Are We Willing??

“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 1:2.

The main thrust of my thoughts today comes from the mindset of being “sold-out” for God. I hear that often and really believe that we fail to fully understand what that is and what it requires. What I want to get into is are we willing to be used to the point of laying down it all. I was thinking during church; do I want to lay down everything for God?? Not just money, comfort and physical things, but my family? Am I willing to allow God to use me to the point where I trust Him with the lives of my wife and daughter? And if I am, what the heck does that even look like. (Now I know that God has given me a family and it is my earthly duty to protect them and provide for them, if you are focused on that you are missing the bigger picture.) This is a prayer that I am afraid to pray. I mean, I know I could pray it and then go on doing what I want to do, but why even play the game. If I am willing to pray the prayer to allow God total control, then I am going to allow God to use me in any manner that he sees fit. It is time that we all examine this question, especially men.

God has placed us in a time when things are crazy. High gas prices, wars, housing market slumping, inflation and the list goes on and on. These are just the things that hit close to home. It is in times like this that we need to be even more adamant about the control of God. It is in uncertain times that we need to share with all who will listen that we have certainty in Christ. Men need to take on leadership of their homes, business and communities and stop being pansies with the gospel (Romans 1:16-17). Only one thing will cure all that ales and that is the gospel. We need to lay it out there and not worry about if people think we are Jesus freaks or religious or whatever they might think of us. It is time not to be timid, but time to be bold (1 Cor 9:16). It is time to show the world the love of Christ by telling it about Christ. We need to quit spending all of our time convincing non-Christians why they shouldn’t vote for this guy, or shouldn’t commit adultery, or shouldn’t get high. If you are going to offend, offend with the gospel.

Are we willing to lay it all down for the gospel? For Christ? Are we willing to let others laugh at us, mock us, make fun of us for the sake of the gospel? I am not sure that I know the answers to these questions in my own life. I am willing to allow others to do these things to me, but am I willing to allow others to do these things to my family and trust that the Lord is in control? Christ is in control, right? God has placed Christ at his right hand. Are we willing that Christ should use us?

-Jake