ARE YOUR DAYS HUMDRUM OR EXCITING?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Therefore, as it is written:
“Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
(1 Corinthians 1:31)

MEDITATION:
Are you an enthusiastic and dedicated fan of a sports team?
If so, then you understand why you see fans dressed up in the
colors of their team on game day as you enter the stadium or
arena.

Some have subtle indications of which team they are rooting
for (maybe just a team letter on their cheek), but others go to
great extremes to make sure everyone knows which team they
want to win.

They may be wearing a team hat, a jacket with the team’s colors,
or even an entire outfit that shows their loyalty and support for
their team. The outfits some wear may be considered gaudy, but
they really don’t care as long as others know they are supporting
their team.

When it is game day, fans of both teams want to make sure others
know which team they want to finish the game with a victory. With
the exception of a few unruly folks, the day is filled with fun and
excitement as fans for each team try to cheer their team to victory.

Before and after the game, most of the fans are friendly with each
other, even though they are supporting different teams. You can
often see supporters of both teams at the same tailgate laughing,
and talking about the game.

By the time the game starts, many of the fans have worked themselves
into a frenzy as they await the start of the game. They just can’t wait
to start voicing their support for their team. Throughout the game it
is easy to see which team each fan supports.

One of the greater needs in the church today is for every Christian
to become enthusiastic about his or her faith in Jesus Christ. Our
enthusiasm should spill over into our words, actions and habits.
Every Christian should become an ambassador for the Lord. Others
should be able to know when they see us, that our faith is in Jesus
Christ.

The early Christians had a magnificent obsession for others to know
of their faith. They were open, honest and sincere about their beliefs.
They had confidence that Jesus Christ was the One who opened the
path for their salvation and they had a burning desire for others to
know about Him as well.

There was no desire in them to selfishly hide their faith. They wanted
others to know how He had filled their life with new hope, new focus,
new direction, new joy, new peace and a new desire for others to know
Him. Every day was ‘game day’ for the early Christians as they
‘boasted in the Lord’.

As Christians today, if we expect others to join the “believer’s team”,
then we need to let them know that our faith is real by the way we
live…each day. Our faith is not something to be hidden, but should
be on full display for others to see. Jesus says to His followers:
    “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses
      its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is
      no longer good for anything, except to be thrown
      out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of
      the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
      Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a
      bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives
      light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let
      your light shine before others, that they may see
      your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
      (Matthew 5:13-16)

We are to be enthusiastic in our saltiness, and in how our light
shines for others to see. When He speaks of ‘salt losing its saltiness’,
it sounds like a faith that has lost its enthusiasm, doesn’t it? When
He speaks of ‘putting a lamp under a bowl’, it sounds like a faith that
is hidden from others, doesn’t it? We should be enthusiastic as we
openly show our faith.

ACTION:
Where are you in obeying the instructions from your Savior?
Have you hidden your faith from others? Is your faith on
display only in certain environments, or all the time? Have
you lost your enthusiasm for showing your faith is real?

Reflect back to the day when you were first saved. Remember
the excitement you experienced and how you wanted others to
know you had been saved? It didn’t matter what was going on,
or who was around, your faith was the most important part of
your life. Your enthusiasm spilled over, and you were excited 
each Sunday to join with others in God’s house to worship Him 
and sing praises to Him.

Has your faith lost its saltiness? It is not too late to regain that
exciting faith in the Lord, but it will require some conscious
changes in your heart and your priorities. You may have to set
aside those things that ‘get in the way’ of prayer and worship
with other believers.

You may have to change your attitudes and habits. You may
have to change from an inward focus to an outward focus;
from selfishness to selflessness. You may have to replace a
negative outlook with one that is much more positive. You
may have to ‘re-learn’ how to be controlled by the Holy Spirit
(again), instead of allowing the world and the influence and
opinions of others to control you.

If you have lost your zest and enthusiasm for the Lord, then
you know what changes you need to make. If you are unsure
of what changes are required, pray and ask God to open your
eyes and show you what is killing your eagerness for giving
Him top priority in your life.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father I ask You to create in me a new Spirit and
a new song so that others will see my faith and have a desire
to know You. Restore the enthusiasm I had when You gave
me Your salvation. Rebuild my confidence and unrestrained
desire to not only see others saved, but to also enjoy sharing
my faith at every opportunity. Help me to boast in You and
to leave no doubt of my sincerity in giving You first place in
my life. Whatever changes I need to make, I pray that the
Holy Spirit will guide me in altering my life as needed. I
want to have a zest for worshipping You and for allowing
others to see that my faith and love for You is real. Thank
You in advance for how You will lead me in changing my
priorities.”

BLOG: utvolwoody.wordpress.com