September 24, 2009 THE “GO” OF PREPARATION

Matthew 5:23-24 - “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

When I read this verse I’m immediately convicted by how absolutely essential it is that our Christian walk not be compartmentalized away from any other aspect of our life. When we stand before the Father, all aspects of our life are relevant. It isn’t like a trip where we only bring the clothes appropriate for the weather – our whole closet is on display.

When we come before the Lord in an act of worship, we need to do so with a clear conscience and a pure heart. If Sunday mornings find me a tyrant at home, yelling at my husband and griping at my child and then the drive to church is tainted by my impatience and cursing at other drivers, there are some issues I need to deal with before I raise my hand in worship or take communion. Our “Christian-ness” doesn’t start at the door of the church and end when we exit the parking lot – it is part of who we are ALL THE TIME.

For some this may be obvious, but for me it has been a struggle and it has only been recently that I’ve finally recognized that any incongruity between who I am in church, at home or at work was simply unacceptable. As I mature I am beginning to realize that I need to live my faith constantly and that church Sunday is a “recharge” for the rest of the week, not the defining factor of my faith. That is, I’m not a Christian because my car is parked in a church parking lot on Sunday mornings. I’m a Christian because I’ve accepted Christ’s gift of salvation and that must be reflected in the way I live my life the rest of the week.

Chambers explains:
The “go” of preparation is to let the word of God scrutinize. The sense of heroic sacrifice is not good enough. The thing the Holy Spirit is detecting in you is the disposition that will never work in His service. No one but God can detect that disposition in you. Have you anything to hide from God? If you have, then let God search you with His light. If there is sin, confess it, not admit it.
Let the word of God scrutinize…now that is powerful stuff – especially when we are willing to actually do it. As believers I think we have to be careful not to become caught up in relative comparison. We want to compare ourselves to that “Sunday Morning Christian” who has forgotten the sermon before they hit the sanctuary door or the nonbeliever across the street. We want to suggest that we are actually doing a pretty good job – compared to those guys. But no, we are to let the word of God scrutinize us. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to search us and root out whatever could keep us from the full expression of our faith. That said, there is simply no place for any hint of legalism in the Christian life.

There are two particular dangers that come with obsessive adherence to man-inspired “rules:”

For one, we can become lulled into a false sense of security. We begin to evaluate the state of our salvation – and that of others – based upon how well we (or they) abide by the conventions we’ve come to accept as the standards of Christian behavior. This isn’t the case at all – we are only saved by the sacrifice Christ made on the cross – nothing more and nothing less. NOTHING we “do” affects our salvation.

The second pitfall is that we miss the issues we truly need to deal with because we are so consumed with those issues God isn’t concerned about. If, for example, we pride ourselves on the fact we don’t drink, the real issue interfering with our relationship with God may be our problem of pride rather than the lure of alcohol.

Chambers closes by saying:
Never discard a conviction. If it is important enough for the Spirit of God to have brought it to your mind, it is that thing He is detecting. You were looking for a great thing to give up. God is telling you of some tiny thing; but at the back of it there lies the central citadel of obstinacy: I will not give up my right to myself – the thing God intends you to give up if ever you are going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes we presume upon God’s expectations without consulting Him. We assume that His demands include some great obvious sacrifice. But that may not be the case. Sometimes what He asks of us is a change of heart or the laying down of a desire. Whatever it may be, when we are in His Word and bow before Him in prayer, we will know what he is asking of us, and it is often not what we expected it to be.