When God Becomes An Option 10/16/2019

Good Morning,

My cup of Door County Country Morning Coffee is hot and strong today and it was just what I needed to kick start this day. The wind is blowing hard and it has a bite to it. My thoughts go out to my friends duck hunting on the Mississippi River today. I have prayed for their safety and for them to be able to harvest some ducks.

Today I want to talk about a short conversation that took place at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Jesus was crucified on hill named Golgotha. He wasn't alone. As a matter of fact he was crucified with two others. The two were convicted criminals and whether or not the punishment was equal to their crime we don't know. That part is not important for the point I am trying to make. Jesus was not guilty of any crimes, yet was still being crucified.

Renderings done by artists show a criminal on either side of Jesus. The positioning can be debated and it really is not important today. One criminal was taunting Jesus while for a time the other one was silent. All three had to be in excruciating pain. All three knew that death awaited them. For the point of my message let's just say the one hurling abuse at Jesus was on His left side and the other was on the right side of Jesus.

Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying "Are you not the Christ? Save us and yourself?“The other criminal answered, rebuking him saying  Luke 23:40-43 "Do you not even fear God? Since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly , for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he was saying " Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom!" 43. And He said to him. "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise."

For today I want to look at the criminal who rebuked the other and his statement closely. In his statement he wasn't asking to be let down from the cross, healed and returned to society. He was requesting that he be remembered when Jesus entered heaven and would be in the presence of the Father. Just to be remembered was his final and most important request. For him the pain was not keeping him from asking to be remembered. He didn't request "please Lord one more poker game" or a shopping trip.

Today I often see our commitments we make at church corporately take a back seat to some inconvenience, some pain or just something else we want to do. When God becomes an option, He usually is the option thrown aside. Until the "OPTION" becomes more convenient or is drastically needed. Back and I mean way back I was dating my wife and her relationship with God was meager to say the least. The church I attended had a Sunday evening service as well as the morning one. It was customary for me to attend both. On one Sunday she had invited me to a picnic for her volleyball team. She had attended church in the morning with me. The picnic was a great time, yet the food was not going to be served until later, well past the time for the PM church service. Rene came up to me and said that she was going to get me a plate of something to eat. I had already decided in my weak mind that I was going to skip the Sunday night service and stay at the picnic. I asked her why she was rounding up some food.  The answer ripped out my heart. "It will be time for you to go to church soon and. I know how much you love it. I don't want you there on an empty stomach"

Friends, she had been watching me for consistency. To blow off the service and and stay at the picnic instead would have made the wrong statement to her. I ate some chips and dip and went to church just as they were throwing some big juicy burgers on the grill. That Sunday was a turning point in her faith.

God has become an option for too many people. He has become a choice and is really then no choice at all.  Our desires and weakness for God to sustain us become our own little idols. Instead of arranging our schedules around God, we arrange Him around our schedules and He usually gets bumped. Just watch how many people continually are late for church. Sunday or Saturday must be a complete surprise to them.  We should be busting our butts to be there. Like for me, someone was watching me to see if I was real. And is watching you.

What we do as far as consistency is watched by those in our circle of influence. When a child sees us cave to schedules they too may start to tell you where they will attend church and when. Spouses on the edge with there faith won't see yours as your priority and as something important to you.

On his death platform the criminal just wanted to be remembered by Jesus. What statement would apply to you? The one from the criminal on the left or the right? I had to examine my own priorities this week as well.

A heavy diet of real food for thought.

Marty