image source: goingout.urbanbacon.com
Last Thursday's post about "The End" (prognosticated for Saturday) received this comment:
"Everyone wants to know 'when' [Jesus will] come. But I just want to be ready ..."
It's easy for Christians to think that readiness came with a decision to "accept Jesus." But the Bible describes being "in Christ" as an ongoing relationship of abiding in Jesus and His words. Jesus also teaches that if we don't pay attention, our hearts can be loaded down and distracted to the point that we are unprepared for His return.
Here are Jesus' words of Luke 21:34-35, taken from the Literal Translation, with the original Greek amplified:
"But take heed [pay attention; as a nautical term, to hold a ship in a direction, to sail towards] to yourselves that your hearts not be loaded down [heavily burdened, oppressed, dull, stupid] with headaches [see below], and drinking [intoxication], and anxieties [distraction; a mind divided by worry and cares] of life, and that day [Isaiah 24:17] come suddenly upon you as a snare [spring on you like a trap], for it will come in on all those sitting on the face of all the earth."
The Greek word translated here as "headaches" (and in the King James as "surfeiting") is kraipalē. It is a headache, a hangover, a shooting pain or a confusion in the head from an overindulgence in alcohol, as well as in gluttony and carousing. It can be applied to the disgust and loathing experienced after excess in general.
The Christian who has sinned may experience a spiritual hangover in the pain which follows our lack of self-control. While such discomfort is helpful when it breeds disgust and loathing for our sin, Jesus admonishes us to pay attention lest our hearts be loaded down with it after its purpose has been served.
Tomorrow: Soul Intoxication
Wednesday: Soul Cares
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Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
You are so right my friend. Too many think that all they need is the day of accepting Jesus and nothing afterwards but they are so wrong. Great Monday message.
ReplyDeleteAbide in me...I am the vine...that's what this makes me think of. Yes, ongoing. My life is such proof of that. I've had all kinds of seasons with my Lord, but He has been faithful through all.
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
Odie, Wendy ~
ReplyDeleteEven in this hour, I find that looking upon the cares of this life is a burden my soul can hardly bear. But time abiding in Jesus—His words of life, the fellowship with His Spirit and His people—is the sustenance and strength for my soul to bear any trial He sees fit for me to carry.
I have asked myself the question: "What would Christ find me doing on the day He returns?"
ReplyDeleteThank you for your insights, Anne.
This is so me...I am suffering that hangover as I live out the consequences of my sin. It is a heaviness that cannot be shaken.
ReplyDeleteJennifer ~
ReplyDeleteHe is here, and finds me doing just as I am, wherever I am. May the awareness of His precious presence permeate our lives!
David ~
ReplyDeleteIn such heaviness we have rare opportunity.
There is not one of us who has not sinned much. No not one. But those of us who bear the sorrow of knowing our sin's weight have been given the gift of being able to love much. (You do remember Luke 7:47?)
But that is not all:
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
(2 Corinthians 7:10-11 NKJV)
To us is given greater possibility for diligence, for being blameless, for passion, for vindication!
I've heard it said that the way to discern the difference between the voice of the devil and the Spirit, when our sin is brought to our attention, is that the Spirit convicts and draws us to God, the devil condemns and pushes us to hide from God. The voice of the devil is the voice of deceit. The voice of God says this:
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)
No condemnation, David. No condemnation. When the Father sees His children stumble, He does not turn away, but instead smiles and knows we now see indeed our need to accept His extended hand.
ALB....Thank you for taking the time to minister to me. The sin, the deception, the consequence and now the repentance are cycling through.
ReplyDeleteI love your quote about there not being any regret when this happens. I wonder since there is still regret (of all that I lost), if I've shortened the process? If I have cheated myself of the learning? I never want to forget what sin does and where it leads.
David ~
ReplyDeleteRegret for what is lost to us will ideally bring us to repent for what it cost to Jesus--and love Him all the more for it.