Perhaps the biggest challenge facing most Christians today is not that they won’t spend eternity with God but that they don’t spend today with God. 

Here’s what I mean.

If you trust in the risen Jesus—in who he is and what he has done for you on the cross—your sin is forgiven. You are given eternal peace and reconciliation with God, both in this life and the next. This is a free gift of God’s grace, received through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Praise be to God!

But that doesn’t necessarily mean you are living each day with wisdom, love, freedom, clarity and strength. 

Let’s say you make the football team. The other players on your team eat well, stretch, do strength training at the gym, listen to the coach, study the plays, and give it their all in practice. 

You, however, don’t do any of those things. When you get the occasional shift on the field you get pummeled. Plus, you put your team at a disadvantage. In fact, the other team loves it when you come onto the field because you’re an easy target. 

Do you get where I’m going with this?

Just because you’re “on the team” (i.e. adopted into the household of God and therefore going to spend eternity with him), that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being effective in your daily battles.

Life is hard. And yet, many Christians think that saying Yes to Jesus is the end of the story, when it’s only the beginning.

In James 4:8 he says: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” In a sense, God is always “with” his people. But when you intentionally draw near to him, he draws closer to you. Since he is none other than Lord God the Almighty, that makes all the difference in your life.

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing most Christians today is not that they won’t spend eternity with God but that they don’t spend today with God. 

Let’s make choices today to walk with God—and may we therefore live with the wisdom, love, freedom, clarity and strength that he intends for his people.

Notes:

-“Welcome to the War (Daniel 10)” Click here. Sermon.

-“3 Prayers Married Christian Men Should Say” Click here, or find it on ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.