Need.Your.Help
It’s three in the morning when a man is diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. Instantly his response is to call for the hospital Chaplin. The Chaplin is woken by the midnight phone call as the nurse explains this cancer patient’s urgency in wanting to speak with God. Half asleep the Chaplin gets out of bed and makes his way over to the hospital that the patients request. Upon arrival the Chaplin is rather shocked to find the patient in high spirits. The Chaplin introduces himself and says, “You certainly don’t look like the typical person who has just been hit with bad news.”
“Your right,” explained the patient, “The doctors got my results mixed up with someone else’s. I don’t actually have cancer so you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”
Rather bewildered the Chaplin stammers, “So you don’t want to ask any questions about God tonight?”
“Well why would I? I’m not dying. I’ll deal with God when I have to.”
Half in shock, half asleep still, 100% confused the Chaplin turned around and headed back to his car to go home.
The religion of fear is one that lives deep down inside even the greatest of atheists. We interact with God much like we interact with an annoying boss or a bad professor. We only want to deal with that person when we absolutely have to. We coming running to God verbally repentant saying things like…
“God I know I’ve made some mistakes but if you’ll just, then I promise to…”
“Lord if you would just, then I promise this will be the last time that I will…”
“I’ll do anything you want just give me…”
We try and manipulate God as if He is swayed by our proposals. As if he is moved by our bargaining skills. Like He’s just another human that we can use for our own personal gain. But you know what’s funny about this whole thing, is I’ve come to learn that the one thing God will ask us to do is the one thing that we would never be willing to do in those moments. We come to Him saying we would be willing to do anything but the one thing he wants is our complete surrender with no expectations in return. The one thing he will ask for is our lives on the simple basis that he is worthy, not because he is a giver of gifts. Yet in that moment we are so wrapped up in our religion of fear that letting go simply isn’t an option.
God can I be honest tonight? I’m terrified. And this religious system of fearful manipulation sounds so good right now. Can I be blunt Lord? I’m confused. And this religious system of fearful manipulation seems so much better than the system you created. Jesus can I be real with you right now? I’m sick of this. And this religious system of fearful manipulation where I get what I want and you can pretend that my best is half decent sounds really good right now. God, I know what you’re asking for and it’s the hardest thing to do while I know it’s your only option. Logically, intellectually, mentally, I get that, I understand. Emotionally, physically, spiritually, I don’t get that, I’m lost.
So verbally I declare you as the Lord of my life to get this thing started but you need to show me what that looks like tomorrow morning because I’m starting to buy into this religion of fear thing I know that doesn’t work. I know what you’re asking for. I know what you want. And I know that I Need.Your.Help
-Billy
