Cracking the code

Our youth pastor, Drew, stood in for our Senior Pastor yesterday and preached a wonderful sermon. In that sermon he used that phrase, “cracking the code”. It lead to a lot of thought and
this is what God has revealed to me. If you come here often you know that this blog is about one thing and one thing only, encouraging the reader to get to know Christ. (O.K. we have a little fun along the way and talk some photography, but those are definitely side board issues.)

I believe that people, after a lot of consideration, or facing difficult circumstances come to a decision about a relationship with Jesus. They either decide that they can’t go on without Him, or they aren’t willing to submit to Him, or anyone.

It is the quintessential American attitude to pull ones self up by your boot straps. There is only one problem with that approach to life, no matter how much you accomplish and gain, at some point you will come to a brick wall, and realize your efforts, alone, cannot over come it. You can own everything you ever wanted and still feel empty. You can do all kinds of “good” deeds and still
not feel, fully fulfilled. You can feel loved and still not have the peace and joy you thought that would bring.

The Code is that there is a God shaped hole in all of us, and no matter how hard we try to fill it with other people, accomplishment, and things, it won’t fill the emptiness. You were designed to need God, and God is Love, and He wants and needs you.

A man once told me that he was terrified of what God might do with Him if he submitted to Him.
I can understand the fear of the unknown, but this is not unknown territory. I’m sure you know someone who is fully committed to their relationship with God. Seek them out and ask them if they have any regrets about trusting in Him? I bet you can’t find anyone who will say that giving their heart to God was a mistake.

The people that fight God insist on empirical evidence. Fine, go and ask those that know, and find your own evidence. No matter how many times I encourage that pivotal step in your life, it will not happen until you feel the need to “Crack the Code” for yourself.

the pilgrim