Set It, And Forget It!

Sometimes in the wee hours of the morning—after hours of reading my Bible...(well, ok… maybe I was simply staying up late because I’m still a teenager at heart) I still see some classic infomercials on TV selling their wares. One of the timeless infomercials who’s slogan stuck with everyone, and is still used to this day, is “Set it, and forget it!”. Who knew that a rotisserie appliance could make its mark in history like that.

It got me to thinking, though, that Christianity is often approached in the same manner. We “Set it, and forget it”. I suppose you could spin it to say, “Salvation, then vacation”. It’s pretty easy to get complacent or unmotivated when your eternal destination has already been established. Some are blessed with an uncanny fervor to grow and grow in their relationship with God. For some of us…getting a bit too comfortable and lax crops up years later.

In Acts we find that the disciples Peter and John were going into the public courts, not long after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, and teaching all of Jerusalem about the power of Jesus Christ; they were healing in Jesus’ name and converting people by the thousands. The Sadducees, that priestly group of highbrowed mucky-mucks, commanded them to stop. Of course they said they wouldn’t…that their loyalty was with God, not man. They kept at it every day and were even imprisoned, only to be divinely set free much to the amazement of the Sadducees that put them there. When they found them once again in the temple courts praising God and converting people they….well, Acts 5:40-42 says it best:

“…They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”

Wow! Flogged and praising God for it. The “Set it, and forget it” motto just doesn’t enter the picture when you are truly filled with the Holy Spirit. I wish I could claim to have the same zeal and commitment Peter and John displayed, but I struggle daily all the same. I do know, however, that I will never take my salvation for granted like a one-time purchase off an infomercial.

I pray for every believer, myself included, that the Holy Spirit will energize and revitalize each and every one of us and that we can take that pride of salvation to every listening ear. After all, that’s what we’re all here for.

Blessings!

Greg Morton
© March 14, 2010

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