I agree that we all need those times of relaxation. Jesus often fled the crowds to unwind, and He did it in the company of the creation and His Father. We all, as followers of Christ, need to be constantly evaluating what we do for the reasons we do it. First and formost should be the question, “why am I alive?” To which Christ provided the perfect answer: “To do the will of Him who sent me.”

Even the most ardent missionary enjoys times of relaxation. God made this world to enjoy, too. No, it is not our final home, but that does not mean it holds nothing for us.

Still, I believe that Christians can do more to live out their calling than we’re doing now.

I think the mistranslation of the Matthew 18:19 has caused some problems for us. The Great Commission should truly be translated “As you are going, make disciples….” which lends itself to being more of a lifestyle of evangelism than one of hopping onto a plane and flying to Calcutta. We’re to bear the name of Christ wherever we go, whether it be down to the local grocery store or into the village of an unreached people group.

Two things come to mind: “Work out your salvation in fear and trembling” and “These things are written that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.”

We should have no doubt about our salvation, but at the same time, we live in fear and trembling because we are living through grace, and that our salvation is something we do not deserve or earn by our actions. Our actions should be the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and I can’t see that lying on the couch watching TV, or going to see Cars, or shaking our fists at people we consider sinners are the fruit of the Spirit.

While we should not turn to rules and regulations to guide us, we are too often eager to embrace what can only be considered a worldly life because we don’t want to appear legalistic. How many poeple live lives indistinguishable from those of the unsaved, and still call themselves Christians? By what standard are they judging? Because they said a prayer once? Because they consider themselves Christian? That is not Gods standard.

We may say that going to see a movie is not a sin, and it isn’t. But what could we have been doing for the Kingdom while sitting in a theater for three hours? What could a missionary have done with the $20 we spent for a movie?

Well, you reply, we need some time to relax, to enjoy life, don’t we? God doesn’t want me to slog away through every hour of the day, does He? Who says that doing the will of God is slogging, in the first place, and if we seek our own pleasure, what god are we worshipping? Him, or Me?

If we bear fruit we are pruned and cared for so that we bear more. If we do not bear fruit, we are cut off and tossed into the fire. How much clarity do we need?