What Matters Most?

“Spend an hour thinking about what it will look like when you one day stand before the presence of God.”  This was the challenge given by Francis Chan in his book “Until Unity.” Not an easy thing to do, but so vital in the days we are living in. As I tried to place myself before the Holy Creator God who sees through my soul and nothing is hidden from His fire piercing eyes, I cried out like Isaiah:

“It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have see the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,” (Isa. 6:5).

When that Day comes and we stand before a Holy God Francis Chan asked the question, “What matters the most?” It won’t be how much money you have in the bank, the car you drive, the house you live in, the church you go to, the political party you vote for, how many followers you have on social media, or any of the pleasures we run after, etc.

As I try to envision that Day, “What matters most” will be Jesus! His garments of salvation covering my sin and rebellion with His perfect righteousness is my only hope. All I can do before a Holy God is cry out, “Jesus, Jesus, have mercy on me a sinner!” And believe He will.

The teaching on the Heart of the Father that took place at YWAM had a big cross mounted to a pillar in the middle of the room, it was hard to miss. It served as a powerful visual for what brought students from different nations and tribes together in one place. The only way this could have ever taken place was because of the life changing blood of a crucified Christ who reigns as King of the nations. We were all united through the gift of the Father who gave us His one and only Son Jesus, and it is His blood coursing through our veins that makes us His forever family.

It is through the unity that comes through the Cross that the world will come to believe the message of the Gospel as seen in Jesus’ prayer:

“I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one – as you are in Me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent Me,” John 17:21.

Our desperately divided world needs to see the Father’s love in Jesus through His family that are united around the finished work of the Cross. When you place yourself before the throne of God naked and exposed there is only one thing that matters, Jesus! And our response to the gift given us is to fall down and worship Him.

Francis Chan ends his much needed book on unity with this text from Ephesians 5:18-20:

“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

A church filled with the Spirit will be a worshiping community overcome by glory of Jesus and the gift of the Father. This will attract a divided world.

Find some time this week and try spending an hour placing yourself before the judgment seat of God and let His Spirit speak to you. Ask yourself the question, “what matters the most?”

 

 

 

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