Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

How's Your Heart?
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. ~ Psalm 139:23-24, NIV

It's easy to be fooled into thinking that your heart is in pretty good condition. And so perhaps you've had thoughts like this:

I'm a good person.

I attend church twice a week.

I go to a weekly Bible study.

I keep up with my daily devotionals.

I volunteer in my community.

I tithe to my church.

I'm kind to my family.

I pray for my friends.

Sound familiar? We can focus on the peripheral so much so that we forget to dig a little deeper and see what's reallygoing on inside our hearts. Well, I've discovered a sure-fire method that will quickly expose the condition of the heart. That's right. Here it is: it's driving. Yes. D-R-I-V-I- N-G.

When you're driving, it seems like the real you comes to the fore. I know that I would never want someone to record the thoughts that go through my mind or the words that exit my mouth when I'm operating a moving vehicle. They're not R-rated, but I sure wouldn't want them inscribed on my tombstone.

These thoughts happen fairly regularly. Like recently, as I made my way through a sketchy part of town. I encountered folks driving way below the speed limit. Other folks cut me off while trying to get in front of other slow drivers in other lanes. And another driver took up two lanes while trying to make a left-hand turn.

In these incidents, what I thought really shocked me. Afterward, I immediately wondered, Did I really think that? My heart is so ugly. Oh, dear God. Please help me!

I'm not telling you what I was thinking, because I am ashamed. But I will tell you this: it enlightened me. My thoughts exposed the dark corners of my heart. I saw how horribly corroded and nasty it was—like what you experience when you pull up the stopper from your kitchen garbage disposal. Foul!

I saw the judgment. I saw the pride. I saw the lack of love and forgiveness. It's gunk that needs to be cleaned out—really bleached out—on a consistent basis. But bleach smells, it's strong and it stings. Who really welcomes that? Yet even though ridding sin from our lives is hard to do, it's absolutely essential if we are to stay spiritually healthy and heart smart.

While I'm disappointed in my condition, I'm strangely thankful that driving is doing such a good job of testing me and showing what's going on in my heart. And until I'm old and decrepit and can't maneuver a moving vehicle anymore, I know that my next heart check is just one keyed ignition, one gear change and one gas pedal away.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

If not driving, are there other situations or activities in your life that "put the squeeze" on you and really show what's going on in your heart? Maybe it's an individual who just knows how to push your buttons. Or perhaps the ugliness comes out when you're dealing with customer service personnel. Whatever it is that exposes the ugliness, ask the Lord to examine what is there and to change you from the inside out.

Further Reading:

Rom. 6:12-14, NIV

2 Cor. 5:17, NIV

[Judy Harder]

Strangers in a Strange Land
Anna Kuta, Crosswalk.com Editor

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:18-19).

This fall, I took a road trip with some friends to watch our college football team, the Richmond Spiders, take on in-state rival James Madison University. Our team was 3 and 1 at that point in the season, and our only loss had come from a nailbiter the week before, so we were pretty confident as we set out that morning. It was a gorgeous day for football and we'd managed to get some of the very last tickets before the game sold out, so we were quite proud of ourselves and excited for what seemed like it would be an extremely successful trip.

However, it wasn't long before things started going downhill. We took a wrong turn and ended up circling the entire town of Harrisonburg twice. An hour and a half later, we finally got to the stadium gates just as the game started, but as we started climbing the bleachers to our seats, we began to realize we were the only ones in sight wearing Richmond red and blue. Turns out our tickets we were so proud of were not in the Richmond fan section, as we thought, but the reject seats on the complete opposite corner of the field. We felt like the enemy as we took our seats smack in the middle of a sea of yellow and purple, but that wasn't going to deter us from still cheering on a victory.

When Richmond made a touchdown right away for the game's first points, things seemed to be looking great (besides the dirty looks we got). Unfortunately, that was as good as it got. We didn't score again for the rest of the game. JMU piled on touchdown, touchdown, field goal, touchdown ... and with each point my friends and I sat a little more dejectedly in our seats. Someone threw yellow streamers and paper airplanes at us, and then it started pouring rain. It finally ended and we left the stadium soaking wet and miserable. But the ordeal wasn't quite over yet. We started walking back to our car, got heckled, decided against walking in the rain among hecklers, got on a shuttle, and proceeded to get heckled for the next half hour we were stuck in traffic. When we finally got back to the car, all we could do was grumble a little bit and shake our heads.

We can laugh about that disaster of a day now, but it certainly wasn't very funny at the time. Maybe you've had a similar experience at a sporting event, or you can identify with the same feeling of being unwelcome in a different situation. Have you ever faced similar hostility for your faith? Even though you and I might never experience anything close to the extreme suffering that many believers around the world face, we all have times when we feel out of place or downright vilified because of our faith.

As Christians, we are "strangers and aliens" in a world of unbelievers, as Peter says in 1 Peter 2:11. The older I get, the more keenly aware I am that I don't think like them, that I don't have the same desires, motivations and passions. The more I grow in my faith, the more different I feel from many people I come in contact with, and the more open I am about my faith, the more that difference becomes tangible. We are called to be set apart, yet we are in the world for a reason: to share Jesus. It's often not received with open arms, but it's what we are commanded to do as followers of Christ.

Like Jesus says in John 15:18, it's not always going to be easy. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own, He says. But when we accept Christ and enter into a relationship with Him, He chooses us out of the world. Like my friends and I felt when we were surrounded by fans of an opposing team, so we as Christians will never feel "at home" in this world. Yes, we'll face opposition, but Jesus Himself said it's a badge of the Christian faith and a sign that we belong to Him. In answering His call to reject worldly conformity, we can truly make an impact by being an example for Jesus.

Intersecting Faith & Life

It's not easy living a life of Jesus' high calling, and the way we're treated by the world can be plain discouraging at times. Pray for God to help you desire to be more like Him and to give you strength to stand up against opposition.

Further Reading

1 Peter 2:11-12

Romans 12:2

John 17

[Judy Harder]

Only One Way to Achieve Patience
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Managing Editor

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
Ecclesiastes 7:8, NIV

Our senior pastor came into the room for a pre-arranged talk with all of us high school senior guys. He wanted to share something with us as we moved off into the next phases of our lives.

Out of all the applications and biblical wisdom at his disposal, what one topic was on his heart? What advice did he wish to impart above all?

He began by asking us to envision where we'd be in five, 10, 20 years. I'm just now coming up on that 20th year; I'm amazed at how differently some things have turned out, and how similar to my goals other things are. But that's not the point.

Our pastor next told us that the one thing we ought to pursue more than any other was... not holiness, not righteousness, not prayer... but patience. "Boys, raise your hand if you want to be a man of patience."

Okay, sure. Sounds good. Patience, yeah, that could be helpful to me. Hand up.

"Great. I'll tell you what, boys, can I pray with you now? But be aware, only agree with me in this prayer if you mean it, if you really want patience. Because do you know what it takes to develop patience? Problems. Only problems - and the way you react to them and trust God through them - can develop patience. Do you understand? So that's what I'm going to ask God for right now, that He'll bring you all problems. Are you ready?"

Sure. Why not?

Oh boy. Looking back, the last 20-plus years haven't been hell on earth by any stretch, but they've sure been full of their share of problems. As of this writing, I've got one that's forcing me to wait... and wait... and wait for an answer. I feel shamed when I go through a study about Abraham and how long he waited and waited for God to fulfill a direct promise, because I can't imagine waiting any longer than I already have. The only reason I continue to do so is because of the patience and wisdom I've built up having passed through earlier problems and trials, the outcomes of which inform me to keep waiting.

What's the moral here? Be careful what you pray for? Hmmm... maybe... but I think I prefer the lesson in today's verse, that patience (trusting God's way and waiting on His promise) is better than pride (my idea of the best way). To me, it's really eye-opening to think of those two concepts - patience and pride - as the opposites of each other. But that's exactly how this verse sets them up. It suggests patience is akin to humility, and pride the brother of instant gratification. And I guess that makes sense. But why is patience better? Especially in this day and age when so much is there for the taking? When the respected thing to do is reach out and go for it? What had my pastor so convinced that doing the opposite was the most important lesson to send young men out into the world?

Honestly I haven't completely figured that out yet. Appropriately, it's something I'm willing to be patient to gain the wisdom of. But I suspect it has something to do with that pesky old verse from James:

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).

Only problems can bring patience; only trials can test faith and make it real. Only endurance can lead to completion.

And when I am complete, I will lack nothing. At which time I apparently will have superceded even patience, as what would there be to wait for if I lack nothing?

It sounds almost mystical, almost unachievable, at least until the end of my life or when I meet God. Until then, I simply pray that the experience of each problem and the eventual result will steel me into calm, patient submission to God's perfect timing.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Are you willing to pray a problem into your life? Why or why not? 

Further Reading

Afraid God Will Give You Patience?
Pursue Patience

[Judy Harder]

Are You Reciting the Gospel by Yourself?
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"...with Him... Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking
of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem."
Luke 9:30-31 NASB

It's good to see that the idea of 'preaching the gospel to yourself everyday' is becoming more popular. At least that's how it seems to me. Things that point to the gospel are popping up in all kinds of places and ways, not only in big and new movements but in short videos, articles and Twitter messages ("Gospel Tweets"). A caution in the way we think about the gospel was brought to my attention recently in chapter two of True Spirituality. If you're not following along in our weekly journey through this important and helpful work by Francis Schaeffer, I invite you to join us. 

In chapter two, Schaeffer mentions our Scripture passage today (above) where we see Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration about His impending departure—His death.

It's subtle, but notice that they're not just making a passing mention of the fact. Rather, they were actively and continuously speaking about it. They were dwelling on the gospel; at least the substitutionary atonement part of it. And with the Object of their redemption (Christ) standing right there, no doubt there must have been more than just theological accuracy in their conversation. Probably more like amazement and deep gratitude. As they thought of all that Christ was about to endure for their sin, I'm sure they had correct thoughts about the gospel. But Christ's own presence energized their orthodox theology. 

At times, there can a detached, tearless way that we think about the gospel. When I have well-articulated and familiar facts about Christ's life/death/resurrection/ascension, and they are just empty echoes down the icy corridors of my thoughts, the diagnosis is simple: I have broken fellowship with Christ. It's evidence of unconfessed sin.

Schaeffer reminds us that when we rehearse the gospel, we must do so in the presence of the Living Christ; in humble worship of Him. He is not a distant figment of man's imagination. He is the God Who is there. Just as Moses and Elijah were "with Him"... in His presence, so we too must continuously rehearse the gospel while recognizing that we are in the presence of the God Who is there. The Christian life flows from the constant spring of dwelling on the gospel with the Redeemer Himself. 

Intersecting Faith & Life:     

Remember this paraphrase of John Piper: the gospel is like blood, it's supposed to course through your veins not be carried in a bucket.

John Owen, (a 1600s Puritan) often prayed, "Lord, may I commune with You in the doctrines I espouse." Make this your prayer and experience today. 

Further Reading

John 15

The Gospel in Six Minutes (John Piper, video)

"While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that man can be, Thou, God art present there."
From the hymn, "I Sing the Mighty Power of God" by Isaac Watts

 

[Judy Harder]

A White Bread Faith
By Ryan Duncan, TheFish.com Editor

This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.- 1 John 3:10

When I was still in high school my mother became a vegetarian. Now, I have nothing but respect for vegetarians, but as a guy who likes his steaks extra-rare, this created a few problems in our household. Suddenly our family was exploring what people called "organic" dishes. Tofu, quiche, we dined on whole-grain pastas sprinkled with nuts, strange cheeses, and enough broccoli to kill an entire fourth grade class. It wasn't all that bad actually; my mother was very gracious and still cooked meat for the carnivores in the house, but I suspect a soy based meat substitute found its way into our meals on more than one occasion.             

The worst part though, was the bread. My family went from using your typical sleeve of wheat bread to buying those thick, iron cast loaves so brown they were almost black. I can remember sitting in the cafeteria during lunch, watching my classmates as they flagrantly devoured their delicious, white-bread PB&J's, while I chewed the same bite of sandwich over and over for almost an hour because chunks of grain were still floating around in it. Back then, I would have given anything for a sandwich made from white, Wonder Bread.

The thing is though, ask any nutritionist and they'll tell you white bread barely counts as grain at all. It tastes good, but that's because it's been almost entirely drained of nutrients. All the beneficial vitamins and minerals have been lost, and in the end we are left with a food that really isn't as healthy as we'd like to think it is.           

How many of us Christians are looking for a "White Bread" relationship with God? We show up at Church on Sunday and pray before each meal, then tell ourselves that should be enough to help us grow in our faith. It's a sweet deal with all of the benefits and none of the drawbacks. Don't fool yourself; God wants to be so much more in our lives than our Sunday morning service. He is looking to make us lights of the world, to bring peace where there is strife, hope where there is despair, and grace where there is hate. You won't be very prepared for that if you just stick to the Sunday Sermons. Don't deny yourself a good, healthy, relationship with God. Read the Bible, get involved, and above all, be sure to make him a part of your daily life.

Intersecting Faith and Life

Find ways to get involved with you home church. Volunteer for events, or try mentoring some of the younger students. Parents, are your children involved in a youth group? Encourage them to give it a try.

Further Reading

Revelation 3:15-17

[Judy Harder]

Going Off the Rails
Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

For God is not a God whose ways are without order, but a God of peace; as in all the churches of the saints.
1 Corinthians 14:33, BBE

"Off the rails." I don't know how many times I've voiced this phrasing in recent weeks, let alone this year. But apparently it's my new favorite saying.

Whether I've been referring to the media fire storm surrounding the explosive Trayvon Martin case with defendant George Zimmerman, who seems to have already been considered guilty until proven innocent by the court of public opinion . . .

Or the ongoing U.S. Secret Service scandal in which eleven S.S. members had to be sent home for heaving drinking and consorting with prostitutes during President Barack Obama's spring trip to South America . . .

Or even in the church and an incident occurring earlier this year where a gimmick-prone prominent pastor/televangelist stayed in a bed with his wife on his church's rooftop in order to "encourage" Christian couples to have "healthy sex lives" . . .

Whether I've been referring to any of these things, I have become well acquainted with assessing a troublesome situation, thinking that "right" has now changed places with "wrong" and seeing that someone or something has gone way"off the rails."

Granted, our world has been "off the rails" since Adam and Eve went their own way in the Garden of Eden a long time ago. But these days, it seems to be happening more and more and it is sobering to see the world around us so quickly imploding.

As believers, we know that when we abandon the order of Scripture, we embrace the chaos of life. And nothing good ever comes from that. Just think back to times in your life when you were walking in a manner that could not be backed by Scripture.

Now that's really every day for all of us—especially if we're in touch with our depravity and our desperate need for a Savior.

But I am also reminded of a specific time period in my life that most vividly displays when I have been "off the rails." And no good came out of that . . . at least at the time it didn't. But years later, the Lord used what I thought were poor life choices as building blocks to bring me back closer to him. I learned that my chaos lead to confusion and destruction, while pursuing order leads to life and growth.

Perhaps the latter is why so much time is devoted to the "order" of the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem. I've wondered about that as I've been studying in 2 Chronicles recently. Why did God include so much detail for us to read? What is he trying to show us by communicating the requirements for measurements, building materials, layout and personnel? And why did it take so long to complete?

But stepping back . . . isn't this what is required of all Christ followers who are temples of the living God? Who must build our lives according to the instructions we see laid out for us in God's Word? And shouldn't we take on a project like "building a temple" with as much dedication and focus and enthusiasm and order as Solomon did in the Old Testament?

Even though the world is going "off the rails," that doesn't mean that you or I have to follow suit. A life lived in faithfulness and obedience to Scripture, a life with steps ordered by God through the power of Holy Spirit, a life built on the promises of God's Word will not be sidetracked and will glorify God.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Many of the furnishings and the walls in Solomon's temple were overlaid with gold. What in your life shimmers like this precious metal so that others can see God's work reflected in you?

Further Reading:

Matt. 5:16, NIV
1 Cor. 3:16-17, NIV
Phil. 1:6, NIV

[Judy Harder]

Run for Your Life
Anna Kuta, Crosswalk.com Editor

"Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:22).

Have you ever been at the beach in the summer and gotten in the ocean only to look up after a while and suddenly realize you've drifted way down from where you got in? It can be pretty scary sometimes, as you frantically try to find your way back to your spot amid crowds of people, umbrellas and towels that all seem to look the same. You thought you were just floating in the water, and it seemed like it, but the whole time the waves and the current were slowly carrying you down the shore.

You might have heard the saying that if you are not going forward in your Christian walk, you are going backwards – that if you are not actively progressing and growing, you are losing ground. It's similar to the way it works with the ocean. You might think you're staying in the same place, but you're losing ground without even realizing it.

Just as you have to continually keep swimming to keep the ocean from dragging you away from your place on the beach, growing in your faith and becoming more Christ-like is an active process, not a passive one. In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul uses words with a connotation of intent and urgency to describe what we as Christians should do: flee youthful lusts, pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace. The word "flee" implies running as fast as you can away from something like you're afraid for your life, and that's exactly what Paul is saying we should do when confronted with "youthful lusts," or things that are not glorifying to God. Similarly, the word "pursue" implies following or chasing close behind something with the goal of catching it, like you're hot on its trail. This is the way God wants us to approach our relationship with Him – constantly striving to get to know Him more through His word, to follow His commands, to grow closer to Him, and to ultimately become more like Him.

The more we pursue godly desires and our relationship with Jesus, the faster we can flee those things that are not honoring to God. It is a one-or-the-other choice. I can't live a life that is glorifying to God if I'm continually dragged down by things that are detrimental to my spiritual growth. It's something that ultimately comes down to every little choice we make. With God's strength, though, we can deny wrong desires, and with His help, we can choose to do the right thing. Whatever you do, don't stand still – run for your life away from things that don't honor God and run equally fast toward Him.

Intersecting Faith & Life

Strive to learn more about Jesus through His word and grow closer to Him this year. Commit to pursuing your relationship with Him each day, and commit to asking Him to help you flee things in your life that are not glorifying to Him.

Further Reading

Jeremiah 29:13

Matthew 6:33

1 Timothy 6:11-12

Philippians 4:13

[Judy Harder]

Armor 'n Enemies
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Managing Editor

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.
Ephesians 6:13-19

Six pieces of armor. Five primarily defensive, one primarily offensive. And yet...

Have you ever used the chest-bumper of righteousness on someone? How about the head-butter of salvation? The bludgeoner of faith? The shin-kicker of readiness or the gut-puncher of holiness?

Even the sword of the spirit has its proper purpose - to fight our enemies. Which are?

Other Christians? Unbelievers? Mean people?

While we humans can be so hard on each other, no. One verse earlier, Paul tells us what we're fighting:

our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil (v. 12).

Quite convicting, really. Not only do I clearly go into many days without getting completely dressed, even when I do I'm mis-using my equipment, fighting in the dark, swinging blindly, or wounding with friendly fire.

I don't know about you, but for me, the elemental Bible verses I first learned as a youth (like today's verse) are the ones I need to continually reconsider, because they're the ones I tend to just believe without acting upon.

When times come - like these days we're in now - where there is fierce political thought and lines being drawn and opinions spouted as truth, including the opinion that there is no truth - it's just so easy to get drawn in before we remember to put on our armor or be trained in using it. When that happens, we tend to view our enemies as each other, and forget or deny that the war is still spiritual. And therefore more serious, more wearying, not less.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Get dressed this morning, and tomorrow morning. Once equipped, try emphasizing the defensive uses of most of the armor. Stand up for someone. Protect the reputation of another. Shelter someone in loving truth. Run quickly to someone in need. I pray you'll begin to survive your days much less scathed.

Further Reading

Romans 8:38
Fight or Flight? Weighing Your Instincts Against God's Word

[Judy Harder]

Batman and Big Brother
Alex Crain, Managing Editor at Christianity.com

"And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?" (Matthew 21:16 NKJV)

One of the blessings of being around children is the life lessons that they often teach us. Sometimes the lessons are about deep, spiritual truths. Like the lesson my two-year-old son, Henry, recently taught me about worship.

While at the playground area of a fast-food restaurant, Henry found himself surrounded by other kids his age whom he had never met. Suddenly, my wife heard him bragging to his little audience about his two heroes: Batman and big brother.

"Batman get bad guys," Henry said to one. Then very proudly to another, "My brudder hit bad guys ty-kon-do."

Now, his big brother never uses Tae Kwon Do... except in practice. But I suppose that, in Henry's imagination, those nine-year-old practice opponents must be bad guys. Whatever his motivation for saying these things, Henry couldn't help expressing praise for things that he thinks are great. It struck me that that's a big part of what worship is.

Yes, we'll need to continue teaching Henry about the goodness and greatness of God, just like we need continued teaching and reminding ourselves. But I don't think that the concept of worship is something that he, or anyone else, needs to be taught. What we need to do is un-learn some wrong-headed ideas about worship that we have picked up over the years.

C.S. Lewis points out one such wrong-headed idea when he admits that he used to mistakenly view the Bible's demands for praising God as no different than a conceited woman seeking compliments. Every time he heard the Psalms saying "praise the Lord," "praise God," or "praise Him," God sounded pathetically vain to him. In his book, Reflections on the Psalms(p. 93 ff.), Lewis explains how his perspective changed:

"...the most obvious fact about praise—whether of God or anything—strangely escaped me. I thought of it in terms of compliment, approval, or the giving of honor. I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless shyness or the fear of boring others is deliberately brought in to check it."

"The world rings with praise—readers [praising] their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game... Just as men praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: 'Isn't she lovely? Wasn't it glorious? Don't you think that magnificent?' The Psalmists, in telling everyone to praise God, are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about."

"My difficulty about the praise of God depended on my absurdly denying to us what we delight to do, what indeed we can't help doing, about everything else we value. I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses, but completes the enjoyment."

Intersecting Faith and Life:

If it's true that worship springs naturally from within a person and is expressed by praising that which he or she enjoys most, then what or whom do you find yourself praising?

Further Reading

Check out this helpful study on "worship" at BibleStudyTools.com.
Also, see Reflections on the Psalms, by C.S. Lewis.

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[Judy Harder]

Walking Your Faith
Ryan Duncan, Editor at TheFish.com

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. "– Matthew 17:20

Recently CNN posted an article about a young man's spiritual pilgrimage. When Andrew Domini learned that a friend had recently been diagnosed with stage IV cancer, the 19-year-old college student had traveled 70 miles to pray at the shine of Catholic Saint, Theodore Guerin. Domini could have easily driven the 70 mile distance, but he wanted his journey to be a sacrifice, so he chose to walk instead. The journey took him two days. He arrived with feet blistered and bloody, but as he prayed over the remains of the Catholic Saint, Domini said he finally felt at peace.

Now here's the interesting part, Andrew Domini isn't Catholic, and when asked he admitted to mixed feelings about the Church. Reading this story, I couldn't help but be struck by the boy's similarity to the Roman centurion from Luke 7,                 

"When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."- Luke 7:1-9

I have to admit, I felt pretty ashamed after reading that article. Here was a boy willing to make sacrifices in order to pray to a God he barley understood, while my prayer life consists of a few garbled words before falling asleep at night. Andrew Domini spent two days walking 70 miles to reach a place of worship, while I struggle to make the five minute drive to Church every Sunday. It is so easy to become complacent in our faith, to make it such a part of our daily ritual that we end up forgetting God. But God wants more from us than our hollow actions and lifeless obedience; he wants to be the center of our lives.

Being a true Christian means living with a passion for God, and a willingness to go the extra mile. It means living with vision, and not settling for the bear minimum your faith requires. It's seeking to know an unfathomable God, and realizing that He will always have something new He wants to teach you. 

Intersecting Faith and Life

When was the last time you sacrificed something for God?

Further Reading

Romans 3:28