in ephesians 5, if you have a message version of the bible the heading reads, “Wake up from your sleep.” when you continue to read it’s basically a new testament warning that could be drawn straight out of the old testament and malachi. the parallels are similar to me anyways. it goes on to talk about Godly behavior and avoiding sinful behavior. it’s a grace-filled passage of God’s desire for our us, and wraps things up with this God’s warning to those who refuse him.
“Wake up from your sleep, Climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light! So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! 17Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly.” that passage kind of goes out with a bang. i’m a firm believer that our society has entered a post-christian era. i saw the bumper sticker featured in the picture above during my drive home today. my first reaction was judgement, but God quickly showed me how important these days are, and how unimportant MY judgement is.
our world, if you haven’t noticed, has began to kick God out of every arena of society and aren’t doing so quietly. i won’t get into a long list of things, we all know where it’s happening. unfortunately, i don’t feel like myself, or other God-followers are doing much more than turning our heads or becoming silent in the name of political correctness.the word christian itself has become so watered down that it doesn’t even mean anything. i heard earlier this week that 70% of americans call themselves christians. does the world around us reflect that? i wish I could say that i prayed for the lady in that car after i saw her, i didn’t really know what else i could do even if i had the chance to speak with her.
ordinarily, after something like this i pray and move on with my day. this moment stuck with me though and reminded me of the passages i’ve studies this week in malachi and ephesians. God is pleading with his people to rebuke the sins they’ve embraced and come running to his open arms. they refuse, so his judgement comes upon them. yes, judgement. a word that isn’t heard a lot anymore. i wonder if we start looking at the lost world around us in the same way God looks at us, and consider his warning to us all, if we would act differently to those people who speak hate to his name.
i’ve been convicted because i am not praying for the lost around me. i’ve even notice the passion that comes out of these us vs. them moments isn’t filled with even a cracked heart for the lost, let alone a broken one. i feel like i’ve become isolated in my own world filled with prayers of self, and my own self problems and desires. i’ve become distracted with what’s going on around me, and not the bigger picture. eternity is coming, the winds have change are here. there’s something so much greater than all our problems and all our wants. a world is dying around us, and is facing an awful eternity apart from a God who loves them the same as you and me. God is calling us to love them and show them the way. not ignore them and cower on the sidelines. how much time do i spend praying for the lost world around me as opposed to my own stuff?
i’m so grateful for that bumper sticker, and how it’s echoing God’s reminder of what matters. as i read malachi, i was encouraged and even felt hope as i heard God speak of what he’s going to do, how he wants to save me and how he’ll judge my enemies. quickly though, my heart broke as i realized all of those people will not be with Christ in eternity. my heart broke for those israelites even though they were full of sin and evil. i couldn’t help but feel pain for them, because those same people are all around me today. those same people are staring at the same fate unless we go get them. we need a stronger understanding of the times we live in, because a lot will be expected from this generation of believers.
*that bumper sticker is referring to the not for profit Christian group, Focus On The Family.
