On my way to and from work, I am usually offered freebies at the station whether that be the daily newspaper or the weekly magazine of fashion or sport. On one of these days as I happened to be walking out of the station to head home, one of the guys handed me a newspaper. That wasn’t nothing out of the norm; I was used to that, but as he handed it to me [to which I replied ‘no thank you’], I noticed his actions. He made no eye contact with me, and his face had no expression on it at all. It was as if he was a robot going through the motions – extending his hand to offer the paper to passers-by; and then retracting his hand either to receive another [if the person accepts] or to wait until the other person approaches to giveaway that same paper. And as I carried on my journey home [without the newspaper], his body language remained imprinted in my mind. It was almost as if he was on auto-pilot but also as if he was expecting that very few would take what he was giving away for free.

Thinking about him led to me thinking about us collectively as a part of God’s Church. When we serve God daily, are we going through the motions; that is, expecting that very few would want to receive what God Himself is giving away freely; the gift of salvation*? Whether that is connecting someone to Church, sharing Jesus with them or even praying with someone who has no hope. Do we go into each day with an expectancy saying, “God, how can I be Your hands and feet? I’m expecting You to use me for Your glory! How can I encourage someone; share joy, restore hope into someone? How can I be a representation of You?”

One of my favourite quotes says that “we may be the only Bible that people read.” So on that note, how is your ‘bible’ looking? Are you depicting God for all that He is? Are you joyful to be a follower of Christ? Are you spending time with Him in His Word? Are you loving people unconditionally and genuinely? Are you grateful to be used at all times and in all circumstances? [1 Thessalonians 5:16,18] Are you looking towards Him and His eternal promises or on the temporary that this world brings? [Colossians 3:1-2] Are you revealing God for all the good that He is, or are you [like the guy handing out the newspapers] simply going through the motions?

Salvation excites me!! It is my favourite part of every Sunday! Doesn’t matter if the message and worship is spot on, just knowing that there is that one person that could meet Jesus today makes me go crazy-happy!!! And it is in thinking about somebody’s salvation that reminds me of my own…
The day that I gave my life solely to living for God alone, I don’t remember what song was playing in the service nor the message. I just remember the call asking me, ‘Do you want to recommit [in my case] your relationship with Jesus?’, and after accepting and feeling peace within, I remember the rapturous applause that came from others who had made that decision prior.

In thinking about salvation, are we painting a true image of what it’s like to be ‘saved’ by Christ? Is it attractive? Is it magnetic? Is your life fragranced with the joy and peace and strength that Christ Jesus gives? In other words, how are you representing Christ to others? Are you worth ‘checking’ out?

Worth pondering over, don’tcha think?

“Keep a close watch on how you live and your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.”~ 1 Timothy 4:16

* Salvation – an opportunity to be in a relationship with God; the way He always intended.

(c) Denise M. Matheson

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