Contribution or Total Commitment?

The sermon on Sunday is still in my head - using Judges 4 text about Deborah, it outlined four points for victorious living which are key to escaping a dull spiritual existence. He gave us the history of the text of a people drifting back to old ways.

The speaker told a joke of a pig and a chicken opening a food business together. The chicken suggested they mainline their menu with ham and eggs to which the pig responded 'that only requires a contribution on your part, but on my part a total commitment'. He reminded us what the Lord gave for us in the resurrection, leaving the question of what do we give the Lord in return.

The four items were repentance (v1-3; Acts 3:19), how we deal with our rulers (v4-5; Heb 13:7-17), God's requirements (v.6-7; Mk. 7:6-8; Jms. 1:22), and our responsibilities (v8-10; 1Cor 12; Ro. 12). Then he read a poem of commitment which drove home the attitude of some. It was a humbling reminder of our appropriate response to the Lord, for which I was very grateful. I don't have that poem at the moment, but you might enjoy the following one I encountered today.

After feeding upon that Word, we had our monthly fellowship - good food for body and soul all around!

When I Became a Christian, by Adrian Plass

When I became a Christian I said, Lord, now fill me in,
Tell me what I’ll suffer in this world of shame and sin.
He said, Your body may be killed, and left to rot and stink,
Do you still want to follow me? I said, Amen! – I think.

But , Lord, there must be other ways to follow you, I said,
I really would prefer to end up dying in my bed.
Well, yes, he said, you could put up with sneers and scorn and spit,
Do you still want to follow me? I said, Amen! – a bit.

Well I sat back and thought a while, then tried a different ploy,
Now, Lord, I said, the Good Book says that Christians live in joy.
That’s true, he said, you need the joy to bear the pain and sorrow,
So do you still want to follow me? I said, Amen! – tomorrow.

He said, Look, I’m not asking you to spend an hour with me,
A quick salvation sandwich and a cup of sanctity,
The cost is you, not half of you, but every single bit.
Now tell me, will you follow me? I said, Amen! – I quit.
I’m very sorry, Lord, I said, I’d like to follow you,
But I don’t think religion is a manly thing to do.
He said, forget religion then, and think about my Son,
And tell me if you’re man enough to do what he has done?

Are you man enough to see the need, and man enough to go,
Man enough to care for those whom no one wants to know,
Man enough to say the thing that people hate to hear,
To battle through Gethsemane in lonliness and fear.
And listen! Are you man enough to stand it at the end,
The moment of betrayal by the kisses of a friend,
Are you man enough to hold your tongue, and man enough to cry,
When the nails break your body – are you man enough to die?
Man enough to take the pain, and wear it like a crown,
Man enough to love the world and turn it upside down,
Are you man enough to follow me, I ask you once again.
I said, Oh Lord, I’m frightened, but I also said Amen.
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen,
I said, Oh Lord, I’m frightened, but I also said, Amen.

_{Posted by Paul Mayers on 19 April 2007 at 03:13 PM in Reflections}