STAY FOCUSED

By Andrea Kioulachoglou

 

Do you ever get frustrated when you share your faith with the not-quite-saved though dearly-beloved people in your life?

Sometimes we have these moments of wonderful enlightenment from the Lord. When we share what we learned with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we can see the sparkle in their eyes. We can almost hear their heartbeats accelerate. What usually follows is praise. God is real and his Word is alive, powerful, and timely! But what happens when we take our overflowing hearts to one of those not-quite-saved-but-beloved folk and try to share the same excitement? What usually follows is a blank response at best, or an "I don’t know of any such God and therefore it doesn’t exist!" at worst.

Acts 17:32:
And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

How do we feel about such a response? It can hit us like a tsunami, make us want to vow never to mention "the subject" again, and start talking about the weather.

Moses had a similar experience. During his awesome burning bush encounter, God promised to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian oppression. All Moses had to do was to go to the Pharaoh and tell him to let the Lord’s people go.

When Moses shared this with his brother Aaron and with their fellow Israelites, they believed his words and worshiped God. Then Moses and Aaron went to tell Pharaoh. How did the king of Egypt respond?

Exodus 5:2, 4:
And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

The Message Bible paraphrases his words this way: "Why on earth, Moses and Aaron, would you suggest the people be given a holiday? Back to work!"

Moses and the Israelites might have been tempted to give up, bow to Pharaoh, and continue in slavery. When Moses said "I can’t," it was God who said "But I am."

The early apostles were forbidden by the religious leaders "to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus" (Acts 4:18). How did they respond? They prayed for more boldness, knowing that they "ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 29).

As Christians living in this evil world, we must keep a living and loving relationship with the one true and faithful God. Hold fast to what God promised you without compromise. Pursue the Lord with all your heart and focus on him only. Stay focused! It is the melody of the Promised Land that enables us to dance.

 

 

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From the January 2011 issue of The Vine & Branches