Why limit yourself to vicarious spiritual experiences?
MAY 23, 2007 (WEDNESDAY) – It was the spring of 1957. I was a student at the seminary, working each afternoon in a granary and feed store on Lancaster Avenue just east of downtown Fort Worth. I remember well how dark the skies became that afternoon. At 3:00 p.m., darkness descended. If someone had awakened from a nap about that time, he would have thought it was the middle of the night. Dark, dark, dark.
Then came the thunder and lightning, wind and rain. Wow! What a storm! It was not confined to our part of town. It was all over the area, with many tornadoes spawned that day. A film crew literally followed a tornado down a street in downtown Dallas. It had a small base and moved from one side of the street to the other.
Wanda and I were living in Briar, northwest of Fort Worth, a small community just west of Eagle Mountain Lake. One of our friends was watching the evening news from Dallas and saw the film of the dancing tornado in Dallas. His wife was on the front steps, observing the weather, so he called to her, “Honey, come and see this tornado on TV.” She called back, “I don’t have to see one on TV; I’m looking at one right now.” It was one of many that day,
Why look at movies, when you can see the real thing? Why read books about the adventures of others, when you canhave those adventures yourself? Why limit yourself to vicarious spiritual experiences? When Christians report the joys of serving Christ, do you intend to listen only? You can be a part of what Christ is doing in this world. You can know the joys of serving Him yourself. You don’t have to limit yourself to feeling good about what others are doing for the Lord; you can do those things too.
One of the greatest days in the life of Isaiah the prophet was the day he heard the Lord’s call, “Whom shall I send?” and he replied, “Here I am; send me!” Do you hear the Lord calling? What will your answer be?