Thursday, March 17, 2005

Woe to Me

You ever catch yourself wondering which Biblical character you would get along with best? Short people might like Zacheus. People that were once scandalous might find David interesting. Or maybe if you have skills with the bowstaff or sling shot. If you were a girl who made mistakes physically in the past, you might find comfort in Mary Magdalene. Maybe you don't talk real "good"...Isaiah is your man. You feel like your too young to do what God has called you to, maybe Timothy (1 Tim. 4:12) can spur you along. Are you really hairy? Well so were Elijah and John the Baptist. Maybe you are a busy body like Martha and just need to relax like Mary, there is something in the Bible for you. Have you denied Christ? Even cursed and said that you do not know Him? Peter struggled there too, but after he repented, Jesus said He would build his church with him. Notice that when Peter denied and didn't share Christ, he later cried when he saw Jesus' face. He went out and wept and repented of what he had done. Peter did not die normally, it is said that he died upside down because he felt unworthy to be crucified like Christ was.

Here is the thing. The Bible seems to cover about everything you can possibly think of. The things it doesn't cover are probably on the "don't need to know" basis or maybe Jesus wants us to depend on Him more in those areas. I don't understand everything about salvation. I understand the process, but I do not understand who God calls and who He doesn't and if that's even true. What I do understand is that He commanded us to make disciples. It was not a gentle suggestion. It was a command. 1 Cor. 9, Paul says "woe to me if I don't preach the gospel." Does it make a difference? Woe to you when you do not preach the gospel. There are so many times that I fail to share the Lord with people I know He has called me to share with. I struggle with that. Do you think the devil would prod you when you don't share your faith? Do you really think there is enough good in us, our flesh, to feel bad when we don't share with people. I seriously doubt it. Maybe it's the Holy Spirit's whisper. We should be like Peter, after failing to be a witness went and wept bitterly. The Bible says he actually dropped a curse word when he said he didn't know Jesus. "I don't know the *#$(#*$ guy." Just imagine that tone, anger, and action. The next verse, Jesus looks at him as the rooster crows. Peter repents and moves on.

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!" (2 Cor. 13:5)

No comments: