TESTED IN ADVANCE

The Christian’s life of service starts when we are ‘born again’.

And many of us wonder what happens to us then.

We think of harps and flowers and wispy fluffy clouds.

Of sitting back relaxing away from all the crowds.

I wonder where this came from? Who started off this tale?

It isn’t in the Bible; look for it and you’ll fail.

The concept of the afterlife is full of crazy notions.

Like Peter at the Pearly gates or prearranged devotions.

But like so many strange ideas that we have all been told,

They cannot be relied upon. It’s junk that’s bought and sold.

The moment we are “born again”, the demons “do their nut”.

They’ve lost their slender grip on us and we become the but,

Of general derision. Our friends think we are mad.

“How could you be a Christian?” They think it’s rather sad.

But as the days go marching by and we’re enthusiastic,

They start to change their words into, “Your faith is only plastic.

Just watch and see what happens. In just a year or two,

You’ll have another change on mind, and then what will you do?”

But what we’re not aware of, within the Spirit realm,

The Holy Spirit’s leading us with Jesus at the helm.

It is the start of testing which will not ever end.

Until we’ve run the race of life as one of Jesu’s friends.

The tests will get much tougher as each day passes by.

Sometimes you’ll feel so horrible you’ll ask if you may die.

It’s certain you will make mistakes. We’re human after all.

And even though the Master is constantly on call,

There’s times you will be headstrong, quite unintention’ly.

And that is when you’ll “bump your nose” most unexpectedly!

These are the normal trials that face us every day.

These are the normal “building blocks” that all of us must lay.

The foundation is Jesus. He never will collapse.

But what you build upon Him will, often make you gasp.

You thought of precious metal like silver or like gold.

And so you laboured ceaselessly. You thought you had been told,

To carry out some project and then, to your dismay,

You find out your material was wood or straw or hay!

Then on the day of judgement He’ll set your work alight.

That’s when you’ll know for certain if you did get it right.

The very precious metals, the fire will purify.

The wood and hay and stubble will burn away and die.

The way to know the difference now is if you start to pray.

Ask the Lord to show you now if this is the right way.

Then all that you’re constructing will be tested in advance.

And nothing will be burned away or simply left to chance.

Jim Strickland – written Sunday, 12 June 2011