Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!
The Realization
The Christian Life
A Step Before Salvation
Many people claim to be Christians for reasons that, while common, do not truly define a Christian life. They may believe in God, say a prayer, attend church, grow up in a Christian family, or even read the Bible. Yet none of these, by themselves, make someone a Christian.
The Christian life is something deeper—a new reality. Some parts are non-negotiable essentials, without which there is no life in Christ. Others are marks of that life, signs that God’s Spirit is at work within us. We may struggle in living them out, but they remain the fruit of a heart surrendered to God.
The journey begins with the first step: realization.
Prepare the Soil
From Genesis to Revelation, God’s people are pictured as living under oppression. In the Old Testament, they were enslaved by Pharaoh; in the New Testament, under Roman rule. Each time, they longed for deliverance, and God acted—first by sending Moses, then by sending His Son, Jesus (John 3:16).
But notice the difference. Israel’s bondage was obvious—chains, whips, exile. Today, many live in comfort and prosperity, not desperation. Instead of longing for freedom, they fill their lives with work, pleasures, and security.
So when we tell people, “You’ve sinned, you’re going to hell,” or, “You have a God-shaped hole in your heart,” they may respond—but often for the wrong reasons. Some “turn to God” only to secure a ticket to heaven, others only to feel better in this life. The result? A divided life: God for Sundays, the world for Monday through Saturday.
Jesus confronted both mindsets. To those who thought heaven could be earned (like the Pharisees or the rich young ruler), He exposed their idols (Luke 18:18–23). To those who came only for blessings—food, miracles, signs—He spoke hard truths that thinned the crowds (John 6:26–27, 60–66).
Here is the reality: our problem is not emptiness, but death—spiritual death (Ephesians 2:1). We rejected the very One who is life itself (John 14:6). Our rebellion crucified the Lord of glory. And apart from Him, our path leads only to darkness and judgment.
But God. In His mercy, He sent Jesus—not to make this world more comfortable, not just to guarantee heaven later, but to bring us from death to life. Life is not something He gives apart from Himself—He is the life (John 11:25).
Realizing the Cost
When the rich young ruler came to Jesus confident of his goodness, Jesus exposed the cost: “Sell all you have, and follow Me.” (Luke 18:22). The man walked away sorrowful—his possessions owned him more than he owned them.
Others said they were ready to follow, but Jesus warned them to count the cost (Luke 14:25–33). Discipleship means surrendering idols, comforts, even family loyalties. It means placing Him above all else.
Think of marriage. Many love the idea of the wedding and honeymoon but forget that real marriage costs something: your independence, your selfish desires, your “me-first” life. You are no longer one, but two.
Or think of soldiers. Some enlist out of excitement, but soon discover it costs them freedom, opinions, comfort, even their very lives. Without counting the cost, many fall away.
The same is true with Jesus. Following Him costs everything—our desires, possessions, reputations, even our lives. But in return we gain more than we could imagine: God Himself, eternal life, a true family, a perfect Father, unshakable joy (Philippians 3:7–8).
Realizing the Proposal
Jesus did not come merely to invite us to believe facts—He came with a proposal:
“In Me you see the Kingdom of My Father. Will you leave the fleeting treasures of this world to come home? Will you die to yourself so that you might live? Will you repent of crucifying God’s love, and follow Me?”
Scripture often uses the language of marriage to describe this (Ephesians 5:25–27; Revelation 19:7–9). Imagine a spouse who leaves, realizes their mistake, and comes back seeking forgiveness. If they truly repent, they not only ask for forgiveness—they return home. Without that return, the relationship remains broken.
So it is with Christ. Repentance means more than sorrow. It means turning back, humbly confessing how we’ve wounded Him, and living in renewed devotion.
A Surrendered Heart
At the center of Christianity is a surrendered heart. We acknowledge Jesus as our treasure, our Lord, our life. We no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died and rose for us (2 Corinthians 5:15).
To refuse surrender is to refuse Him. There is no middle ground: either we live for Christ, or we live for self. Either we accept His proposal, or we walk away.
The Final Question
Jesus has stretched out His hand. The proposal is before you.
If He is truly the love of your life, you will say yes.
Have you?
