Stuck In A Shuttle

A Little City Called Zoar

Living for God requires great sacrifices and a whole lot of suffering. It isn't always easy, neither is it always exciting! Most times it is so difficult. That's how come the Bible says, 'Many are called, but a few are chosen.' (See Mathew 22:14)

What does it mean to becalled? And what are we to do with our calling? If I am being frank, even I amnot so knowledgeable on what the calling of God involves and what it's allabout. In my little experience, I know that it means to leave certain luxuriesand pleasures and to live entirely for God.

Again, it isn't easy. It's not always going to feel right. And it's definitely going to cause confusion. Aren't we supposed to live a happy life? But why would Jesus die just for us to live all happily and joyous. He died for our salvation. Christianity is a little more than just being blessed and having everything go on in the way we want it to.

It's sacrifice. It's losing. It's pain. It's suffering. All for the Excellency of knowing Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ had to pay such a huge price just to get us reconciled with God, sure we would know it not just about dancing and singing, it's also suffering. 

Philippians 3:7 New Living Translation (NLT)

7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.

Whatever was considered gain to Paul, when He reached a certain kind of relationship with Jesus Christ, he began to see that it wasn't important anymore. Whatever was gain, became a loss to him. He counted it a loss for Christ Jesus. It wasn't easy. In the preceding scriptures, Paul mentions a bit of what he used to do and what made him do what he did.

Paul was one of the biggest persecutors of the church of Christ. He was zealous in destroying the body of Christ. He was the main villain. For some of us that have had bullies, Paul could have been your worst enemy. You wouldn't want to meet him at the kiosk, when you are just about to buy snacks, oh no. You'd probably contribute your money to him. He was that bad.

But then when he gained Christ, he saw no value. Those things became useless. He wasn't too concerned about them anymore, because of what Christ had done for him.

So what has Christ done for you? If you could contemplate on everything He has done, what has He done for you that you don't do anymore? Remember Paul was a murderer. At some point, the disciples distrusted him. They couldn't believe a guy like him was capable of redemption. He was too good at persecuting the church. God is able to change us. Change is really possible. It's important to get new identities. Our old vessels cannot accommodate the new life Christ has planned for us. That's why it is important to get new identities in Christ Jesus. 

Acts 9:26 New Living Translation (NLT)

26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!

What a difficult situation for a newly converted believer. You also have to understand the disciples, it wasn't easy allowing such a guy in the group. It's like having a troop of monkeys allow a lion in their territory. It wouldn't be the best of ideas. How could a guy like Saul ever change? What made him change?

In the scripture that talks about losing, we understand the revelation of how he changed and what happened. He said 'because of what Christ has done.' What has Christ done for you and what are you willing to sacrifice? It's not easy, it's not an all too simply journey. The gate to heaven is narrow. If it were easy, it would be broad, but no! It isn't!

We have to learn to move forward and never looking back at what we left behind. Living for Christ cannot and will not accommodate all of the baggage we would carry around before we knew him. Some things have to be cut off. A new vessel, requires new everything. Certain relationships cannot help us if we want to know Christ better. 

Saul had to stay with the disciples for a little while in order to become anew. He needed them. He had to change his association of friends. There's a scripture that asks a simple question, it's something to really consider.