, a topic that is
so stirring, so real. We do not know the world in which we live. Our generation
calls desperately for attention and has found it in things unheard of 50 years
ago. We want to be noticed, maybe more than ever before. We sat, discussing how
our generation is that which cries so desperately for purpose, seeks so
intently for meaning and for life, wants to have a cause for which it will
fight, yet settles for complacency, apathetically accepting the world as it is.
A band once sung, “If only
I had an enemy greater than my apathy, I could have won.” Sadly this is where
our world lives, perhaps more in the mental arena than anywhere else. We show
loyalty by wearing causes on our t-shirts and sporting bracelets for awareness,
yet perhaps we are not as aware as we seemingly believe. A world built only on awareness without action
may be no better than ignorance. It breaks my heart to watch as mankind tries
to find life in the deadliest places and seeks fulfillment in places that have
never been emptier. That man, created for relationship with God, has settled
for so little, if anything at all. That man believes it can thrive outside the
boundaries created for him and away from the God who created him. Perhaps we’ve
wandered and don’t fully understand that man is a machine created to run solely
on its Creator and not the filth of the world.
Have we become so
apathetically blinded that we no longer see the enemy? Believe me, I am not
only to parade the power of the enemy, but also not only so foolish to think
him non-existent. Have Christians lost their fighting spirit?
Is the Church being the
Church? Is the Church aiming only to cope with the problems sin and our fallen
state has created rather than attempting to restore the world to its original
design? As time goes, does that picture grow clearer or continue to morph and
fade into something almost unrecognizable? Has the Church forgotten her
purpose? Am I being the Church to this
world in every respect? Do I make the active decision to walk like, look like,
speak like and think like Christ instead of settling for the quiet life? Jesus’
life made noise. I believe it is time for the Christian Church to make a little
noise as well. I believe that the Church needs to go back into the restoration
business. My conclusions?
It starts here.
I must be
willing to walk in a manner that brings glory to God and draws eyes towards
Christ. As I walk out who God has called me to be, as the Church lives like God
designed man to walk in every arena, the world cannot help but notice. I want
to be about my Father’s business. Jesus came to turn an upside-down world
rightside-up again. I believe that it is time we do the same.
As I look around me, I am
so thankful for those I have watched within my own life who are already doing
this very thing. I look forward to watching my leaders, friends, brother and
sisters as they go about God’s restoration business. I look forward to getting
to watch them preach to the nations. I look forward to the biographies I will
read about their lives. I look forward to the businesses they will create. I
look forward to families they will raise. I look forward to the victories we
will win for the Kingdom
of God
