Paul Washer is a very challenging Christian speaker who often tells a story to his audience about why he is late showing up to the event. He tells the audience he got a flat tire, tried changing the tire when one of his lug nuts flew out in the highway and, when he walked out on the highway to get it, he had an encounter with an oncoming 30-ton logging truck.
People never believe Paul- and rightfully so- because he wouldn't be standing there talking to them if that really happened. Paul admits he is lying because it is impossible to have an encounter with something as large as a 30-ton logging truck and not be changed. In the same way, we often say we've had an encounter with Jesus Christ when we ask him to be part of our lives, and yet, our lives do not permanently change.
Like Paul Washer, we are liars to others and to ourselves when we say we had an encounter with Jesus Christ and our lives are no different. Is our God not bigger than a 30-ton logging truck? Shouldn't an encounter with Him change us at least as much, if not more?
Or how about Francis Chan? He tells of an imaginary encounter with God, where God gave him the supernatural ability to play basketball. People would expect to see an amazing improvement in his jump shot, defense, and speed on the court if it was a legitimate encounter with God. If people did not see the change, they would question the validity of the encounter with God.
"Churchgoers all across the nation say the Holy Spirit has entered them. They claim that God has given them a supernatural ability to follow Christ, put their sins to death, and serve the church... Yet, when those outside the church see no difference in our lives, they begin to to question our integrity, our sanity, or even worse, our God. And who can blame them?" (Forgotten God, 33)
After hearing these stories of close encounters with God, I cannot help but think of my own life. It is so easy in a culture cushioned with comfort to not deny ourselves and completely follow Christ. Why give Christ our everything when we can have the best of both worlds? We change our lives a little bit here and there, but ultimately, our change falls short of living completely for Him. We are short-changing Jesus what He deserves: our complete dedication.
"Jesus Christ suffered a grueling death so that I could have the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit. How dare I take this for granted" (Forgotten God, 111)
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