Funny thing - Christianity. Here we are -- the Catholics, the Baptists, the Protestants, Reformed, Bible, Lutheran, and non-denominational -- all reading the same book, all praising the same Messiah, all treating eachother like idiots!
My children are being raised Catholic. But in an effort to fill their lives with God's Word, we also send them to the neighborhood Baptist Church during the school year to attend the AWANA program (a fantastic bible-rich weekly program!). During the summer, they also attend this church's Vacation Bible School.
Last summer, the youth pastor invited the children to the back of the church for further explanation if any of them were not sure if they were going to heaven. Stated that way, I would have gone too, just to make sure that what I thought I needed to get into heaven was accurate. My oldest daughter raised her hand and followed a small group of girls to the back. I was invited to join them. A lovely lady led them in prayer - the Sinner's Prayer. It sounded familiar and my daughter smiled at me - the smile saying, "Oh! I know this. I am going to heaven!" I prayed the prayer with my daughter.
The next day, I was greeted with a hugs and congratulations. "Oh, I'm just so happy for you," one leader said.
"Thank you," I blushed. "What did I do?"
"You accepted Christ into your life yesterday! You've been saved!"
I was shocked into silence. I had accepted Christ into my life years ago. Wasn't that obvious? Wasn't I homeschooling my children and teaching them the bible and God's Word? Were my actions not screaming "CHRISTIAN!" I told this woman these things.
"But you prayed the sinner's prayer," she argued.
"Well, of course! Don't you make the choice every day to follow Jesus?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Then don't you pray that prayer every day?"
"Oh, Heavens no," she smiled. "You only have to accept Jesus once."
hmmmm.....
True. Once you accept Jesus, your life is changed. Once you feel his love, see the power of prayer, you are a different person. But that didn't completely transform me into the person I am now - and the person I am now is not fit to stand in the presence of Jesus. But the point the lovely lady and I see differently is the necessity of accepting Jesus daily.
Isn't accepting Christ into your life daily the same as choosing to read the bible daily?
Isn't accepting Christ into your life daily the same as following God's will each and every day?
Don't we continue to sin even after we accept Jesus as our Savior? Don't those sins need to be forgiven? That won't happen unless we ask. "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." John 16:24
I ask for forgiveness, for while I count myself a Christian, I know that I am a sinner.
Those daily choices become more and more difficult as I become a stronger Christian.
My walk with Jesus did start with a huge event in one day, but the events leading up to that day took years. And the little choices I've made between then and now have been a like a roller coaster.
So this summer, my other daughter was confused by the pastor's words. She knew that Jesus was her Saviour, but was He her 'best friend'? She had never thought of it that way. We've read little stories from devotionals that describe Jesus as our King, our Saviour, our friend, our brother - but 'best' friend? She wanted to be sure. She wants, more than anything, to go to heaven. So she went to the back of the church.
I didn't want to go with her. I felt ashamed that she didn't know for sure that she had accepted Christ. I looked around for 'that lady' and saw that it was someone else. If I went back there, would I say the prayer again and possibly face the same 'congrats' the next day? I didn't like feeling worried about joining my daughter in prayer. I went. I prayed. And I tried really hard not to roll my eyes when someone asked me if that was the first time I had accepted Jesus.
For today, my walk with Jesus included keeping my mouth shut. Jesus knows my heart and that should be sufficient for me.
But the divisions between Christians saddens me. We all love Jesus. Why should there be so many hairs to split? Doesn't Jesus say that 'a house divided against itself can not stand?'
"If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand." Mark 3:24-25
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