Is It All Sunshine and Rainbows?

2 Timothy 4:10-17B

Beloved:
Demas, enamored of the present world,
deserted me and went to Thessalonica,
Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Luke is the only one with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is helpful to me in the ministry.
I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,
the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm;
the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
You too be on guard against him,
for he has strongly resisted our preaching.

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.

You know I remember when I took on this whole "Christian Thing", I thought it was great. You know I was all pumped on the Holy Spirit. For me it was all Sunshine and Rainbows. Part of me wondered if a unicorn was going to come to me some day out of the forest so that I could ride from town to town proclaiming the Gospel. Until...

WHAM!!!

I'm not talking about the pop group fronted by George Michael. I mean I got knocked down on the seat of my pants. I received my first dose of persecution. I'll be honest if was extremely mild compared to what the early Christians or Christians of the middle east face today. What was my response? Pause, in fact, I began to second guess this whole "Jesus" thing. Today mild persecutions I receive from time to time don't bother me as much. I try and keep the big picture in mind and keep my sight focused on home (Heaven).

Luke 10:1-9

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter,
first say, 'Peace to this household.'
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.'"


Maybe some are thinking, "Well okay with all this persecution stuff I'm gonna just stay home. I mean I love Jesus and all, I don't see the need in going out and getting flack for it. I just need to get me to Heaven right?"

Thing is that Jesus is pretty blunt about the fact that he wants us out there in the real world sharing his word and his brand of love. This can be particularly daunting for fellows such as me who are very insecure around others and group situations, but here we read that Jesus sent out hid disciples. He wants us to go out and he wants us to be aware of the possibilities, however he doesn't want us to worry. Too much is at stake. I mean could you actually look someone in the eye after they have been condemned to hell and say, "Hey look sorry I didn't share Jesus' message with you. I mean come on I was afraid that you might think badly of me. You might have even walked away". I wrestle with this myself from time to time. Thing is when I do share my faith with others it is very rarely a negative experience. Are we all ready to hear Jesus speak to us the next time he wants us to share our faith in him, cause I mean it is there after all right?

Jesus, 

I love you, because you love me, a coward. I love you because you took on so much pain for my sake. I love you because your version of love is the version I have been longing for all my life. Please help me today to go out into the world and share my faith. Help me to share my love for you. Holy Spirit please come down and infect me. Please come down and posses me. Give me all that I need to share the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and most of all be patient with me because after all I am a coward hoping for sunshine and rainbows of eternal Heaven.

In Jesus Christ's name I pray,
Amen