Lukewarm Christianity

I feel that God has given me a revelation, in part, about the events over the past three years.  Before the death of our grandson three years ago I was a lukewarm Christian.  I went to church sporadically, I would sometimes drink in excess, I cussed and I was very self-centered.  Although all of these things are true I still felt that I was a pretty good Christian because I made time to pray on a regular basis.  The “Christian” life that I was living was not the one God had planned for me and he got my attention on Christmas Eve morning of 2006.  Caleb died that morning.  My life as I knew it ceased to exist in an instant.

I reached out to God like never before.  I did the only thing I knew how to do – I prayed.  God became real to me over the coming days, weeks and months.  It is hard to explain the changes in my heart and in my life.  Things that seemed so important weren’t that important anymore.  My priorities changed as my heart grew closer to God. 

Then tragedy struck again six months later when our daughter in law and two grandchildren were in a horrible auto accident.  Carmen and Sarah overcame their injuries but as you know Jason (my grandson) was left paralyzed from the neck down.  I just couldn’t imagine why God would allow this to happen to our family.  Why would He allow so much heartache and hardship into one family’s life?  Why my family?  These are questions that I have asked many times over. 

When Caleb died I turned to God for answers and for comfort.  When the accident happened I became totally dependent on Him.  I felt like I couldn’t draw a breath if it weren’t for God being right there beside me.  I came to know God and His great mercy and love in a whole new way – personally.  The personal relationship that transformed my life I believe is the reason Jason (my son) is now seeking his own personal relationship with the Lord.  He is sharing his faith with his friends at school and who knows where that is going to lead? 

My revelation is this:  If the events in my life that led me to seek out the Lord in a personal way had never happened I would still be content being a lukewarm Christian.  I would not be sitting here right now pouring my heart out praying that this message touches just one heart for God.  My transformation set the foundation for Jason (my son) to seek his own personal relationship with the Lord.  He witnessed how the Lord brought me through some of the darkest days of my life and now he wants to know Jesus like he’s never known him before. Jesus has been knocking all this time and now the door is opened for Him to come in.  Whether we know it or even like it the way we live our lives will either win or lose souls for the Kingdom of God.  I am not happy about the events of the past three years but I am thankful that God is faithful and He has used evil for good. 

I cannot claim to know the mind of God.  His ways are not my ways.  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways”.  This is the Lord’s declaration.  Isaiah 55:8  However, the Word of God assures us of certain promises.  One of those promises is that He is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think.  Ephesians 3:20a  Jason’s “road to Damascus” is proof of this promise and His great mercy for His children.