Over the last couple of days I’ve read ‘For What It’s Worth’ by Simon Guillebaud.
I’m not quite sure how yet, but I think it may have changed my life.
It’s an honest, heart-felt cry for all Christians to become radical disciples. I was challenged by a thousand different things and cried several times while reading it. I don’t think my comments can do this book justice, so I honestly recommend that every Christian read this book for themselves.
Still, I’ll share a few of the questions I was left asking myself while reading this book:
Am I really living for Christ? What does it even mean? If I’m not living my life for Christ, what am I living for? Shall I just resign myself to a safe, sanitised, middle-class Christianity?
Am I storing up treasure for myself in heaven, or am I too easily pleased with hoarding my treasure here and now; treasure which is destined to perish?
How much am I willing to give for Christ? Everything?
What are my dreams? Am I dreaming big enough?
What are my prayers? Are my prayers big enough?
Am I going to wake one day and think of all the missed opportunities, risks I never took, conversations I never had, forgotten dreams, lives not touched, adventures not had? Will I see the person I could have been, that God called me to be, but that I never was because I was too afraid to step out of the boat…?
… Step out of the boat….
That’s a phrase I remember I heard Brother Andrew say once, and it’s stuck with me. I’ve been reminded of it several times since. I don’t want to suddenly realise one day that I’m old and that I haven’t done anything. I think I fear that happening.
But the only way that I can avoid it is by realising that I must give my life, my heart, my body, my time, my dreams, my hopes, my everything for Jesus and his kingdom. John Piper’s ‘Don’t Waste Your Life’ is crossing my mind as I write this…
Anyway, back to boats…
“A ship may be safe in the harbour, but to fulfil its purpose, it has to take on the seas; and no new land was ever discovered without the ship’s commander agreeing to lose sight of the shore he’d embarked from.”
This book has made me see and understand this better. Being a mediocre Christian isn’t good enough. Settling for ‘ok’ isn’t good enough. Jesus said that “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) Taking up our cross means that we have to be willing to die for Jesus. Are you?
Millions of people die across the world without having had the chance to hear about Jesus. How is that fair? And what are you doing about it? Anything? Or nothing? Is your sofa and cup of tea more appealing?
I’m having a go at myself as much as anything as I write this. And that’s why you need to read this book.
Rebecca's Ramblings 