Lost Crusader 256 Walk Right

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:”

Colossians 2:6

It seems I am constantly bombarded by tales of hard-hearted Christians who live solely to guard their seat on a particular pew, get angry and swear when cut off in traffic, and look down their noses at people who don’t look or dress like them. It also seems these folks are in the overwhelming majority. They must be because there are so many victims with these tales to tell.

Sometimes I wonder if such tales are urban legends. I have met a lot of Christians in the fifty years since I became one. I haven’t met anyone like the ones in these stories. What strikes me as strange about the stories is the delight some Christians take in telling them. I only reason I can see for a Christian to pass on these urban legends is that they believe the world doesn’t offer enough criticism of our faith. As someone still learning to walk, I try to avoid public criticism of my “classmates”.

Which brings us to the scripture text. Christians are to walk along our journey to heaven in the same manner in which we came to the faith. In my case, that would be: needy, ignorant, and without reservations.

My moment of surrender came about when I got a look at me as God saw me: depraved, self-reliant, self-sufficient, and a boastful enemy. I didn’t like what I saw. It made me uncomfortable and a little afraid. There was no doubt that I was guilty of every sin that flashed before my eyes. No one had to tell me the just penalty for that sin.

Thankfully, there was someone there to point to the remedy, unconditional surrender to Christ. I confessed my guilt and threw myself on the mercy of the king. The amazing thing was—He answered with mercy. It has been a struggle at times, but I have since tried to be merciful to those I encounter on this walk.

It was unconditional surrender in every sense of the word. There is nothing I would not do, say, or be for God. I take some convincing at times, and so have been slow to respond. It seems to me like everything God asks of me is beyond my ability. Nevertheless, once convinced it is God’s direction, I comply and do my best.

I don’t know how unique my life before Christ might be. I was forbidden to go to church and knew nothing about the Bible. It was not talked about in our house. I have concluded that I was, therefore, more ignorant than most. My great desire after accepting Christ has been to know Him and the scripture. I have never stopped learning. Over the course of fifty years, I have discovered that I still know next to nothing. I will know more when I leave this mortal body behind, but until then, every day’s a school day.

Maranatha