Many people who claim Jesus Christ as Lord, and are indeed saved by His grace, just want to live their lives, they pray, perhaps even study His Word at times, but they do not ask for burdens to be laid upon them. They are content to be followers, not only of Christ, but of their own desires.
That joke about people wanting the Sunday morning service to be over by a specific time so they can get home to watch the game is no joke, it is reality, and the way that these individuals live their lives. It is why the Charismatics have attempted over the last few decades to make a differentiation between “Lord” and “Savior,” their standard statement is “Jesus became my Savior at this age, but He did not become the Lord of my life until this age.” As if there is a difference.
No one can be partially born-again, no one can be crucified more than once, yet this is how many people approach their relationship with the Lord, in part, but never fully. “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:10) Servants, but not wholly, they have in a sense given the right hand of fellowship to the Lord but kept the left for themselves. There is even a terminology for these individuals, they have the moniker of “Carnal Christian,” and most will wear it until they go home.
“Moses my servant,” (Joshua 1:2) “Abraham my friend,” “David a man after my own heart,” all of those names are recorded in Hebrews 11, all of them asked the Lord to place a burden for Him upon them, regular people, just like you and me, for whom following the commandments was not enough.
Many people see complete and total service to the Lord as an inconvenience, they have after all a life to live, places to explore, friends whose company they enjoy, activities of and for the world that call after them each day, and fellowship with Christ every moment of every day is not sought after. He is loved, He is Lord, but only in part.
It is not a matter of “being called” to serve above and beyond, it is a matter of asking to be, Moses did not have to turn aside to see the burning bush, (Exodus 3:2-4) he could have just as easily passed it by. And that is what many do, the Lord indeed places opportunities in front of them, and they recognize them as such, but their life is more important to them than a crucified life.
I firmly believe that if anyone wants to be used by God, they must ask God to use them, and they must mean it, they must learn to put all those desires of the world behind them, they must be willing to give up all their time for Him, they must truly live by those verses that speak of a complete and total trust in Him.
“When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.” (Psalm 27:8) David knew this truth.
“And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.” (Exodus 33:18) Moses knew it, every man of God who has forsaken all for the Lord Jesus Christ knows this.
They are the adamant, frustrated Christians that we so rarely meet, those who would dishonor God are an offense to them, those who believe Sunday morning for an hour or so is the proof of a loving, personal relationship with the Lord they cannot understand, and those who claim that what Jesus Christ did on the cross was not enough for the salvation of their souls, that the grace of God is not sufficient they detest. They hate this world, (1 John 2:15) they hate those that hate Him with a perfect hatred, and so in love they reach out to them. Most Christians do not want to be used, but they want to feel useful, they want to serve, but not fully. You cannot partially be born-again, and no one can be crucified more than once.
