Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Living a legacy part II

A few weeks ago I wrote about how I wanted to live my life in such a way as to leave an impact, to change the world for Christ. I have been reading a biography on William Wilberforce, he is the man that started the effort to end slavery in Great Britain which eventually spread around the world. He was an amazing man, and I think that in looking at his life you would say that the way he lived his life changed the world. I don't know what God has for any of us, but I do know that he is the God of the universe, he made us and he loves us and he is with us, as followers of Christ we, and mainly I mean I should not be timid, or hold back in sharing the gospel because God can use that in big ways. I think we should also dream big, and if God is putting something on our heart we need to go for it. God did not send all of us to be president of the US, but the calling that he has for each of us is just as important!
It's interesting, Wilberforce grew up in a wealthy family, he had all that he needed, and he was bright and successful, and well liked. While he was studying at Cambridge he blew off most of his classes and partied and gambled, and basically wasted his time there because he was told that all he had to do was get through school and go into the family business and he would be well off. It didn't matter what he did with his life, he was going to have enough and live a comfortable normal life. But during his time in college something about that didn't sit well with him, it wasn't enough to just be wealthy and play all the time; he didn't just want to live a good life and die. I don't think there is anything wrong with living a good life, but I think I am focused on that a little too much and I just do what it takes to get by rather than doing the very best I can do to serve Christ with everything that is within me.

I think God has called us to so much more, the life to the full that Jesus promises sounds a lot like the life that Wilberforce lived, it sounds a lot like the life that Peter and Paul and the other disciples lived, they were not merely followers of Jesus but they were ambassadors, here on the earth in a foreign land representing Jesus in the position that he called them to. my prayer is that I would heed God's call, that I would know his voice and then follow him where he leads me and be an ambassador for Jesus! Who knows what would have happened if Wilberforce had decided that he enjoyed partying and gambling and the "good life" too much and decided that he was going to live that for the rest of his life and take the easy road. How many more slaves would have died, how much longer would slavery have reigned terror on people? What is God calling you and I to do? Lets not allow the world and all it's enticement take us away from our mission as an ambassador for the Lord Jesus!

2 comments:

C. Randall Waters said...

I don't remember if we talked about this already, but have you seen Amazing Grace... its about wilberforce.

Megan said...

its cool to think that the same holy spirit that was working in wilberforce is in us. God's power is so great, but how much of it do we really tap into? how much does fear(or for me pure laziness) hold us back from the blessings that God wants to provide?
--ian