Becoming- Ready

I was talking to a friend of mine the other night on the way back to Davenport about this sermon series (he found this blog) and he brought up a valid point that I'd like to spend a few minutes on.

In the drive to become better Christ-followers I think that many times we are guilty of perpetually focusing on "becoming" rather than "being." One of the points to this weeks lesson was David's readiness for action.
I have certainly been guilty of spending more time questioning what and how God wants me to act then actually acting at times. There is this fine line that we have to walk as Christ-followers between seeking the will and timing of God and carrying out the action.
Jesus was perfect at this. He constantly spent time seeking God and keeping his relationship with God healthy and yet he never missed an opportunity to act.

What if Jesus had spent time questioning the crowd about the details of how they found the woman in John instead of having compassion on her, saving her and teaching them.

What if he had decided that the rich guy in front of him was more important and had passed by the woman with the bleeding problem in Matthew 9.

What if Jesus had decided that God wasn't giving him a clear enough answer in the Garden of Gethemane and had put off his sacrifice until God gave him a sign.

While "becoming" the person that God created us to be we have to make sure that we don't pass by the opportunitiies that He puts in front of us to "be" like Him.

I know that I have missed way to many opportunities in my life. Sometimes I even have great excuses. I wonder how He'll respond to those excuses.

One of the passages that I had wanted to use this week is in Matthew 25. The entire chapter is a call for us to make sure that we stay attentive and ready for Jesus' return. At the end of the chapter He tells us that when the time comes, God will seperate out the people who have lived their lives in readiness. They will be people who accepted, obeyed and followed Christ's example. He explains the criteria this way-

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Matthew 25:34-46(NIV)

Now while I know that it's really PC and in vogue to be conscious, aware and active in helping those around us who have needs, it has ALWAYS been the work of Jesus' kingdom to be the hands and feet of God. It has always been the work of the church to love, to care for and to introduce people to the presence and provision of our Father.
Let's never forget that "becoming" doesn't mean being self-absorbed, segregated or out of touch. "Becoming" means "being ready" to act, whenever and wherever God puts an opportunity in front of us.