May 11, 2010

THEO-logy, May 11, 2010

I dont think it is by accident that I read this particular sermon of my great-grandfather's today so close on the heels of the post on involved versus committed from earlier this week. He encapsulated this sermon in a single line near the end:

We cherish the last drops of these men's blood (here referring to the old saints, missionaries, martyrs, and reformers - including Jesus) but are careful not to shed a drop of our own.

We read of countless sacrifices made on behalf of or in the name of our God in the Bible:

  • Abraham was called not only to leave his home but also to sacrifice his only son (Genesis 12:1-5 and Genesis 22:1-19 respectively)
  • The disciples were told to leave everything they own...including their families (Luke 9:3, 59-62)
  • Jesus gave all that He was (Do I really need to cite Scripture here...?)

When we read or are reminded of these sacrifices we're are awed by the willingness of those who gave everything; we rejoice in their obedience. We idolize them. But sometimes that's as far as it goes.

We cherish the last drops of these men's blood, but are careful not to shed a drop of our own.

How crazy is it that we are sometimes more willing to hear and apply morals and teachings of stories like "The Ant and the Grasshopper" or even "The Tortoise and the Hare" before we apply the lessons held within the pages of the very book we base our beliefs on?

Im definitely not preaching at you from on high, either. I am very withholding when it comes to God; more often than I care to admit. But as a wise man once said: "Knowing is half the battle." The other half? Taking what we've learned from the realm of theory into the realm of practice and application.

What will that look like in your life?

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