Mar 29, 2012

Christianese Sayings...The Safest Place to be is Within the Will of God

One of the nicest sayings in Christianese is the phrase, "The safest place in the world is to be in the center of the will of God."

I love that.

I love how comforting that sounds because I really do prefer comfort over discomfort.

I prefer safety over danger.

I prefer the easy life over hardship.

So Christianese sayings like this goes perfect with a faith system that affirms my comfort, my safety, and my well-being.

The only problem with such Christianese saying is that...gosh darn it!...It's not true!!!

Listen to what the Apostle Paul says, "Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned (the old fashioned way of getting stoned with stones not the modern way of getting stoned...), three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at the sea; and in danger from false brothers" (2 Corinthians 11:25-26).

Do you think the Apostle Paul would say, "The safest place on earth is to be in the center of the will of God?"

Listen to what Jesus says, "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22).

Again, Jesus says, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first...If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also" (John 15:18, 20).

1 Peter 4:12 says, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you."

Almost every one of the first disciples were put to death for their faith.

Do you think any one of the first Christians who were put to brutal deaths for their faith would say, "The safest place in the world is the center of the will of God?"

Following Christ is not about our personal safety, comfort, and well-being. It's all about Christ.

Having said all that, the craziest thing is that there is truth to the statement "The safest place in the world is to be in the center of the will of God."

The truth of this statement is that for the one who understands that discipleship is not about personal safety, comfort, and well-being, and that following Christ is all about the glory of Christ, for that individual death is nothing to be scared of.

Death is merely a thing.

Death is merely a thing that allows followers of Jesus Christ to enjoy the glory of eternity with Christ.

And as long as we are here on earth, disciples understand that in all things we are to point to the glory of Christ in both the hard times and the good. Suffering and persecution is just a thing. The main thing is the glory of God.

Death totally loses its sting.

Death loses its power.

And in that sense, the center of the will of God is truly a wonderful place to be.

May we disciples of Jesus Christ be found in the center of the will of God.

Blessings!

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