Living It

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

What do you do when it's over? When the camp, or retreat, or pilgrimage is finished and you go back to the world that is so ridden with lies and sin? What's next? The answer is to live it out. To devote yourself entirely to the truth, the truth that God is good, and God is real, and God loves YOU and wants the best for you! That, my brothers and sisters, is the answer.

It is so hard though! I think of the passage where the Bible talks about the demon who leaves the room, comes back to find it clean, and gets seven more demons to come back with him. Satan doesn't want us to live for Christ! The world doesn't want us to live for Christ. You constantly hear about self service, ranking in society, who has the nicest car, clothes, phone or house. You find yourself falling back into mundanity, into the "flow" of it all. I say "you", I mean me, but I would guess that you have felt it too. When the Jesus high is over, what's next? When you don't feel God in your life, how do you react?

I have good news brothers and sisters, God is more than a feeling! He wants to fill your life in ways that you cannot possibly imagine or comprehend! GOD, the God, the only God, loves you so much and wants what is best for you! All that we have to do is to say "yes". That three letter word, that total life response changes it all. If you say yes to God, He will rock your world!

Imagine, only imagine, if Mary hadn't said yes. She was in the perfect position to say no. She was young, unmarried, simple, and I am sure that she didn't think that she would change the history of the world. "Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to Your will." BAM! The face of the Earth was changed forever! Her yes changed humanity! God wants the same thing for us, he wants our yes, he wants to use YOU to change the world! It's true. We were made to be like Christ, to imitate him, and we were made equal. There wasn't anything different about the way that Mother Teresa, or Pope John Paul the second were made. They were human beings, just like you and I, who said yes to God, and God used them. Never underestimate how God wants to work in your life!

I think about Spiderman, "With great power, comes great responsibility". God, who is power and might, is on our side. We are responsible to serve him, and to bring souls to heaven. WE are, His church, His people. We can wait around forever for the world to change, but waiting won't do it, only our yes can. If you say yes to God, the world will be changed. You who know the truth, have the responsibility to spread God and His word to the ends of the Earth. To your family, to your friends, to your neighbors, to your city, country, world. God has given us this world as a gift, it is our job to be good stewards.

I keep on opening the Bible to the parable of the steward who was away when the master of the home came back. He was punished for not being watchful. If God came now, and who's to say he won't, what do you have to show for it? Have you been living for Christ?

I don't want to pretend that I am there yet, that every time God asks me to do anything I say yes, but I do try. And, being a daughter of God and knowing the truth, it is my job to challenge you. Jesus isn't walking around with a beard and sandals anymore. He can't knock on your door and say, "Drop your nets and follow me". He is still saying it though. The whole church is calling you in service to Christ! We, the church, are His hands and feet! What will your answer be? Will you live for Him?

Peace and love in Christ,
Alyse