It has been said over, and over and over again throughout churches, ministries, movements, concerts, movies, music, and all things based on Faith, "You do not need to get right first, too be accepted by Jesus."
I have this thought pop into my head a fair amount lately. I also seem to think about it on the other hand as well. What do we need to do to allow Jesus and the Spirit to work through us? As I sit and listen to numerous Pastors, and so many other speaker types repeat from their podium, "Jesus loves you as is, and you do not need to get right for Him to accept you," I can't help but think, "I have accepted this, and I believe in Jesus. Why can I not see Him work through me?" And I do not mean, "oh but He is, you spread inspiration among your friends and fellow believers." I mean, can non believers see the difference between myself and those who do not know, or believe. Why do we not see people like myself, and my friends, and other faith filled individuals doing exactly what it is Jesus said we should be doing. By should I mean in a direct, and indirect way. What we "should" because He tells us too, and what we "should" cause He expects us too.
As I dwell on this thought I think about the Bible. All of the stories from the Exile, to the Flood. The Profits. The Kings. The Apostles. The final days and Revelation. All of these stories and more are filled with normal, lower to middle class, everyday people, who just allowed themselves to be a tool, an outlet, or a weapon for God.
All of the people who play the lead in the telling of our history, minus Jesus, are everyday humans. Born of man and woman, cursed by sin, tempted by the world, and yet, all of them did amazing things for God. At the same time as well, they all failed, they all disobeyed, they all did selfish things. They were human. But God worked in their lives in amazing ways. He used them greatly. How?
Stemming back to the initial statement I wrote, but adding to it: "As believers, You do not need to get everything right first, before God can work through you!" All we need to do, is submit . . . go figure.
* This is not an excuse to live recklessly and full of sin, and expect God to approve and still work through us.
Through all of the garbage, through all of the pain, through all of the addiction, through all of the darkness. Through anything, a Light will shine. As long as He has an outlet, He can work. You, are an outlet. I, am an outlet. We, are His outlets.
It is hard to believe all of this. In this miserable, impatient, aggravated, tired, busy, selfish, self centered shell of person I can be at times, God can still work. When I am super high on life, when I am happy about my days, when I am so distracted by what it is I have to do that day, God can still work. At any time of any day of any hour, through all of the "stuff" I have in me and attached to me, He can still work. As long as I open myself to submitting to Him.
I want to see blind gain site, the mute talk, the deaf hear, the paralyzed stand up and walk, the diseased be released from their sickness. May I be so bold to say, I want to see the deceased awake from their slumber. I want to be the voice for the words God wants people to hear. I want to see the visions that He would have me share. I want to be fearless. So what is it that is stopping all of this from happening?
Me.
I am too busy worrying about Me. What I should be doing next, or what I need to adjust to allow God to be able to work through me. I am always thinking I am never good enough to be a good, respectable, representation for Jesus. The one I claim and put my Faith in. I feel like I am always carrying too much stuff that will be in His way while trying to work in my life. And let His Glory be shown.
The Fact is, I am the one who is putting that stuff there. I am the one focused on it. Not Jesus. He wants to carry that burden for me. He says so, so many times in His teachings. The psalmists echoed this before Jesus said it Himself. "His yoke is easy, His burden is light."
"You do not need to get right first, to be accepted by Jesus, nor do you have to be right first, to see Jesus move in your life." The key is, submission. Submit to Him, and let him carry my burdens, so that I may be His hands and feet, His arms and legs, His words and ears. So that I may be his weapon against the one who aims to keep us distracted. The more I submit to Him, the more He will help me overcome what it is that binds me. And He will help me become more like Him, and less like the world.
Accept, Submit, and Build Relationship, Not Religion.
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