Tuesday 18 June 2013

Glamor or durability?

When buying an item, what do you consider most?

As for me, I go for glamor. The design. the color...  I mean, I am not about to go spend my money on some shady looking thing over there!

I always joke (but true in a way) that when I will be buying my car, I will go for the cute looking one. Cute here means the design must be unique, and it should be painted in my favorite color like lime green, hot pink, purple... you name all the beautiful bright colors you know of. I tend to overlook the main considerations like  the cost, fuel consumption, the speed and any other relevancies that one is meant to go for. Anyway, I know I will need guidance when the time comes.

Recently I bought two bags. Yes I looove bags. And shoes too! :-) Anyway, I got for myself this cute bags. One a travel bag and the other one just a usual handbag for day-day purposes. As usual, I went for glamor off course! I was so excited to have the bags but just a few days of using the handbag, I noticed that the straps were not too strong and it was obvious that the bag was not going to serve me for long. It was sort of disappointing but whom was I to blame but myself? There were other bags I could have picked that looked rather durable but me, I jumped on the glamorous looking one.

While I sat there feeling sorry for myself and regretting at the same time, It occurred to me clearly that this is how Christians we can be at times when choosing to follow Jesus Christ. Many a times, people tend to decide to follow Christ perhaps based on the promises they hear the kingdom of Heaven holds ahead for them. We tend to think that salvation is all glamorous, no more troubles or suffering, no more heartbreaks, no more betrayals,  no more, no more...

Then afterwards, there is the everlasting promised land flowing with milk and honey, a land where all the dangerous animals are friendly, a land where all we will be doing is sing praise and worship songs from dawn to dusk non-stop.

Above is what I can call going for glamor. Deciding to follow Christ because you think He will make your life all smooth. With such perspective, we tend to overlook the real relationship that we ought to hold in Christ. That when we decide to follow Him, it will be a life long commitment. That no matter what kind of trials may arise, we will soldier on and not give up on Him (backslide). That we will not start cursing God and start those questions of " Lord why did you allow such to happen to me?"  

God did not promise us a glamorous life all through in our walk with Him. In fact, He notifies us that there will be many afflictions! But again, He assures us that He will not sit and  watch us get tested beyond control.  Psalms 34:19-20 reads "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. {20} He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.

As we follow Christ, it is important that our main focus be on our relationship with Him rather than what it comes with. A relationship that can not be shaken with the life's afflictions. A relationship that is not based on the good stuff only. Am not saying that Christianity is all about afflictions and hardships but just trying to stress a point. In fact it's so much fun knowing Christ. The best thing is that, there is enough grace to face whatever and He is there to fight our battles and to help us when our burdens become so heavy and unbearable.

Have you experienced any afflictions in your walk with Christ? What were some of your expectations when you chose to follow Him? If you are not yet following Him, what picture do you have in mind for living a life with Christ?










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