Washed in the Water...

Most days, the roads here in Busega are composed of nothing more than a fine, powdery, orange dirt.

Most days, taxis and bodas carrying passengers and cargo, whisk to and fro down the village street.

Most days, the warm, sunny, Busega air is greeted by a light, tranquil, afternoon breeze. 

Needless to say, most days everyone (and everything) is glazed with a delicate, orange, Ugandan glow.

But not today.

Today, the residents of this busy little village have gladly welcomed an afternoon thunderstorm.  The merciless, rust-colored soil has been tamed.  Boda drivers sit idle and wait for the skies to clear.  And the air is cleansed by a refreshing, brisk wind.  As I sit here in my room, I can hear the large raindrops pound the metal roof.  The thunder crashes loudly and it continues to roll for miles, gradually fading in the distance. Looking out my window, there is a river of rainwater streaming across the pavement, creating little rapids as it flows swiftly into the tiny channel nearby.  Meanwhile, the sun-scorched flowers soak in the rain and begin to come alive again.

I imagine thunderstorms like this are just another way of God displaying His majesty through His creation.  It is an opportunity to pause and contemplate His goodness and recognize our unending need for His hand in our lives. 

The village of Busega is constantly being polluted by the consuming dust that infiltrates every inch of the air.  Similarly, our lives are also being contaminated—by our sinfulness; by the scars and baggage that we are carrying from our past; by lies being told to us from the enemy; by impurities of social media…the list can go on. Each day, the filth continues to mount and if it is left untreated, our view of life can become distorted.  We will no longer be looking at life through the pure, spotless, lens of Christ.  Instead, there will be layers of dirt preventing us from seeing clearly.
We are sinful people, living in a sinful world.  We desperately need to be cleansed of our transgressions.

In Hebrews 9:22, we are told that everything needs to be cleansed; but forgiveness (i.e. cleansing) is only possible with the shedding of blood.  Thankfully, Jesus has paid that price for us. He bled and died on the cross, sacrificing his own life in order that our lives can be made righteous. 

Elsewhere in Scripture, Jesus tells us that He offers ‘living water’ through his Word, which washes and sustains us.

Today, I was a flower being scorched by life’s elements. 

But as the listless flowers outside my window found new life in the rain, my soul, too, was brought back to life by His living water.
As the raindrops fell to the thirsty ground, His promises fell on my yearning heart.
And as the water flowed to wash away the unwelcomed dust particles, His blood rained over me and cleansed me once again.  

I am thankful that God uses days like this to teach me more about His character.  He has purified my heart and given me a new perspective today. Though the storm rages around us, His presence is never failing.  My prayer today is that each of us would recognize His sovereignty in our daily lives. Surrender to Him and allow Him to wash us in His redeeming blood and unfailing love.

Considering the Costs...

Have you ever taken the time to look back at your life, only to be completely caught off guard at how it has turned out?

I have.  

I remember a day a few years back when I was still living in Raleigh.  It was a peaceful, spring-time, Saturday afternoon.   The morning had been busied with the typical Saturday routine—cooking, cleaning, laundry, and all that ‘fun’ stuff.  As I moved to the couch to begin paying my bills, just as I had done nearly every Saturday before that for the past (almost) ten years, it hit me like a Mack truck. Suddenly, I realized that I was a real adult. I had adult responsibilities, like a house, a car, student loans, and a real job.  For years, I had known that I had achieved ‘adult’ status, but for the first time, I began to understand the implications of carrying such a title.

Recently, I began thinking about that day and the life lessons that it offered.  The decisions I had made in the years prior, had all lead me to that point. When I decided to pursue a career in sign language interpreting, I had no idea that it would lead me all the way to North Carolina and eventually to Africa.   I hadn’t considered that upon walking the university stage, I was also walking into new expectations and responsibilities. As a teenager, I didn’t realize that my weekend job would be preparing me for what was to come. 

 

As a child I looked up to some of the older girls in the neighborhood and dreamed of being ‘big’ like they were.  Well, there I was—sitting on my couch, in my own house, doing ‘big girl’ things.

 

I can’t help but think that all of that bears a strong resemblance to our walk with Christ.  When given the opportunity to accept Christ, we say ‘yes’ without understanding the implications of our decision.  Many of you will probably agree that Christianity has often been glamorized.  People who find themselves at a dead-end, searching for healing, looking for answers, and longing to feel complete, are told that all they need to do is accept Jesus and everything will be fine.  Now, while I believe those Christians have good intentions in leading their friend to Christ, fact is, such a statement is only partially true. Yes, Jesus IS the answer; however there is another truth that is often overlooked.  Or maybe it is simply omitted.

Deciding to follow Jesus does not guarantee a smooth ride through life.  It is not our ticket to the HOV lane that will whisk us to heaven.  Accepting Jesus does not provide us with a genie-in-a-bottle cure for life’s troubles and nowhere in the ‘I’m a Christian’ handbook, does it mention a promise of riches or a glamorous lifestyle.

On the contrary, signing up to follow Jesus means we are enlisting ourselves for duty to go to war.

How many of you, if you were told that, would have happily signed on the dotted line?  Not many, I am sure.  When stated that way, people would have every reason to run the other way.  The thought of going to war is a scary notion for anyone. However, 2 Corinthians 10:3 says that we are at war, but “the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.” Luke 14 gives us an example of a soldier going to war and the importance of weighing the risks of battle. It goes on to tell us that before making any decisions we, too, must first count the costs.  Someone can easily paint a slanted picture of what life is like as part of God’s army, but before you rush to put on His uniform, let’s see what we are really signing up for:

1.       You might lose your friends and family.

While it is true that accepting Jesus adopts us into His family of believers, choosing to follow Jesus can sometimes lead you down a lonely road.  Jesus called James and John in Mark 1:19-20.  They left their father and their boat behind and obeyed.  Those that wished to first return home to complete tasks were not fit to be Jesus’ disciple (Luke 9:62)  Similarly, you may be called to a position that requires you to leave behind your family and friends.  Even if God doesn’t call you to Africa, your obedience will look crazy to the people around you. Current relationships will change. Friends, neighbors, and colleagues may be ‘happy’ for your decision, but more often than not, they will begin to distance themselves from you.  Your faith and ‘radical’ obedience will be too much for many of them to even begin to understand. Even those that stick around may find it difficult to relate to you, and vice versa.  As a result, your inner circle will shrink and finding someone who ‘gets’ you will be difficult.

2.       Your current lifestyle may drastically change.

 

There is a theology floating around that promises health and wealth in exchange for ‘accepting’ Jesus.  While God has the ability to bless His children that way, scripture shows a higher probability of the opposite happening.   And I think it is important to note that accepting Jesus is an all-or-nothing decision.  If you truly give your life to Jesus, you are deciding to accept the good and the bad that comes with it.  Consider this: “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for me and the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:35)  Jesus doesn’t want half-hearted followers. He wants us to be all-in; and when we are, He has the power to completely transform your life into the life He has planned for you.  This may sound a little intimidating and I know what some of you are thinking, “but I have worked hard to get the life I have.”  (I will politely disagree and say that ALL you have has been given to you from God.) When we accept Jesus we are given a new identity—an identity that is no longer rooted in the world, but found securely in Christ Jesus.  We are told to “…put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:22-24) Those that wish to hold on to their old identity are essentially denying God’s power in their life. 

 

Again, you may not be asked to give up all of your luxuries and toys, but as God continues to transform your heart, such material possessions will begin to fall on your list of priorities.  So, consider this a warning—if you decide to follow Jesus, it is possible that the new, fancy, smart phone that you have been eyeing,  may some day cease to be on your ‘I need this’ list.

 

3.       You will face trials and persecution.

This may be the hardest reality for us to swallow.  No one looks forward to suffering, but Jesus warns us many times in scripture that when we choose to follow him, we should expect to face adversity.  “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Tim 3:12)  And why should we expect anything different?  Jesus, who was sinless and perfect in every way, was judged, rejected, falsely accused, and eventually killed.  As imperfect sinners in a fallen world, we should not expect that others will treat us with kindness and respect for our faith. (see John 15:19-21)

 

Remember, as a follower of Christ, you are walking through a warzone.  So beware—the ground is rugged and the path is scattered with hidden, dangerous snares.  You will experience pain; physical, emotional, and spiritual. People will through insults at you.  Your character will be attacked and your loved-ones will also be burdened.   

So far, it seems, I have painted a pretty gloomy picture of Christianity.  Though this ‘cost analysis’ is not a favored topic, it is important to know before making such a large commitment.  But before you close the book on Jesus, remember that for wise decision-making, it is necessary to evaluate both sides.  Please consider this: 

“We will have persecutions, trials and sufferings in this life. But the blessings outweigh the difficulties by a hundred-to-one margin!”  1 Peter 1:7              

“Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” Matt 19:29

Following Jesus is not an easy road, but He promises that our trials and temporary struggles will be worth it when we are, one day, face-to-face with Him.  We can expect to experience bumps along the way, but even on our toughest days, He promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deut. 31:6)  Throughout the Bible we are given a clear picture of God’s character and a confident assurance of His presence and protection.  Yes, there will be struggles, but choosing to follow Jesus will be the best decision you could make.  Only Jesus can offer us eternal life with Him in heaven.  Nothing in the world can give you His standard of purpose with total peace and an unshakable hope.  God is unconditional love.  He is your strength when you are weak; your comfort when you are lonely; your shelter when the storms rage around you. God is your healer, your provider, your protector, your friend. He knew you before He even created you, and He has a plan and purpose for your life. 

The following is not an all-inclusive list, but just an example of who God is and what He has to offer:

 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:7  

 “When Jesus spoke again to the people he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12  

 “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11  

 “But whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the unsurpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things…I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”  Phil 3  

I want to encourage you, if you haven’t already, please consider a life of surrender following Jesus.  I can’t promise you a smooth ride, but I can promise that He will be with you, in the valleys and on the mountaintops. 

Don’t be deceived by the smoke and mirrors that glamorize the Christian lifestyle. Jesus’s disciples did not follow him for all the benefits nor were they seeking to accomplish their own goals. They didn’t bail when things got tough. They followed Him because they genuinely believed that He was the Messiah.  I pray the same is true for you.  He will be all that you need, but more than that, unlike the things of this world, Jesus longs to have a relationship for you. 

He gave His life for you.  Will you give yours to Him?