Jonathots Daily Blog
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When I was twelve years old, a school buddy invited me to his church for a night of revival, with the tease of a delicious pot luck dinner preceding the event.
I was thrilled.
Of course, I was interested in the pot luck dinner, but much more excited over the chance to see my friend far away from school books and blackboards.
The revival was held at his home church–a Pentecostal Baptist.
I didn’t know much of anything at that point in my life, so I can’t tell you a lot about the evening’s activities, except that at one point during the sermon by the guest evangelist, he paused, staring at the audience with bulging eyes, sweat dripping from his brow, and proclaimed, “God’s grace cannot be earned, nor can it ever be lost.”
The reason I remember this statement is that it evoked an explosion of cheers, applause and “hallelujahs.” The folks really liked it.
Of course they did.
We all deeply enjoy free stuff.
The idea that none of us had to work on our salvation or had any chance of losing it just because we went on a “lying spree” was certainly intoxicating to the spirit.
But unfortunately, when you put no expectations on human beings, generally speaking, you get no production.
When I visited Fishersville United Methodist Church yesterday, I was struck by two outstanding realizations:
- These were some lovely, intelligent and caring people.
- But left to themselves, they can be lazy, uncaring and unfeeling.
I will tell you that no Creator with the intelligence to make a kidney which enables us to pee would ever let human beings think they did not need to be involved in their own lives, or even their own salvation.
We certainly wouldn’t do that with our children: “I love you, Johnny, so you don’t need to do any chores or clean your room because my affection is enough.”
If we did that we would be in danger of raising a criminal or a politician.
It is important to realize that God loves us.
But He’s also provided a purpose for life, where we learn to take responsibility for ourselves and save some extra time to assist others.
I refer to it as “sanity saves.”
If you do not stay involved in your own life, with an awareness of what you need to work on, your brain will deteriorate to the point that learning ceases to be possible. Then you’re stuck with what you know and nothing else.
God gives me a “sanity save” every day.
My mind is renewed by the celebration of knowing that the Gospel that Jesus preached is not only a message to make me Heaven-worthy, but also Earth-friendly.
It gives me sanity and it saves me from becoming an emotional and spiritual bum.
Without these sanity saves, we start relying too much on chance, fear or a presumptuous faith to carry us through difficulties, instead of using principle, prayer and the power of learning to grant us the wisdom to overcome.
As the folks came to my table yesterday, I found myself conversing with an 89-year-old World War II veteran. He was standing next to a nine-year-old boy.
They both came to chat with me. I looked into their eyes and saw the same thing. There was a sparkle of enthusiasm with the moisture of repentance.
It is what makes us powerful human beings–that which excites us should make us repent. And the repentance stimulates more excitement.
Sanity saves: when we take the salvation provided and turn it into a lifestyle that considers others.
That’s the good news.
The better news is that God’s grace is never deserved, but does offer us lives of sanity.
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