This is the verse of scripture from my morning devotion
today. Allow me to share this short devotion with you and my thoughts along the
way. The reading comes from Renewed Day by Day volume 2 with A.W. Tozer.
The italicized words are the devotion the others are my thoughts.
This is what we have
heard: “I am a born again Christian and I am happy that my sins are forgiven
and I go to church on Sunday because I like the fellowship!”
We ask: “Do you not go
to put yourself in the way of spiritual blessings?”
The answer: “No, I am
saved and I do not need anything!”
We ask: “Have you
offered to witness, to pray, to encourage, to assist, to participate in your
church’s life and outreach?”
The answer: No, My
church seems to get along very well without my help!”
Sadly this is where most on the pew find themselves, parked
and proud to simply watch their church preform. They are comfortable being a spectator
Christian. Sadly these people believe everything is fine with them being such a
person on the pew. They feel no need to be involved, no need for a prayer life
and a full anointed life. They simply sit as though they have a remote and if
things don’t suit them they will simply change positions or places.
Another sad fact is according to scripture such thinking and
life action is not the true actions of the saved. Jesus more than once declares
such thinking is that of those who will be cast out. In Matthew 24:45-51 Jesus
gives an example of two different servants, one doing the things of God the
other a spectator Christian. Jesus says, "Who
then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his
household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so
doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he
will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his
heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and
drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he
is not looking for him and at
an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
My devotion goes on to say:
Brethren, (also
ladies) this non- participation kind of
faith is a strange parody on Bible Christianity. Men and women who say they are
believers just cancel themselves out. Is it something we have learned from
sporting events? The great majority are spectators. They come and sit!
At a sporting event there are more spectators then players.
Also there is always more noise from the spectators. It is easy to sit and yell,
criticize and complain than it is to produce. The reason we have more
spectators in the church than player is simple. It cost something to be on the
field.
First one must get and stay in great condition to stay on
the field. – In the church having one good prayer meeting in your life does not
give one eternal spiritual conditioning. No like a player one must work on their
conditioning daily and guard every action so as not to compromise one’s ability
to perform.
Second, one must continually train and get better to stay on
the field – Jesus rewarded the ones who increased what was given them. The ones
who did not increase what was given were cast out. Just like a player on the
field we must work every day to get better at what we do for God. He will ask
how we did with what He gave one day. (Matthew 25:26-30, Luke 19:20-26)
Third, there must be stamina, a drive to win on the field –
Those on the field know the battle is sometimes hard but they are willing to
push through problems to make sure there is a win. Hard work? Yes, but very rewarding
in the end.
You can see it’s much easier just to sit in the stands
(pews) and yell. It’s much easier to pick and complain and arm chair coach. One
doesn’t have to be in shape, no need for prayer or study, no need to get better
because it’s easy sitting in the stands. No need to have any drive for change. It’s
easy being a spectator Christian.
But there is something the spectator Christina needs to
remember. Those on the field are the only one who gets the prize.
The devotion finishes: If
there is any spiritual life within us, God will give us a gift of some kind and
the humble soul will find something to do for God!
Come on now; get off the pews and onto the field. There is a
game to be played and race to be won and the reward is to the ones who run the
race not for those who just watch.
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