by Jacob Ninan
Have we fallen from our first love? Is it larger facilities, impressive interiors, powerful music systems, varieties of programmes to cater to every taste, charismatic leaders or a structured organisation that the church of Jesus Christ needs at this time?
No. What the church needs, first of all, are men and women who love God with all their heart, for whom God is the love of their lives, greater than their love for everyone else and everything else. Look around, and what we will find is that it is not easy to meet with many such people in real life. “For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus” (Phil.2:21).
Look inside ourselves. Is Jesus the love of our life, the One we always think about, who we always want to be with, one who is most precious to us? Or have we fallen from our first love (Rev.2:4)? Or worse still, is our heart lukewarm towards Him—taking Him for granted and not too bothered about Him (Rev.3:16)?
Shall we do a quick self-test to see where we stand?
What is it that we pray for the most? For our own wants and needs (Matt.6:11)? Or for God’s name to be honoured, for Him to reign as king over the whole world and His will to be done in its entirety here on earth as it is being done in heaven (vv.9,10)?
God is looking for men and women anywhere in the world whose heart is completely His (2Chr.16:9). He created us in His image so that He could have fellowship with us. That is what He is longing for. But what He actually finds are those who are looking for His support for them to live their own lives.
God is not looking for perfect people who always say and do everything just right. But He is looking for those whose ambition in life is to be entirely pleasing to Him (2Cor.5:9). There is forgiveness for us when we fail. But can a heart that is divided, with a greater interest for the world, be pleasing to God?
-- Published in the Light of Life magazine, July 2014