What does it mean to you to be a Christian? Is it to attend church weekly or more, or reading your Bible more, or getting up earlier to pray, or being a better person? The list can go on...
I look back on my own life to the time when I decided to become a Christian. Besides the pressure of my neighbourhood friends to do so because we would take lessons from the (white people) together, I made that decision because I knew it was the right thing to do. The prayer I repeated did nothing for me- maybe I was expecting too much, so I set out to be a Christian the best I knew how. I knew all the Bible stories, memorized a lot of scripture, made sure I was the best behaved girl around. This plan worked very well for me until I got into my teenage years. My faith in God got challenged by other views, and others around me contended to be as good as or even better Christians than me. Church life was boring, and I desperately needed to see a God who knew and understood my generation.
A team from the US who worked with Youth with A Mission (YWAM) came to my church to share who God meant to them. I got to see a God in them that was way more personal than I imagined. I knew then that God had answered my prayers for showing me His version of being a Christian. I decided that Sunday to allow God to change me in what ever needed to be changed, so that I become the Christian He wanted me to be. He has been faithful to do that over the years, and I have enjoyed a relationship with Him where asIi got to know Him more, I have changed. My views of Christian life has changed drastically.
Being a Christian is not just what you do or don't do. It is a personal and intimate relationship with the God of the universe. The same God the Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. It is easy to just follow a list of rules, or traditions, but being obedient to God on a daily basis and in everything is a challenge. Why? It involves our heart. See, being a Christian = being His child = being in His Kingdom. In God's kingdom, relationship is most important. Relationship with Him being the most important of all relationships. He uses all of our experiences, good or bad to mold and move us to His agenda. This includes our bad decisions, mistakes and things beyond our control. Each of us must answer to him for ourselves.
What keeps us from enjoying such a relationship? Most times it is the excuses we make and our tendency to focus on what others are doing right or wrong. We want to have answers for everything when all we are called to do is to be obedient to God. We need to let go of what is hindering us, and be honest with ourselves. Why am I where I am at right now? Is my life bringing glory to God? Do I want my life to bring glory to God? Why?
So, in redeeming what it means to be a Christian, we must remember the key points mentioned above:
Being a Christian means:
1. having an intimate relationship with God
2. being a part of God's Kingdom
3. being a child of God
4. being obedient to God in everthing
5. allowing God to change you so you become who He created you to be.
Let us examine our hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to show us what is keeping us from being the Christian He wants us to be. His way is the best and the most peaceful and freeing.
