Heart Tracks - What Will You Do Now?

"But if I release Barabbas," Pilate asked them, "what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?" Matthew 27:22...."The question is not, 'What will you do with Jesus?' but 'What will you do with Him now?' ......"While we are puttering, life gets away." Vance Havner

John Bevere said that what we do with the cross and Jesus Christ will determine where we spend eternity. What we do with the cross and Christ in our day to day lives will determine how we spend eternity. That's why Havner's question about what will you, we, do with Him now, right now, is the most important question we will ever be asked. Everything, eternity itself, hangs on that answer. The reality of Christ, who He is, what He has done, and the decision He calls us to is and will always be something and Someone directly before us. What will you do with Him? What will you do with Him right now?

The 21st century western church has given us a portrait of a Christ that I don't think exists. A Christ who has never existed. This Jesus Christ doesn't press us to make a decision concerning Himself. This Jesus Christ doesn't want to hurt our feelings or offend us. This Jesus Christ doesn't confront, doesn't offend, and doesn't make any demands. This Jesus Christ is very acceptable to our flesh. This Jesus Christ doesn't exist. He never has.

John Eldredge, in one of his writings, said, "I want to know Jesus. The real Jesus." This is a bold petition, because the real Jesus will likely be Someone who will make us decidedly uncomfortable. When Peter was confronted with the reality of who Jesus truly was, he begged Him to go away from him, that he was too unclean to be in His presence. That will always be the result of coming into contact with the real Jesus. His holiness will confront all that is unholy within us. That is a frightening, yet beautiful thing. It terrifies our flesh, yet at the same time calls us forth to His life, His holiness, His wonder. It's beautiful because while His presence will convict of what is wrong within us, it will not be accompanied by condemnation. Though He shows us the hopelessness of depending on our own righteousness, at the same time He invites us into the hope of living in His. It's a "now" moment. He comes and presents Himself to us, and then asks, "What will you do with Me now?"

But it doesn't end there. He's brought us to the reality of His cross and of Himself. What we do with that decides the state of our eternity; either Light, and Life, or darkness and death. What follows is a day by day choice of what we will do with Him now, today. Will He be Lord, or merely available to us for the carrying out of our agendas and desires? Will we be surrendered to Him in every aspect of our lives this day? Will we follow where He leads? Will it be our will, or His? Will we be living for Him, or will we be living for us? Will we live for His glory, or ours? All these questions demand an answer.....now. What's ours? What's yours?

We fallen humans are master procrastinators. We love to put off till tomorrow.....except He guarantees us nothing but right now. So what are you doing with Him right now? What do you do now concerning Christ and eternity? What will you do concerning His Lordship, His will, His call to holiness and purity? He's more than willing to confront you on this. He calls for an answer right now. How do you answer Him....right now?

Blessings,
Pastor O