By Asst. Pastor Micah McCurry
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.”
Time and tide wait for no man. Nothing man can do will stymie the slow corrosion of the sea slamming on the coast or the steady tick of the hands around the clock. The God that separated the firmament from the waters and spoke time into existence is the real unstoppable power, of course. Yet we treat his creation, time, as a frivolous and worthless substance.
We know that God will call into account our misplaced time but still choose to waste it. If we are serious about making an impact in our world, friends, family, and churches we must realize that It's Time.
It's Time to Get Stirred Up
According to the Kinetic theory of matter, all matter is made up of atoms and molecules that are constantly moving.
When heat is added to a substance, the molecules and atoms vibrate faster. As atoms vibrate faster, the space between atoms increases. The motion and spacing of the particles determines the state of matter of the substance. The end result of increased molecular motion is that the object expands and takes up more space.
Mass of the object remains the same, however. Solids, liquids and gases all expand when heat is added. When heat leaves all substances, the molecules vibrate slower. The atoms can get closer which results in the matter contracting. Again, the mass is not changed.
So what does atom activity have to do with being stirred? Simply this: when you have no activity, no heat, no fervor, no passion, and no interest in eternal things, you will make no worthwhile impact on your surroundings.
A Cold Christian Bears No Fruit
If you look at any mountain that juts high enough into the sky, you will notice something called the tree line. The tree line is the edge of the habitat where trees are capable of growing. Above the point where the tree line ends the air becomes too thin, the frost becomes too cold, and the lack of moisture becomes too unforgiving to support plant life.
You could almost say that the chances of a tree surviving solely depends on positioning. The modern Christian does not like to hear preaching about hard and fast positions. They would rather play on the edge of a precipice and scream for help when they fall over. We can surmise from this illustration of a tree line that your ability to be healthy, your ability to be stirred, your ability to bear fruit is based off of where you are.
It does not matter why you are not bearing fruit. The judgement will still be the same.
“And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.”
So the next logical question is, where are you? Have you put yourself in a place that facilitates bearing fruit? Are you well placed to be a successful Christian? Or have you gone just beyond the tree line and set up shop?
A Cold Christian Can't Be Stirred
Have you ever left a hot drink in the freezer intending to come back after it cools down? When you finally remember it and go back to try to drink it you discover that it is frozen solid. It is useless as a beverage. You must wait for it to thaw. You can help the heating process by breaking up the larger chunks of ice and stirring occasionally but it will take a while to become a liquid again.
So where are you? Are you so cold and hard that God can only pick off little flecks of ice chips? Are you so cold and hard that no amount of agitation will make you able to be stirred?
God wants to use you. He wants to do great and mighty things through and to your life, but when you make yourself unusable and frigid, He cannot use you.
A Cold Christian Sucks the Heat out of Their Surroundings
Not only can a cold Christian hurt themselves but they also become a hindrance to others. It only takes a few ice cubes to cool a whole glass of water, and it only take a few ice cube Christians to slow the forward movement of a church.
Achan slowed the progress of the children of Israel. 10 spies caused millions of people to suffer in the wilderness for 40 years. Abraham's foolish decision with Hagar has caused God's people millennia of grief. Adam's sin afflicted the entire human race. Don't underestimate the amount of good one person can do or the hurt one person can do.
It's Time to let God stir you up. It's Time to let Him breath some heat into your chilly attitude. It's Time to start giving warmth, and heat, and light to others instead of taking it all for yourself.