Resolution

Luke 16:19-29 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’"

This story pressing into my heart recently. I think it should permenantly scar us Christians.

Think about this seriously please. I am angry at someone. A woman hit my car and instead of taking responsibility for it, is acting as if it was my fault. I'm having to go to a lot of effort in court to get it straightened out. Yes, it's hurtful to live in a dishonest world. Yes, it makes me angry at the woman. But no, I don't want to see her in hell. In such a place that a person would beg for a drop of water from a fingertip. No, none of us should wish that on our worst enemies. It doesn't matter truthfully what happens to us in this life, because the reality of what it looks like after this life for those who don't know Him is anguish and despair for eternity. How can we love and follow after Christ and also serve the master of self by caring about the things of this world? Of course we should care about our kids and our family and the things of this world, but if we lose those things, but gain a soul for Christ for eternity, is that not worth it? I know I'm asking some painfully difficult questions, but I am saying these for myself too. The fact is that this life is a prologue. We haven't even started into the book yet. Eternity is a very long time and this life is nothing in comparison to that.

I was miraculously saved after listening to a Christian radio station every day on my 1 hour commute. God swept in and captured me, because He showed that He understood me. I want to see more testimonies of people being saved because other people stepped up to the mark and obeyed God and helped someone to Christ. I'm talking to myself too. I've not ever led a person to Christ. I wasn't led by a person to Christ. I don't know many people in fact that were led to Christ by another person. That's tragic and it is a conviction to all of us. If God is calling you to be Christ-like to someone, be it! To your neighbors and to your enemies. To the person who stole your cat and to the person who hit your car and to the person who calls you friend and has meals at your table. Let's be like Christ to all of them. Let's make a resolution to lead others to Christ in 2023.