Netherwood Park church of Christ -- Sharp(er) Focus |
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| VOL. 30 | MARCH 8, 1998 | NO. 10 |
| THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED |
Don’t you just love it when the city comes along and shuts off your water without notice? And it’s usually at just the time you are going to take a shower, or perhaps you are already all soaped-up and there’s suddenly no water to rinse. And when our electricity goes off during a storm we find ourselves looking frantically for some candles or a flash light (usually with dead batteries). Even when we know the electricity is off we absent-mindedly flip a light switch! These are things we easily take for granted. There are worse. We may take people for granted - a spouse, a child, a parent, a friend. What about our freedoms as Americans? Do we take this for granted? Of course we do. We have never been without the freedom to worship and serve our God as we please. There are certain aspects of our religious freedoms which have eroded, but for the most part we assemble to worship when and where we please and we are free to preach and teach the gospel to whomever will listen. But this is not true of all places on earth today. We have been made well aware of the plight of Laotian brethren who have been arrested and are still in prison under very harsh conditions. We must continue to keep them in our prayers to our Father.
In the first century there were Christians who were persecuted. Peter wrote in his first epistle that those to whom he was writing should not be surprised that they were being persecuted (1 Peter 4:12-19). He said they should rejoice that they had the privilege of suffering for Christ! That would be a real test of faith, wouldn’t it? I wonder if I could rejoice if I were put in prison for the sake of Christ?
But Peter also has some things to say to us about the things we should be doing while we have the opportunity - either before we are imprisoned, or before the end comes. In the same chapter quoted above, Peter says, "The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:7-11).
Here are things we must be doing that will keep us from taking our religious freedoms for granted. We must be clear about what our purpose is, keep ourselves under control morally so we can pray effectively; we must love each other deeply (and this love must be in deed, not merely in words), we must be hospitable without grumbling. We must use our God-given abilities to serve others (which, Peter says, is one way God’s grace is administered!). We must preach the word of God and serve Him with the strength God provides.
Will we ever be persecuted as our brethren in Laos are? I don’t know, but we should certainly pray that we are not. But, we know that we have freedom now to serve God. Are we taking our freedom for granted? Are we using our freedom to serve Him and serve others? Each of us has to answer for himself or herself.
-- Wayne Sharp