“Sometimes I feel like when I make decisions that are remotely biblical, people who call themselves Christians are the first to criticize and say I’m crazy, that I’m taking the Bible too literally, or that I’m not thinking about my family’s well-being… When people gladly sacrifice their timeor comfort or home, it is obvious that they trust in the promises of God. Why is it that the story of someone who has actually done what Jesus commands resonates deeply with us, but we then assume we could never do anything so radical or intense? Or why do we call it radical when, to Jesus, it is simply the way it is? The way it should be?”
Francis Chan
A friend posted this quote. I was really convicted when I read it.
I spend too much time observing someone else living the way I should be living.
That’s funny, because I was thinking about this last night sitting in the Prayer Room here at the International House of Prayer. Jesus is calling and wooing us to that place of intimacy with Him, but in that same calling there is this calling of radicalness. Most of the time it’s the people in the church that are the first to call us out on it and try to bring us back down to the status quote way of living “church life.” I believe that’s even the calling of song of solomon in 5:9 where basically the church is questioning the woman about why she would continue after this man, what’s so great about him. It’s in those times of trials that we find out how we really feel about him. =)
yeah, i dont think its so much prayer room life or not (which i love IHOP and go there often). but more of the simplicity of obedience. I think radicalness is eqivalent to the degree in which we obey what he has called us to. I am radical if he tells me to get a normal 9-5 job and glorify him there… I am radical in the situations He calls us to shutup or speak up and we do.
I love that the church can live out obedience and have it look so differently with different parts of the body.
The main idea is to not simply applaud the people in the marketplace if we are supposed to be there. And to not simply applaud those dedicating alot of time to prayer and devotion when we are supposed to.
We may very well agree and just say it in different ways. 🙂
thanks for the comment!!!