Missing the Scenery?

In the Sept. '08 issue of Christianity Today, Philip Yancey wrote an article that I want to share in part with you today. In it he reminds disciples that their faith is not just about the destination, as glorious as Heaven is. Christ Jesus calls us to a new kind of life along the Way to Heaven, too! It's as much about the journey as it is about reaching Home. He offers this analogy.

"A bus load of tourists is enroute to the Grand Canyon. On the long journey across the wheat fields of Kansas and through the glorious mountains of Colorado, the travelers inexplicably keep the shades down. Intent on the ultimate destination, they never even bother to look outside. As a result they spend their time arguing over such matters as who has the best seat and who's taking too much time in the bathroom. The Church can resemble such a bus. We should remember that the Bible has far more to say about how to live during the journey than about the final destination."

I hope that your Christianity is not just expressed within the walls of your local church! Truthfully, I hope you feel alive in the Spirit as you wrestle with your work, interact with your neighbors, drive to the bank, hold your child close at the end of the day . . . in these ordinary moments, we have the privilege of making God's Presence real in this world. The Scripture is direct about our responsibility to live in the Kingdom right now, not just in the age to come. "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. . . . And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. . . . Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ." (Colossians 3:12, 17, 23-24, NLT)

Recently, in a trying situation, when my patience and strength were near gone, I heard the Spirit say to my heart: "Jerry, this duty will be a delight if you accept, by faith, that you are serving your Lord Jesus in it." Obediently, I responded and thanked Jesus for the opportunity to serve Him. His face replaced the face of the one I served. In a moment, I was no longer just doing what my responsibilities required. I was enjoying the privilege of serving Jesus Himself, a high and holy honor!

Our lives are totally changed when we grasp what Jesus said in that one line of the prayer He taught us to pray: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10, KJV) What an awesome, wonderful, amazing, challenging, 'bigger than we could hope to accomplish in our strength,' commission that is! A Kingdom-oriented disciple will find himself in constant communication with the Lord, seeking the wisdom and guidance of the Spirit for this adventure!

Oh, how I pray for a Kingdom vision from Christ to be planted in each of us. It is transforming. How can we give ourselves to base things, to silly conflicts over trivial matters, if our words and actions are about serving Jesus and bringing His love and goodness into every situation in which we find ourselves?

Dear Believer, this is the wonder of Eternal Life. We don't have to wait until we die to begin to live in it! That is why the fear of death no longer controls those who live in the Spirit. Even as they live on this planet, watching the days pass, they are citizens of a Kingdom without end. If we are living thus, when our body ceases to function, our spirit will simply move from the confines of time and space into a realm in which we are already at home. Don't pull the shades and miss the scenery. In fact, let me expand Yancey's analogy - "Don't just stay on the bus!" When it parks, get off and find somebody to serve. As you gaze into the face of that person, whomever she may be; catch a glimpse of the face of Jesus.

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Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things;
Give heart and soul
And mind and strength
To serve the King of kings.

Rise up, O men of God!
His kingdom tarries long;
Bring in the day of brotherhood
And end the night of wrong.

Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task;
Rise up, and make her great!

Lift high the cross of Christ,
Tread where His feet have trod;
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!

Rise Up, O Men of God
William Merrill© Public Domain