Soul Care - Urgency
by Mary Elsbury
When I was a youngster, I could not wait until the big Sears catalog was delivered. It was around 500 color pages of clothes and toys that I would pour over in anticipation of Christmas. I would dream of the Barbie and GI Joe dolls that might show up under my tree. As the days drew closer to those presents being unwrapped, the anticipation would build. Christmas morning would arrive and finally all the badgering and persistence would pay off – or not.
Life is still like that. When there is something that we want, we go after it with every ounce of our being. But are we seeking the right things?
I was in college when I was shown the plan of salvation and realized that I was a sinner that needed Jesus. A couple of girls in my dorm shared the truth that everyone needs a Savior. They broke down the basic components of the Gospel that were easy for me to understand. First, the Problem is sin. It is universal, and at some level, almost everyone acknowledges that they fall short of either God’s standards or their own: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Second, the Penalty for my sin is death. Romans 6:23 states that “the wages of sin is death.” This is not physical death, but spiritual. The result of sin is eternal, spiritual separation from God. Third, we have the Provision via Christ’s death for our sin; He pays the penalty for us. Finally, there is a Decision we each need to make, to place our faith in Christ and accept Him as Lord and Savior.
This month, our word is URGENCY. Meaning “swift action,” “immediate attention,” and “top priority.” Society today is more concerned about smoothing things over rather than ruffling feathers. Being politically correct and socially conscious ranks higher on the scale than calling out what is contrary to the Bible. Despite the urgency of our own times, people have a lackadaisical attitude toward life. Our secular society has shrugged off religious concern. Governments consistently attempt to marginalize Christianity, while large numbers of people seek other avenues to spirituality.
Meanwhile many Christians have lost the urgency of their task. I’m an advocate of Bible study, personal devotions, daily quiet times, church attendance, and Christian reading. I believe we should surround ourselves with godly friends and influences. But there’s a danger to that. We can become so comfortable in our Christian routines that we grow content and complacent.
In my opinion, we are turning a blind eye on what is happening around us. How does Satan keep people blinded? Have you listened to the news, looked through Twitter or Facebook? Everyone holds the belief that they are right, their view is correct, and everyone else is wrong.
2 Corinthians 4:4 states that, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
This is the tragic depiction of the state of people apart from Christ. Satan is holding them hostage, keeping them in prison, and blinding them to the Gospel. As Paul states in Ephesians, they are “without hope and without God in the world.”
Our goal should be to share our personal story with someone today. Shake off the feelings of complacency and use the power of the Holy Spirit to simply share your testimony about a life changed by Christ. We are called to spread the Good News, to be witnesses, and we have no time to waste.
