I have always had an odd relationship with evangelism. I see folks speak to someone about becoming saved and letting them know that it would fix ALL their problems, not just the most important one. Sometimes listening to these conversations would border on what you would hear when you were looking to buy a car at a used car lot.
“Get saved now and God will throw in that promotion at work you were wanting.”
I never really thought of following Christ as something that would give me all the worldly comforts I want. I did however believe that following Christ would make me a target. Regardless, it always confused me when I would hear evangelists talking about what God would do for you if you decided to follow Jesus. Often these folks in the U.S. seem like they’re trying to upsell you while convincing you to sign up for new cable service.
My paradigm of what being saved in Christ is and does for the believer is constantly being shifted and that is from searching scripture and additionally from my own life experience. In one of my most recent prayer times I feel like I finally got a lot more clarity on purpose but also a repositioning of my understanding on the Christian life.
I always understood that God came down from Heaven to be with his people and when we are saved He comes down to us where we are and lifts us up. The part where what God lifts us up ‘to’ and the meaning of that is what has altered for me. I believe, and have always believed, that God wants us to have wealth and be wealthy. (The rain falls on the righteous and unrighteous alike.) He wants us to have Riches, but wealth and riches don’t always translate into money. The things that God gives us, I believe now, aren’t intended to fulfill worldly pursuits. Though he takes care of us all, the sparrow and the flower alike even much more so us His children. They are intended to draw us further up and further in.
So what’s the deal with ‘worldly pursuits?’ Worldly pursuits are what I would call the bigger house, the nicest car, impressing those around you with your looks or reputation, more money to afford that new cell phone, etc. The lobster hierarchies and the rat race that folks tend to get wound up in, the weeds. The things we would like aren’t inherently bad, and I don’t believe God is against any of those, however I do believe that they are not the intention or purpose of your relationship with Him.
I feel that the purpose is for God to come down wherever you are, today, and bring heaven with him to you. If you could take a moment and ‘rest’ in that. Another purpose is that He gives His people more power than anything on Earth or in the realms of darkness. This power is in His spirit and wisdom. Even some nonbelievers are aware, convinced, of the power of God to move the shadows back. Instead of us all waiting to be saved from issues that we are able to take care of, we need to get busy with the life we have been given and realize that there is access to everything we need through Christ.
This is as much for me as it is for anyone who would like to read it.