Eternal Devotion and Servitude

While ironing today I was watching the movie Matrix Reloaded. In one scene a young man is running towards the main character, Neo, played by Keanu Reeves. Neo appears annoyed by the young man approaching and another character comments to him, "You know what they say happens when you save a life," implying this kid will show eternal devotion and servitude to Neo. Sure enough, this young man offers to carry anything Neo needs.

It was the quote that got me: "You know what they say happens when you save a life." It made me immediately think about the fact that I was saved ... saved by the One True God in his Son, Jesus Christ. If that quote and the implied reaction - eternal devotion and servitude - are correct, what does that say about the millions of people who have been saved by Jesus Christ? Are we eternally devoted and serving Him with our whole being?

Jesus asks Simon a question in Luke 7 after telling the story of two men who are absolved of debt by their moneylender: one for 500 denarii and the other for 50. Jesus asks in verse 42: "Now which of them will love him more?" to which Simon responds, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven." This story by Jesus holds comparison to two people, equally forgiven, who apparently had different degrees of sin, one with 10 times as much. Simon acknowledges that the one forgiven the greater multitude of sins will love Christ more than the one with less. Sadly, this may in fact be true. If you lived a life where you committed many sins and Jesus came along and said, "Your sins are forgiven," wouldn't you be eternally devoted and obediently, wholeheartedly serving Him forever? Here's the thing, if all sin is equal in the eyes of God and all people sin, then it shouldn't matter if you've been forgiven for 50 or 500 ... we should be eternally devoted and sincerely serving Him with all we have. We have been saved. Because of Jesus Christ, we are washed white as 30+ inches of snow that recently fell in the Northeast. We are free! We will live for eternity with the One who created things as majestic as mountains, the stars and the ocean and yet saw fit to create us, too. We are that important. We are that loved!

Interestingly, the character Neo in this movie, is referred to as the One. He is the one predicted to save the all humans. We already have that. We already have the One who saved all human beings from themselves. And He paid quite a price for it.

We have been saved by the One. Praying we all move heaven and earth to go out of our way to be eternally devoted to Him and serve Him. Imagine a world where every Christian did that.

A Better Bellwether

In the book of Judges in the Bible, scholars call it the Judge's Wheel. The people sin; they suffer consequences of that sin; they pray to God for a leader to save them; God sends a leader or judge; they obey for awhile; the judge dies and they start sinning all over again. After years of this, the people finally begged God for a king. The Lord tried to convince the people through Samuel the prophet that they did not need a king because they had Him as their leader, but they were not convinced He was enough. The Lord warns them of what the consequences will be once they have a leader: high taxes, daughters taken as wives/concubines, being led in to war, etc. But a leader is what they want, so the Lord gives them one. Then another and another and another. The reign of Kings begins in 1 and 2 Samuel and continues on through the books of 1 and 2 Kings (with 1 and 2 Chronicles expounding or condensing some of those same stories.)

What I noticed about those post-King Solomon kings is what happens to the people based on the personality of the king. If he's a good king, the people follow along and do well. If he's an evil king, they do likewise. It's pathetic really. You never see the people rebel against an evil king, usurp him and put in a good, kind, God-fearing king. They just mull along sheep-like behind the bellwether, regardless of the leadership.

I have noticed this about our presidents, especially in this most recent one. The president can be quite influential. People take note when he speaks. And some will blindly listen and agree due to past affiliations or loyalty. When our recent POTUS chose to support various worldly, cultural choices that were not Biblical, the public in a large way agreed with him. It has been sad to see public opinion sway from Biblically-based morals to solely on the "pursuit of happiness," which I am convinced is not our goal as Christian Americans. The pursuit of God, of Christ, yes, but the pursuit of happiness has brought us to places of complacency with regards to infant killing (abortion), fornication/adultery, gender fluidity and our right to faith. And I believe the consequences on our country if it continues as this rate will be disastrous in many ways.

This is an election year, one I have been waiting for four years ... well, eight if you count the four before that. We have the opportunity, as Christians obedient to the Word of God, to elect into office a person who obeys God, fears Him and loves Him. Because if new leadership does that, he/she will be leading the people based on the direction of the Creator of the Universe, and likewise the sheep will follow the shepherd. Not all of them, but perhaps the majority will see the Light. In the meantime, we need to hold our leadership to a high standard. Compare how they have voted on specific changes in this country with what Scripture commands. If it's not in line with the Word, it's time to find a new leader. Recently Franklin Graham decided to leave the Republican Party after leaders of that party chose to support a bill that funded an organization which commits acts that are in direct opposition to God's Word. Christians, open your eyes. Read the Word. Hear the Word. The Bible isn't a buffet where you get to pick and choose what you want to believe. We need leaders in our country who submit to our One True God. And when our leader is not leading that way, we need to make sure we vote for a replacement who will.

When I read the stories of the people who followed the evil kings in the Bible, I shake my head in frustration at their stupidity. You know it came to a point where the Lord had enough of what the leaders and the people were doing where he took the kingdom away from the king and those who lived there. And likewise in the New Testament when people didn't repent in the cities where Jesus spoke and did miracles, he condemned those cities to the fate of Sodom (Matthew 11:20-24). Woe to us, if we ever face that fate. It's time to be accountable to our God and likewise hold our leadership accountable.

Our future generations are depending on us.