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| Unfinished Task by Cadi Nobles |
| “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” II Timothy 4: 5 A while back, I received news that a friend of mine had been killed in a work related accident. He was young, active, and healthy. In short, the last person in the world that I would have expected to die. It took me totally by surprise and I didn’t quite know how to react. As I sat there, feeling more numb than anything, a sad realization came to me. I had known him for years, and had never asked him if he was saved. I truly do not know if he shared a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. When that event took place, I can’t express in words the awful feeling that swept over me. Suddenly, I was not only shocked about his death, but also confused about my Christianity. If I had really been the Christian that I claimed to be, how could I have known someone for so long and not talked with them about Jesus? The answer was much more simple than I wanted it to be. I wasn’t the Christian that I thought I was. For years I had taken for granted that all my friends were saved because I often mentioned the Lord in our conversations and they didn’t seem to mind. However, I hadn’t actually asked all of them if they shared a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I had been content with a lazy type of religion. I focused more on the things that I shouldn’t do (e.g. steal, swear, lie) and less on the things that I should do (e.g. witness, pray with others, be a light to the world). Although I had never been ashamed of the things that I believe, I had been slow in explaining them to others. In my mind’s eye, I could see the blood of lost souls crying out from the altar. They were calling the names of Christians that did have the opportunity to witness to them about the cleansing blood of Jesus, but had failed to do so. I shuddered to think that a lost soul might be crying out my name. This realization marked a turning point in my relationship with God. I knew that I had been looking at the world trough rose colored glasses and had never seen the real picture. I cannot honestly say that my whole understanding of Christianity changed in one moment. But I can say that my comprehension of what a Christian does changed dramatically. Good Christians are active in their faith. They don’t always just offer to pray for someone, sometimes they offer to pray with them. Visiting the sick and witnessing to the lost are as much a part of their routine as eating and sleeping. Realizing this, I could see just how far behind I had fallen. Did this suddenly make me an ideal Christian? No. Everyday I fight the same battles that I used to. Witnessing still takes patience and some nerve, visiting the sick can be very trying, and praying with people often seems awkward at the time. I do know, however, that I must be a Christian at all times, and that includes asking good friends awkward questions like ‘Are you saved?’ But deeper than the immediate discomfort of the situation, I have a certain knowledge held in my heart. I know the worst feeling in this life, is to find out that someone has slipped into eternity, and not really knowing where they are. I never again want to feel the awful emptiness that once swept over me or to shudder at the thought of some lost soul crying my name from under the altar. |
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