After Bible study, Sunday evening does not get much better than hanging out with my old, college roommate. Last night we delved into "deep theological discussions", topping the evening off with a cup of hot lemon tea (my favorite...yum!).One of the topics we threw around stuck with me as I mulled it over in my mind later that night. Here is the question she posed: What is the problem of our generation? The context of the question being brought up from our observations of Christians today (ourselves included). Why are Christians of our day and age so passionless about God, unconcerned for lost souls, lazy in spiritual disciplines, devotionless to the Savior of their souls, seeking worldly comforts and pleasures, ignorant of the spiritual battle that rages constantly, and afraid to be the witnesses of the living God? Why is it that in a world ever turning away from God that Christians are following along; backing down when they should be standing up, silencing their convictions when they should be speaking out, and joining in when they should be set apart unto God? I see these struggles in my own life and wonder why I fall into the trap of conforming to the world around me.
After thinking the question through, I do not think that our generation is really any different from any other generation---the problem is the same. True, the problem is manifested in different ways but the heart of the matter is the same. When Christians are not living cross centered lives, everything else in their lives falls out of place. We can never even begin to comprehend the depth of the Father's love, the Holy Spirit's power, or the Son's sacrifice until we draw near to the cross. True followers of Christ believe that they are saved by grace, but many do not live as though their salvation depends upon God's grace. When we are far from the cross of Christ our heart's passion and love for God will grow cold, our joy and contentment in Christ will be turned into discouragement and restlessness of heart, and our salvation---which is a gift of God's grace---will become distorted in our minds as we think we play some part in keeping ourselves acceptable before God. The cross of Christ must ever be before our eyes; it is the very reason we have peace with God. Our acceptance with God has nothing to do with us and everything to do with Christ.
I have been challenged to capture every drifting thought and fix it on my precious Savior who died for me. When I do not remind myself of the cross and the grace that flows from my Savior's wounds, I am discouraged and miserable in my soul because my life is "me centered". However when by God's grace I preach the Gospel to my soul, reminding myself of my suffering Savior, and the forgiveness He has given me, I am filled with inexpressible joy that is not determined by my circumstances or feelings. Mercy and grace flow from the cross, and we must draw near to Christ's blazing passion so our hearts are kindled with holy zeal to glorify God by making much of Christ by making much of the Gospel.
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