Week 11 day 6
Finding God in the Mysteries of every day
Ezekiel 33: 9 But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.
10 “Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of[a] them. How then can we live?”’ 11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’
How is it that we have lost the understanding that the results of our efforts to help people “discover” Jesus for themselves are not our responsibility. We cannot at least for very long coerce a confession of Jesus as Lord. The question asked many years ago by Francis Schaefer and again later by Chuck Colson; “How then shall we live?” really begs this question. Christian history is littered with the spiritual remains of human effort to force people into the mold of “faith.” One evangelism teacher put it this way. Our obedience to be witnesses secures our “reward” in heaven. Did you note that whether or not your “success” led to a life of faith for the person you witnessed to was not your responsibility? (I will add that, if e only witness for the sake of a “reward” we have this whole thing backwards.)
Let’s make out goal to have the entirety of our lives bear witness to the race and love of Jesus our Christ. Irish priest now Saint, Patrick created enclaves of faith amidst the pagan druidic tribes of Ireland. People were allowed entry into these enclosed villages and offered the gracious hospitality of the nuns and priests and residents. They were free then to choose to stay or leave. Many stayed, and while we tend to lionize Patrick, the results are still God’s. It is the same with any luminary of the Christian faith who legitimately leaves the results to Jesus.
Larry M Lawrence- Mysteries 