A FEW SINCERE QUESTIONS FOR MY PROGRESSIVE-LIBERAL FRIENDS!
Does anyone know what a Hillbilly Road Bump is? An armadillo. Over half-a-million are killed every year. They get comfortable parking in the middle of the road. As a result, they perish.
How many of us Christians are the same? We like the comfort of faith in Jesus Christ when it suits us. When it's easy. When everyone agrees. In short, we're not all-in. Yet, we're not going to completely go in the other direction either. We know that to reject Him completely is to render all morality absurd.
Thus, in the difficult ways, many of us are like the armadillo. We're in the middle. We're in control. Whether that be God's revelation on marriage and family, or sexuality, or caring for the least among us, or tithing, or honoring the Lord's Day, or partaking of His Body and Blood.
The degree to which we're only partial for God is the degree to which we are rejecting. And in rejecting, we are living in the delusion that we can define the path to eternal life. We make ourselves out to be God.
We need a healthy fear of the Lord. (Prov. 9:10)
We ought to recall the Lord's words to any of us who might approach Him on that Day with our long list of things we've done: "Lord, we've even healed the sick and raised the dead!" Jesus Himself told us to expect His reply... if we parsed out our faith, if we were contented by observance of religion that did not correspond to an all-in Relationship, if we remained in the middle: "Depart from me! I never knew you!" (Matt. 7:21-23)
We need to be wiser than armadillos. Our comfort cannot be in the middle. Such is outside the Kingdom. It is neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm. Remaining there, we will become roadkill, in this world and through all eternity. (Rev. 3:14)
Now is the appointed time. This could be the moment to be awakened to truth and seek His Grace to follow! (Eph. 5:14)
Lord Jesus Christ, You gave Your life completely for me! Reveal how I might give my life completely to You, without reserve, and flood me with all the grace to do so!
[Thanks to Tony Evans for the bit about the armadillo.]