KEEP PLAYING THE RHYTHM OF GRACE.

By Sandra Attoh.

Times are beginning to get a little tenser than they used to be. In the past, it seemed like there was a more routine way of living. People had to wake up, go early to the farm, get breakfast ready, go to school if they had the opportunity, and remember to say a prayer or two as they go through the day. The routine was so predictable and less burdensome that it was so easy to introduce something new to them and not ruin what they already had.

In the 21st century, however, things are way far from that. There are many movements, and a thousand organizations shouting over what they think the whole world should be paying attention to that it almost feels like the world needs to hear a loud ‘CUT!’ to finally pay attention to what matters the most, ‘THE GOSPEL’.

As a believer, when was the last time you brought this message up in the face of anyone? I want to presume it was not so long ago, but permit me to say that it doesn’t come as easy as it used to be because everyone is rushing somewhere and sometimes it’s even possible for you to get caught up in the big rush.

I have had people tell me ‘I’m busy!’ or ‘Why would you tell me to leave my religion to follow yours’ or ‘God will help us oo’ (While I was presenting them with God’s help 🙄) or  ‘I have heard about Jesus already’ (The question here is do you know him? Did you care to meet him after you heard?)

At this point, I’m pretty sure that if you are a 21st-century youth like myself, I’m telling the story of your Evangelical life already, and you’re wondering, what should we do now?

The answer is to keep at it! Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the situation of the world and the hardness of many men in the face of the gospel and I just say to myself ” God how are you coping with all this happening down here? ” The answer I get is Love! Love doesn’t give up on people. Everything may change, technology may get way crazier, jobs may get a lot more competitive, and who knows, humans may get so much time to self-obsess soon when robots start doing all the work. However, the way to eternity, the way to peace, life, and righteousness, the way to God, and the way of love never changes.

Isn’t it surprising that with all that happened with Jesus, his last words were still love? Isn’t it surprising that the one message God has for every sinner is ” I love you, regardless?” Sometimes, I must confess that I get frustrated and I wish there was a way I could yell at people and say ” Don’t you get it! ” However, I look at God’s disposition and it never changes. Over and over again He is playing the same flute and whispering the good news of salvation to the hearts of men. He is saving the undeserving, and freeing the guilty. Everyone who comes to Him experiences a change.

When I think about the possibility that lies behind the hardened heart finally saying Yes to the Gospel, I get encouraged to keep at it.

Matthew 11:17-19 says this: ” ‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t mourn.’ For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”

Ultimately, the choice every individual makes determines their eternity, and as this scripture suggests, some may remain unmoved regardless of who’s bringing the message. But our disposition doesn’t change, and we must keep preaching the gospel and maximize the opportunity we have to make an impact on the outcome of people’s lives. God changes people, I know you’re a testimony yourself and it’s on us to reproduce other testimonies in this fast-paced world. Every time you think about giving up or being less intentional about getting the message of The Gospel out there, think about the Character of God. God has been playing the unforced Rhythms of Grace for centuries. He didn’t give up till you got saved, and why should you let yourself give up when everyone stands a chance at salvation?

The times may change, and the methods may change too, but the rhythms of the Gospel don’t change. God loved the world, he loved the world in sin and oppression, he gave his son for the world and he is reconciling the world to his son through the message on our lips. Don’t give up on playing the flute, tell God to make your heart as patient as his and your sound as smooth as his as you reconcile hearts back to him in this changing world. God bless you!