-The Chasm-
There is a spiritual chasm that
divides God’s
It is very hard to take the first step over the chasm, trying to concentrate on Jesus voice, not looking down at how far one can fall, all the way to hell, if one goes off the edge. Turning back and looking at all you have left behind, all those not in Christ, spouse, children, loved ones, friends. Giving up all of your earthly wealth, pleasures, and accomplishments for the Lord. Some are able to go right across the chasm at our Lord’s bidding. Others must go one step at the time, often wondering what they are doing here, that they really can’t go any farther, that it is crazy trusting Jesus Christ for everything. Sometimes they even take a step or two back towards worldly ideas. But when with each step one feels the firm underpinning of the path, the magnitude of Christ’s love for us, the trust starts to build. This trust keeps increasing more and more as one makes their way across, until there is no fear that can keep us from crossing the chasm. We are satisfied and happy to become individually autonomous as part of Christ’s family, our only claim to fame being how much the Lord loves us.
There are many who come to the chasm and look to find a better way to cross it. Let us build a big, beautiful church and school to worship the Lord with. Let us find the best pastors and teachers to fill our church and school to the hilt. Surely this will get the Lord’s attention and He will provide a wider pathway for us to cross. Others bring the most intelligent, learned people together for surely they can devise a superior crossing over the chasm. Some provide money for the poor, the needy, often by tithing their earnings and giving them to the church. Surely the Lord will notice such good works and help us across the chasm. Many fight for the rights of all people for surely human bondage through slavery is what the Lord detests most. It is much worse than slavery to sin, and by freeing others the Lord will make a better path for us. These and many other groups stand looking out at the crossing, waiting for the Lord to make it easier for them to come into His Kingdom. These people believe they are doing all that is humanly possible to carry out Christ’s work on earth and are merely waiting for their just rewards. There are so many that are searching to be part of the Lord’s Kingdom. But they are never willing to completely let go of their own will, their own thinking, to trust in Jesus to guide them across the chasm.
Some look at the narrow crossing and think the only way across is to have a guide show them the way. They turn to pastors and leaders for help. But man is an imperfect being. It is too easy for the leaders and pastors to focus on how important they are to those crossing. They forget they are only relaying the Lord’s commands. They try and use their own reasoning, not concentrating on what Jesus is saying. They are mere mortals who can lose their way on the path, often taking with them all who were following. Man cannot save anyone. No intermediary can guide or tell you how to across the chasm. They can only tell you where to start. This trip to cross the chasm, this battle to save your soul is between you and your God alone.
There are many people who have never even considered crossing the narrow path. They live on the human side of the chasm believing God will someday provide a safe crossing for them. A better crossing that will not be as risky or require one to give up so much. The rich and powerful live by the narrowest part of the chasm. They can afford the more expensive property and await the Lord in lavish luxury. Someday this will make a shorter trip across the chasm for them, and they tend to have the most baggage to bring. All the ego, pride, and pleasures that will suffice to make God’s Kingdom bearable. A little farther down all the women are gathered waving their flags of women’s rights for the Lord to see. Surely He will make an easy pathway for them so God’s kingdom can be fair and more efficient with women having equal leadership with the men. Then come all the leaders and pastors of the churches. They all have out their degrees, their letters of praise, and figures showing how their work expanded the congregations. They can help show the Lord how to make His kingdom grow. Next in line are all the people who would believe devoutly in their church denomination no matter what it may be. Their attitude is I was born a _____ I was baptized a _____ and I will die a _____. They all wait for God to vindicate their choice as the correct church by making a crossing specifically for their denomination. For surely no one can get into the Lord’s kingdom if they are not of the right denomination. Farther down a group disputes the need to be married before sex. This is a little old fashioned and to bring a little sex along might help spice up the Lord’s kingdom. What about those poor people who have homosexual desires. Surely a little homosexual baggage is only fair for those deprived of their heterosexual desires. Others pack in their suitcases the correct worship service, whether it be classical, liturgical, contemporary, on a certain day, or many other requirements. One needs to help the Lord worship correctly. Others baggage includes man made rules needed for one to be a part of the Lord’s kingdom. Surely there should be closed communion and statues of saints for all to pray to, while alcohol consumption should be off limits for all. There is so much baggage that the world would bring, and it keeps piling up higher and higher as all believe they have the correct way to make a path across the chasm by perfecting the Lord’s kingdom on earth. Words alone cannot describe the whole picture. All the baggage piled up waiting to be moved across the chasm. The confusion as all the people believe they have the correct answer to crossing the divide. Some discuss their beliefs philosophically and civilly. Others argue back and forth. The extreme protest and demonstrate loudly, for surely God will hear them. The saddest part is these people believe they are with the Lord, they are just waiting for Him to justify their human beliefs and make them a path to His kingdom. They are oblivious to the fact one must relinquish their human will to find the Lord. No person can serve two masters. Which master will we trust, God or our own human will?
Those who reside in God’s Kingdom and still live on earth are not the perfect people one would expect. They only know how to fall down on their knees and ask Jesus to forgive them. The more they learn about Jesus, the more they realize how sinful they are. Their only worth lies in the fact God gave His most precious possession to save them, His only son Jesus Christ. Many come in as little children, others find Christ on their deathbed. Some have their whole families with God and always have been close to him. Others have been very desperate people and have lived in Satan’s playground. They have done every imaginable sinful thing. The rough roads and terrain they have been over are littered with lost souls. But somehow they hear the Holy Spirit and follow Him to the chasm. After all the trouble they have been through they know this may be their last chance. They have no fear of falling down into the chasm, they only fear they cannot be forgiven. They pray to Jesus to rid them of all the evil they have trapped inside their bodies. They cannot believe the answer is so simple, that the free gift of Grace through Christ makes their bodies whole once again. They do not understand why so many others, the prominent to the insignificant, are still on the outside looking in.
All true believers compose God’s
Kingdom. Not all who enter this Kingdom stay. For the
light is at your back making the pathway easy to see as one crosses back into
Satan’s worldly domain. Some try to go from side to side trying to straddle the
fence. But it is always easier to cross the path back to the world and this is
where most straddlers end up. God’s Kingdom, the true
Christian Church is not any particular building or religious denomination.
Christ’s Church is the hearts and souls of all who truly believe in their Lord.
They worship together to gain strength to stay in God’s will, spread His word
throughout the world, and help their fellow man. Loving all as Christ loved
them. Daily all the faithful go out in the world working for their Lord and
their own earthly needs. When the workday is done, they come home to the Lord
in their prayers. Laying all their happiness, cares,
thankfulness, and troubles at His feet. Trusting the
Lord to always take care of them. We each have the choice of where we
want to reside, where our home will be throughout eternity.