Monday, September 7, 2009

Past or Present Tense Savior

So a thought has been brewing in my mind lately. We know people, who shall remain anonymous do to the nature of their work, that work to ensure the safety of Christians in parts of the world where being one will get you killed. They are wonderful people that have such a heart for God, and a heart for persecuted Christians.

Last week(ish), I finished the book Crazy Love by my new favorite author Francis Chan, who by the way has a new book out. The very last chapter talked about being obsessed for Christ. He told stories of people who quit their jobs to do missionary work, a woman who lives in a poverty stricken country to raise a child because the country does not allow her to adopt or the man who uses his social security check to feed the homeless from the bed of his pickup, oh and the pickup is his home.

I read stories of those that are truly obsessed for Christ and I begin to feel unworthy in so many aspects.

So my anonymous friends brought over a story about a girl named Fatima. Fatima was killed by her brother because she became a Christian and he found out. She was killed using torturous methods. The story makes you sick.

Fatima wrote poems on the Internet about her Savior; Christ. Throughout her writings she uses that particular name-Savior.

Our friends asked what I thought about the story. At first, I didn't think much, I knew this happens more often than I like to think about. But once I let the story into my heart and permeate the hollow spots, I realized something.

The way I use the term Savior and the way Fatima used the term Savior seemed to be slightly different.

She knew one day her life may come to an end because of what she believed, BUT she knew her Savior would save her. When I mean save her, I mean save her from Hell from the beatings from death.

When I think of my Savior, I see Him as the one who saved me. I use that term almost like Christ has done, past tense. If I am being honest, I sometimes don't use that name to reference the present.

I don't know where this was going, but it has been on my heart a lot lately. Maybe it will strike a cord with some of you. And then again maybe not.

1 comment:

  1. Yeah... I understand what you're saying... I tend to think of my salvation as a done job too... I've also noticed that when people come to Christ from a different faith, their love and passion is just so different... Maybe its because we know we have escaped the flames of hell... But they know they have escaped a lot more during their life on earth...

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For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. -Corinthians 5:14