Are you in or out?

It's not hard to know if you are "in" and completely committed to Jesus or you are "out" and still wandering.

It happens so many times that we lose focus on what we are doing. If it hasn't happened to you yet, I guarantee it has happened to many souls. Students often get into a "rush hour" when an exam comes up or an assignment is due because they substitute study time for partying time. Athletes do not achieve the promised results because they do not fully commit to the prescribed training regimen. Working adults leave their jobs before they can achieve anything because of the difficult times they may be experiencing.

We usually blame someone or something else for our situations. I was busy, I didn't have time, and so on... I must say that there are times when we are not completely responsible for the situation around us. Often we simply do not fully commit to what we are doing. One day we are "in" and the next day we are "out". It is very difficult to achieve something if we are not determined. So, when you decide to do something, be completely "in".

What does it mean for Christians to be fully “in”? It means that no matter what situation we find ourselves in, we remain believers. By believers, I mean obeying the word of God. Do you know that there is a difference between a believer and a person who knows about God? A believer obeys his word. A person who knows about God acknowledges his word and continues on his own path. He is not completely “in”.

I want to be completely "in", not only today, but also tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after the next day...

I understand that there may be situations and times when we find ourselves in difficulty and are unhappy, but that still doesn't give us a reason why we should stop believing or perhaps wander around as if God doesn't exist at all. We can go through difficult times and still be happy because we know that God cares about us.

Let me briefly define the terms “difficult times” and “I'm not happy”. The former refers to a period, a time frame of a situation that can be changed from a difficult time to a happy time. The latter refers to how you perceive yourself in that situation. You can replace the adjective difficult with its synonyms: hard, sad, unpleasant, without solution. You can also use the same for happy: blessed, easy, pleasant, with direction.

Jesus in his words, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30) offers help in difficult times, direction where there seems to be no guidance, and joy instead of sorrow.

Just think about the situation of one man who was paralyzed (Mark 2:1-12). He was going through very difficult time. I don't know what he was thinking, but surely he wasn't pleased with this situation. Four of his friends brought him to Jesus in very unusual way. They lowered him from the roof. When Jesus saw their faith (Mark 2:5), he immediately forgave his sins and in a moment later he healed him. "I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house." (Mark 2:11) Can you just imagine what Jesus did to this man. He changed his difficult time to happy time and his unhappiness to blessing.

Can this same happen to us? Of course, it can, and it will. But to experience happy moments and be able to say that we are blessed, we must surrender ourselves completely to him, we must believe and be completely “in”.

Let me be to you as the friends of this man who brought him to Jesus. Let me lead you to Him and you will see what the words of this worship song truly mean.

Reach out and touch the Lord

As He passes by

You will find He's not to busy

To hear your heart cry

He is passing by this moment

Your needs to supply

So reach out and touch the Lord

As He goes by