Echoes in Eternity

Alas! And did my Savior bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?
Would he devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

Isaac Watts penned these words in 1885 for the hymn, "At the Cross." Since then, "worm" has been replaced with nicer, more seeker-friendly words. Now many churches are more likely to sing the lyrics "I am a friend of God, I am a friend of God, you call me friend." While somewhat Scriptural, the song ignores the fact that Jesus calls us friends ONLY if we obey Him and follow Him. However, crooning that Jesus is our friend fills the pews a lot more easily than singing that we are maggots. Which leads me to this "review" of Friends of God, a recent documentary by Alexandra Pelosi. While I don't agree with everything the reviewer, Michael Linton, has to say (for instance, he neglects to mention that Focus on the Family primarily took issue with how stay-at-home mothers are portrayed in the film and he tends toward legalism), he makes some very good points about the spiritual loss of perspective in the Western evangelical church. Today, many Christians in this country appear to care more about finding worldly fulfillment and purpose in their lives and much less about following God's commandments, being content with their lives, and reaching the lost. As the writer of Ecclesiastes put it after spending his life pursuing worldly things,

Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot...He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.

Jesus expounded upon that Solomonic idea of simple living, applying it to Christians: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." He DID NOT say, "Once you find a purpose for your life and feel happy, let me know, I might be able to use you." The Christian life involves sacrifice and contentment. The only purpose we are called to have: Live like this isn't our only life to live.