It's time to really confess. I'm a guy that is normal. No, that's not the confession. I'm just a man, that deals with all the things of this world. Lord knows. My heart burns for Christ. Nope, that's not my confession either. I'm selfish and self-centered. No, that's not it. I talk way way too much. Almost had it there, but no that's not it. I have to deal with a mind that flutters at over a thousand thoughts a second on everything that is around me including the things you can't even imagine. Close, but that's not it.
I love life and all points in between. I really do. The contact of reaching out and building a relationship is not really me. It's not. Those that are close to me and I mean close know that I can be perfectly happy spending quiet time in a book or just alone. I'm self reliant. I love my family and friends. My best friend ever is the person I have probably hurt the most in my life, that is my beautiful wife. Wow, how can that be? Why is it that we either unintentionally or intentionally hurt those closest to us. I'm not talking physically, but emotionally. It is so sad to me that I would have been that way. Now I could start justifying all the past misdeeds, but that truly isn't what confession or revelation is. I have been forgiven. No, really forgiven by not only my wife, but my children and my family. I've been broken. I've been lifted up also. The Lord of my life instead of condemning me gave me grace unending. His forgiveness washed me clean. I've been forgiven.
It came with a heavy price. One that I could never have paid. Never. Oh, I could talk about it of course, but remember I talk way too much. So why would you listen to me about that? That is the truth. You have to experience it. You have to truly experience it. The forgiveness part. You have to be broken to understand it. Really you do. Broken inside, knowing that no matter what you do won't be enough to make it right. It isn't about doing anything. It's about coming to grips with your brokenness and you have to experience it. You have to be at such a place the only way out for you is in the Hands of the Lord lifting you up cause you can't do it alone or with a friend. It has to be the Savior. Jesus Christ.
If you think that a life living a "good life," will get you somewhere, you're right it will get you somewhere, but it's not going to be where you think. If you were like me you could think that being alone would be alright. Just you and nobody else. Well, let me tell you eternity alone in the dark would be way too much alone. Not anybody and in the dark...Alone...Oh, my God, that would be so bad... That would be the worst thing in eternity. Alone...in the dark...forever. If you think like I do, what a frightening thing. It's my scariest thought. No sensation, light, love, just your constant thoughts of everything that you ever did to put you in that place. Forget Dante's inferno. This would be so much worse. Forever.
Now before I lose your thought here, wouldn't it be more pleasing to spend your time with the Savior. Jesus and all the Heavenly Host? I'm thinking, yes. No, I'm thinking absolutely yes. A promise that He has prepared a place for me. That I will be with Him and those that are changed. Not alone. I needed to confess (reveal) my sin to Him, Jesus and ask for His love and Grace to take my sin away, and change my life, to make me new. To be born again, baptized. That my life would be full of His plan. That through the Holy Spirit we would be one with the Lord. My life was changed.
Oh, and it hasn't been easy. No, it hasn't. I struggled with many things as the Lord worked on my life. It would take me a long time to tell you all He's done for me, but remember this isn't about me. This is about you and those around you. If you say, "Well, Chris, I'm saved and doing what the Lord wants me to do." I'm going to tell you. No you haven't. Neither have I. It's time to get off our butts and do what He (Jesus) has commanded us to do. "Love one another." Not ourselves and our lives, but everyone's. Yes, even that sinner next door, or that dirty homeless man that you can't stand to be around, because it makes you uncomfortable. I'm with you. I need to do the same. Now you know that part you just read about being broken. Well, my friend it's now. We (me) included have to be broken for our brothers and sisters that need our love. So get off your ass (reference to an animal that walks slow and makes your butt hurt when you ride it for long times) and get on your feet. Make a difference. People are living alone in our community. They didn't make that decision, it's been made for them. We are the church. We are His people, we are His sheep. We need to help find more for His Kingdom before it's too late for us.
Pray for God to move your stinking, whining heart to soften to those around us. He want's us to make a difference. So make it and quit doing what you're not doing.
God Bless you my friends. My confession is that I am just like you. I want to do this my way. But God wants me to do it His Way. And I'm going to...
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