Jump Off The Log

Here is another wonderful little tidbit from the book I am reading Fire and Rain, The Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah, by Ray Pritchard.

Three frogs are sitting on a log.  Two descide to jump off.  How many left?

Now at first you are probably saying what in the world is this about?  Who cares about these frogs on a log.  But the illustration has alot to do with us as Christians.  The answer to the question is this, three are left on the log.  The two had only decided to jump of but until the actually do they are still on the log.  The same is true in descision to follow Jesus Christ.  Until we actually start to follow Him, to be like Him, to change our lives we have not actually done.  this same fact applies to all aspects of our lives as well.

When I read this I began to think of all the times I have heard the phrase "I have decided..." and then how many times it resulted in actual action.  I thought about even how I wittness to others regarding my faith, do I say "when I decided to follow Jesus" or "if you decided to follow Jesus" because it matters.  Even in the plans that I make in my head or the ones I express to others, they are only just that until I make them happen.

Me coming to Afghanistan, was a descision but until it was under way was just that.  I could have planned and committed but without actuall going through with it it would have been just nothing but a descision.  I now, as the time comes close to go home am full of plans for the future, both near and far.  None of them, not even the classes I have registered for, mean anything until I actually put them into action.

So a descision to follow Jesus Christ is just that until we move in the direction of Him and begin to actually apply the Gospel into our lives and actions.  Even more then that and most importatntly is that we must place in our heart the real faith in Him and allow the Holy Spirit to direct our lives and actions.  It must become more then just superficial change it must be actual Spiritual change resulting in apperent fruit in our lives.  For instance the Disciples when called, dropped everything they knew at the time and followed Jesus.  They didn't just decided to believe in Him and continue to fish, they dropped everything and followed Him.  We then see from that point on transformation in each of them.

So reflect on your descions a bit, on the things in your life where you have descided to do something.  Maybe even told someone about it.  Now how many times did you actually jump of the log?  How about those of you that believe in God, but don't know even the first thing of the Bible?  Are you still on the log, waiting for something to actually get you to jump?  Maybe cancer, or the death of a loved one or some other thing that all of a sudden makes you think that you must put into action what you have just up till now only descided would be good?

Christians, or log sitters, have you jumped in the water or are you just sitting on the log of following Jesus?  Do you just hop out onto the log each Sunday so that your children who are watching from the shore may think that you are going to jump, but each week you just return to the shore with a smile saying that you have gone in the water.  How about the feelings that we gat sometimes about Spiritual things, maybe about joining a small group, discipleship triad, maybe volunteering or wittnessing to others?  How many times do we say a have decided but we don't jump?  How many times do things pass us by with just that, only a descision? 

What this boils down to is that we must at the core of everything, have faith in what we believe, the Word of God and apply this into true action and transformation in our mind, body and soul.  We accept Jesus Christ as Lrod and Saviour then or lives must be obediant and follow not only the Word but the Spirit and we must strive in all things to be obediant and fruitful with eternal change.  We must jump, not just walk onto the log, or put our toe into the water, jump!  If we trust the Word then we know that we will be ok, even if this world sees it differently we will be then fully surounded by Him and in that we are, and always will be ok.

With this, when those on the shore see us completely under the water, in the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, there will be no question as to who were are and what we are about.  If we reamin on the log, those on the shore can rightfully say, he is no more in the water then I am.

Lord Jesus, may the words of my mouth and the desires of my heart be only a fleeting instance before I jump into the water.  May I trust in you, and may my life be full of actions for you and because of the Spirit that is within me.  May those that have not decided to jump jump fully into your Word and care and love you with all of their heart, all of their soul and all of the mind so that they truly have transformation as a Follower of the Lord.  Amen.