Sara J. Mikkelson
Did you grow up in a good Christian home? One where you go to church every week to sing praise songs and listen to a sermon, where you read your Bible (your preferred translation and format) in the comfort of your own bedroom, and you knew the answers to some of life’s biggest questions before you graduated from high school. If so, I’m sure you’ve heard over and over again that you are incredibly blessed.
Unfortunately, many young people resent having grown up in a “sheltered” home with “over-protective” parents and rebel by rejecting their parent’s faith. This is truly a tragedy, because these kids know better. They have been heavily blessed, but don’t really appreciate their blessings. On the other hand, many Christian young people do keep the faith of their parents, but keep it to themselves. Friend, we have been blessed that we might be used to bless others! We have been given the Light that we might share it with the dark world around us. It’s a huge and heavy responsibility (but one we don’t bear alone, for He is with us).
” . . . For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more” ~ Luke 12:48
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I frequently hear my good Christian friends talk about Jesus’ second coming when they hear of another natural disaster or war. Yes, Heaven is our true Home and we want all the problems in the world to come to an end, but it’s important to remember that it’s by God’s grace that He hasn’t come yet. Once, I was having a series of conversations about spiritual things with a younger girl and she asked me, “why are we all still here?” I remember looking her straight in the eye and telling her, “because He wanted you.” The Lord Who created the universe loves you and me so much that He wanted to give us a chance.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” ~ 2 Peter 3:9
He wants to give others a chance too, and He wants to use us as tools to reach them. You have been burdened with blessings – whether you grew up in a comfortable conservative home-school family or as a lonely orphan in a third-world country. God has given you the precious gift of time . . . and it’s ticking away! Maybe we should spend less time wondering if the second coming will happen in our life time (if you’re a Christian, you know where you’re ending up, regardless of when and how you go) and spend more time praying for and reaching out to those who still need another chance before the end comes.
