My friend and I were having a discussion the other day about the evil of abortion. We had both just listened to a radio interview of an author who had written a book about Dr. Kermit Gosnell - Americas Most Prolific Serial Killer. Graphic descriptions of abortion procedures were portrayed and, in the end I felt a new sense of conviction in my heart about this murderous procedure. How could ANYONE have an abortion!?! I was about to find out . . . that I had already had one.
The following day I was listening to a message by Chuck Swindoll. It was about applying what we learn in the Bible to the living out of our daily lives. It was a fairly convicting message about obedience and faithfulness. Pastor Swindoll gave the following quote which he attributed to Howard George Hendrick - his professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. It was a slap in the face to me. A wake up call.
"If you observe and interpret and correlate the scriptures, but fail to apply the scriptures, you have committed an abortion."
Well, that's a fairly shocking statement. But as I began to examine my life and my decisions, my failure to act or to speak in certain situations, I began to understand what Mr. Hendrick meant.
You have heard it said that God has a plan for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11). You have also heard it said that God gives us gifts to be used for His glory (1 Peter 4:10). And you have also heard it said that God gives us new life in Him (Ephesians 2)
If we have been born again, with new life, and we have been given gifts, specifically for bringing God glory through their use, what if we don't use them? What if we ignore the gifts that God gives us and refuse to act. Aren't we in effect, killing the very thing God created in us? Aren't we aborting God's plan for us?
We are all good at something. Our challenge is to figure out what we can do to glorify God using the gifts that we have been given. It's not all that hard to figure out. What's difficult is getting off our butts to do it. We get overly comfortable with the lives we live. But guess what . . . "comfortable" is not where God is.
I spoke earlier about MY "abortion". . . my not acting by not using my gifts at times. For example, I have been given the gift of compassion and mercy by God. I don't use those gifts as often or as intentionally as I should. I allow other things to get in the way. That is a sin to me. God created me to do those things and when I don't do them, the person God created me to be in that moment dies. Oh Lord, may I be ever watchful and ever mindful of situations where my gifts could be used for your glory.
We all need to follow where God leads us. Sometimes it can be a bit scary to do so. But if we follow where God leads us we can actually be the Pro-Life Christians we claim to be. Let us not get comfortable in our faith but follow where God leads us. May we be obedient to our calling and glorify HIS Name above ALL names.
Don't Get Comfortable - Brandon Heath
The Parable Of The Talents
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