Barest Escape

"Barest Escape" was the headline on the story by Terrence Moore in this morning's Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the Atlanta Falcon's victory over the Chicago Bears yesterday afternoon. I thought their win was the result of the resolute will "not to give up no matter what" that their Coach seems to have instilled in the players, but Mr. Moore has a way of seeing everything through negative eyes. Many things in life are simply a matter of perspective. But that's a discussion for another day.

Today, my heart is pondering a question about Christians and why so many seem content to "barely escape." In 1 Corinthians 3, God reveals to us through the Apostle Paul that we who have been reconciled to Christ will one day stand before Him in judgement for the lives we have lived since the moment of our salvation. There at the Judgment Seat of Christ, our works will be reviewed by our Savior and each one of us will be given a reward in measure to the works that prove Christ-like and worthy.

It is reassuring to learn from God through Paul that our salvation, that is our guaranteed entrance into Heaven through His atoning, substitutionary work at Calvary, is not in jeopardy. God's Word makes it clear that only our works are being judged. And then Paul writes, under the graceful direction of God, that even if a person's works are burned up totally so that no reward remains, he will still be saved and gain entrance into God's Heaven but only as a person escaping through the flames.

Now I don't know about you, but I don't want to enter into my Heavenly home with the smell of smoke hanging on me. But to observe the lives of many and see they ways they act, hear the ways they talk, to experience the ways they carelessly handle the treasure of salvation that has been given by a gracious and loving Savior leads me to conclude that far too many of those who are blood-washed are satisfied to squeak into Heaven "by the skin of their teeth."

The Christ-like life is to be lived with every effort being made to give ourselves to the Master in every way so that when we stand before Him at His Judgement Seat and our works are tried by fire, there is some precious good left after the flames have died. That is called our reward in the above referenced passage. And I want to have a reward so that I can, hopefully, give it back as an offering to my Savior, face to face.

Christian, let's live today for Jesus. Just today. Then we'll live tomorrow for Him as well. Let's pray today as if today would be our last opportunity to talk to Jesus, our last opportunity to pray for our families, our last opportunity to seek His face for national and personal revival or our last opportunity to call the name of that lost one we care so much about before God's throne of Grace. Today. Just today. It's really all we have to give to Jesus, so let's let Him have it. All of it. And if we can do that each day for all the the todays He gives us, we will stand before Him knowing that when the flames of judgement have consumed all they can, our good works will remain as gold, silver and precious stones. All to His Glory.

In His Name
Walter