THE SEVEN HUNDREDTH POST

BY STEVE DUNN

This post marks a milestone. It is the 700th post  of LIFE MATTERS. Since I began posting on Blogger, LIFE MATTERS has been view 41,853 times by people around the world. For blogger such as myself, this is tremendously gratifying. (In 2010, in attempt to increase my audience  I began posting on Wordpress and that version has been viewed now by another 41,853 people.

It seems like number 700 ought to be special–particularly significant.

When I started writing LIFE MATTERS my intention was to have an ongoing dialogue with people in our culture and the broader community. I am unashamedly a Christian, a disciple of Jesus Christ. A whole lot of people like Jesus, but they are not too fond of Christians. I am convinced that part of the reason for this is they know only Christians via the media, which loves to focus on the extremists in our midst. An authentic Christian, who is just trying to be like Jesus and do what Jesus would do in a manner consistent with what the Bible teaches us about Jesus — that person is often unknown by the prevailing culture. Part of that is because too many Christians live in bubbles, isolated from people not like them; or they live anonymously, as if their faith is simply a private matter.

Neither of these images match what the Bible teaches about followers of Jesus. Christians are called to be salt and light in the world, which means we must live in the world. Christians are called to embody the DNA of Jesus (we call it incarnate living). Not being representatives of a cultural Christianity that is often personal desires baptized with scripture; but being people on mission with Jesus.

I am who I am by the grace of God. You know the children’s song that goes, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” (John 3)

I am who I am because the God of all the universe intervened in our world to once again create a relationship with humankind who had chosen to be its own God–and that clearly was not working.”In just the right time, while we were yet powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5)

I am who I am not because I have a religion but because I have a personal relationship with Jesus, one where he is the Master and I am the disciple. He is not my co-pilot, he is the captain of my fate, the Master of my soul. I am who I am because by trusting Jesus I have learned that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him and are called by his purpose” and the “nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, my Lord.” (Romans 8)

Because of Jesus I believe life matters and my life matters and it is the passion of my heart for other people to find that same wholeness and joy that only Jesus can bring.

(C) 2013 by Stephen L Dunn