"That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.' " Romans 10:15 "Whenever an unbeliever meets a Christian, the unbeliever ought to be face to face with everything he needs to know in order to follow Christ." Henry Blackaby
I don't remember whether it came from His speaking to me or through another, but I have written in my prayer journal, "We're to be 'reminders' and 'refreshers' as to who He is." Such a lofty ideal. How many, or how few of us, ever really are? When an unbeliever encounters us, especially outside of the walls of our church, when our guard is down, what and who is it that they meet? Someone who looks like Jesus? Someone whose home is obviously not in this world, but in His? Do our lives and ways refresh with the atmosphere of heaven, or do we just give off the recycled stale air of this world?
In the political realm, an ambassador is to be the embodiment of the nation he represents. When he speaks, he speaks for his country. Everything that his country is, is to be found in him. He speaks its values, and he's to be a vessel of its worldview. The apostle Paul said that he, and we, are to be ambassadors for Christ and His Kingdom. We are to represent and be vessels of all that He is, of His life, His love, and His power. When they see us, they should be seeing Him. No, we do not possess His perfect nature, and we are flawed, but we do possess His nature to the fullest degree possible on this side of eternity. Political ambassadors are not citizens of the country to which they've been sent. In fact, the ground upon which their residence stands is considered part of their country, and not that on which it is found. It's no different for the believer. We are not citizens of this foreign country in which we dwell, and the ground we walk upon is His ground, holy ground. We're citizens of His Kingdom, and as its citizens, we show forth the values and life of that Kingdom. Wherever we are and go.
We live in a culture that once was at least aware of Christ and His Kingdom. There was a basic knowledge of His personality and realm. That's no longer the case. That knowledge and awareness is fading by the day. The need for a generation of representatives of a Kingdom this world doesn't know but desperately needs is greater than ever. In every heart, no matter how far from Christ, there is an awareness that there must be something more than this. There must be someone who offers more than this. We, His followers, are to be those who remind them, refresh them as to who that Someone is; Jesus Christ.
The question for each of us is; what kind of ambassador of His Kingdom are we? Ones whose witness and life put forth a picture of Him who we represent? Or, ones who bring dishonor and reproach to His name? Do we remind a dying world that there is a Kingdom whose citizens never die? Do we bring refreshing to a culture that is suffocating in its own sin?
In former times, an ambassador was often sent to another land bearing a proclamation from his king or government. A letter, so to speak. We are Christ's "letters" from His heart to a world passing away. Wherever we go or are, we are to be read, will be read, by those He's "written to" through us. What do they read? They will read a message. Does the message put to Him, or away from Him?
Some, usually those more at home in the world than the Kingdom, like to say of those who live deeply in Him, that "they're so heavenly minded that they're no earthly good." I believe such a state is impossible for those who have given themselves completely to Him. When that's the case, we then, as one put it, "are so heavenly minded as to be of much earthly good." Let us be such people. Reminders and Refreshers of the Kingdom and it's King. Letters from His heart, read by all we encounter.
Blessings,
Pastor O
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