"Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God."
I just found these verses today, but these are literally the words that God has been whispering to me the past 3 or 4 months. What has happened to our radical, revolutionary, upside-down faith? Why have we stomped all over the amazing gift of salvation that God has given us over and over again by following our own desires instead of being followers of Christ? What does the rest of Ephesians say?
Ephesians 5:10-14 (NLT)
"Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, 'Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.'"
"Awake, O sleeper"...such a revolutionary statement. This isn't just a call for people who are not followers of Christ, it's a call for the church! Wake up from you slumber followers of Christ! We are not called to be asleep or dead, but rather we are called to be awake and alive. Once we are awake and alive, once the fire and passion of life through Christ has stirred inside of us, then Christ gives us light. Light to guide our paths, light to expose the darkness in ourselves and in others; this light is from the flame, the Holy Spirit from within us telling us, beckoning us to go out and BE God's love to the people around us. Awake, O sleeper!
This story has changed my way of thinking and I want to share it with you now:
Two guys are talking to each other and one of them says he has a question for God. He wants to ask God why he allows all of this poverty and war and suffering to exist in the world. And his friend says, "Well why don't you ask him?" The guy shakes his head and says he is scared to ask God. When his friend asks why he mutters, "I'm scared God will ask me the same question." Over and over when I ask God why all these injustices are allowed to exist in the world I can feel the Spirit whisper to me, "You tell me why we allow this to happen. You are my body my hands and my feet."
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