Thoughts Ive been pondering lately have really influenced the way I act upon and veiw the Christian lifestyle along with our modern culture. To an extent I would say one would probably need to be some what informed in our culture to reach the lost. Then again is it our business who goes to Hell? Or do we focus on consumation and loving Christ. See the bottom line is getting people to reach salvation is worthless unless its out of love for God. Converting people just to push them to believe what we want them to believe is a horrible misconception that we have turned into salvation. Not that believing in God is a bad thing… but believing and loving are very much contrary. People who believe in God (Alot of our culture) dont really love God. So do they know what their believing in? Can you love something you know nothing about? You can know and understand something with out loving it… but can you love something if you dont understand it? No, your love would be misguided and in no way directed towards Gods truth. Why do we make it so much about heaven? What happened to loving your neighbor as yourself, speaking truth into someones life, reaching out and pouring in. Sharing the gospel without ripping people about theology. Is salvation just a mere belief in God… because many believe. Loving God with a pure heart, sincerely falling down, opening up and realizing that with out love… does salvation matter. Yeah, maybe someone would go to heaven but isnt the real joy enriched in the free life you can live hear and now… out of Love for God. Isnt Salvation here?
Whatching sports is by far the best public veiwing ever. Ive got to admit Id probably be a sucker for reality TV… if it was actually reality. I mean whats better then seeing real life unfold before your eyes in every second. With no script, no makeup, no cuts or do overs. You take what you get and make the best of what you have. However it comes, pretty, ugly, lucky, unfair. I realize as I sit back and see alot of my teams squandering around at the bottom of the standings… That life is last, and last is first.
Its what Jesus meant when he said in Mark 10:31 “But many [that are] first shall be last; and the last first.” When your last there comes a point where you must look deep inside and ponder the question why, and sometimes its as simple as… someone needs to be there. The beauty of last is this. Last realizes he must look within. Last realizes that he can only have hope of something better. Last realizes that life is not fair. Last will realize that the gospel isnt about him. Last realizes that struggle is beautiful. Last will be hurt, last will be worn down, last will be beaten, last will be harassed, embarassed, persecuted, shunned. When last cant yet withstand itself, when last falls through its own cracks, when last cant hide behind its own lies, when last cant see through its own fog, when last has come to the bottom, alone, in the dark.
Last will come to salvation. Last will be first. Last will see marvelous light, will see a royal preisthood, will see reality, will see truth, will see life, will see joy, will see purity, will see grace, will hunger and thirst, will have more questions then answers, will not seek logic, will see a man… who should be last. Will see a man… who for his entire life, was last. Now, that man is first… and he is the reason that last will always be first. That first will want to be last. That first will throw his life away in hopes that others will no longer be last… but become first.
