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When I hear the word “censor,” I think of the bleep sound I hear when someone swears on live TV. Censoring serves its purposes.
When I think about God, in my head – He’s the most important thing in my life. But I’d rather only eat Fiber One cereal for a month than say that out loud.
When it comes to God, I play the censor, I’m my own bleep button.
When I tell someone about good news that was an answer to prayer, I’ll easily censor out the prayer part and just let the good news fall under the category of my brains, talent, and personal capability, which we all know is actually quite miniscule.
It’s disappointing when I find myself bleeping God out of my life. I don’t give Him credit or glory. I don’t give Him the opportunity to work in or through me. I don’t allow Him to reach the person I’m talking to. I make the call, say “no,” and I shut the door.
Call me bashful, embarrassed, scared. Call me selfish. This is wrong. My purpose on earth is to show people Christ and I shut Him out?
It really makes me consider the purpose of the testimony. The story that is God’s story in each of our lives. Or rather, the lives that make up and tell God’s story. Each of us has been given an individual journey – directed by God – through which we can tell the greatest story of love, sacrifice, saving and redemption ever told. This is better than a movie. Yes, this is better than The Lord of the Rings, people.
And this is happening in our lives. Right now. If we choose to see it. If we choose to let the power of the gospel grip our hearts and move us with its power and its beauty. A perfect man was born. Better than any romance. A perfect man scared His disciples as He walked on the Sea of Galilee. Better than any comedy. A perfect man died for us. Better than any tragedy. A perfect man saved the world. Better than any epic adventure. And this is each of our lives.
If we let this truth permeate our lives, we are living the perfect romance, comedy, tragedy, and epic adventure. We are living the perfect victory. Why would we censor that? Why would we censor the greatest thing that’s ever happened to us?
When someone falls in love, they tell everyone. Their family, their friends, the world wide web. Facebook knows before some close relatives, but eventually everyone knows. We don’t censor our love for someone. Jesus never censored His love for us. In fact, “we love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19). There’s no censoring that. He is our source. He is our salvation. He is our solution. Completely uncensored and presented for the world to see.
Follow Jana on Twitter: @Jana_Stambaugh