Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a word about familiar things.
When Tim, an elder at our church, moved into his home in the Santa Monica Mountains some years ago, he was awestruck by this enormous rock formation that was set back from the main road. It’s a lofty rock; it looks like a citadel towering majestically above the waters of a lake right by the road. When he first moved to the mountains, he told me, "You know, that first year, I nearly ran myself off the road and into that lake half a dozen times. We’d come around the corner and I’d be rubbernecking to get every view possible of that magnificent rock. I really love driving the road during different times of the day so I could see this huge rock in different kinds of light." Tim went on to explain, “Joni, the sun made all the cracks and crevices in that rock so dramatic. If that towering fortress were in the middle of Kansas, it would draw a million visitors a year!" A few months ago Tim was driving a visitor from the airport to his home. They were driving down that same road, came around the corner, and his guest said, "Whoa! Look at that rock!" to which Tim replied, "Rock? What rock? Oh… oh, that rock!"
The next week in church, Tim blushed as he told us about the incident. He confessed, "You know, it reminded me of the 'sin of familiarity' – a sin which only those who have seen and loved the grandeur of our Rock of Salvation, Jesus Christ. It’s a sin only we can commit."My elder-friend went on to say that familiarity with Christ keeps us from enjoying true intimacy with the Lord. You know how it is -- you listen to Christian talk radio, thinking that it suffices for our daily devotions. Or we reach for an article on the latest theological controversy, and fail to reach for the Word of God itself. We listen to a great sermon and figure it suffices as a personal Bible study for the week. We pray over our meals and offer up a few words to the Lord before going to bed, and we assume that we’ve “prayed for the day.” This sort of half-hearted, obligatory tip-of-the-hat toward the God of the Bible denudes Him of His majesty and grandeur. He becomes way too familiar – and I don’t mean familiar like knowing Him better; I mean familiar in the mediocre sense. God becomes commonplace. Bible reading becomes run-of-the-mill, and prayer becomes humdrum. And nothing kills intimacy with Jesus quicker.
So how do you lift your spirits above the mediocre? Well, the Bible says to fan the flame that is within you. And nothing stokes the coals of passion for the Lord better than asking the Holy Spirit to give you a fresh vision of your salvation; ask him to search your heart and expose familiar sins. Then, read the Gospels – not the Old Testament, or the epistles, but get into the Gospels where you see Jesus loving, serving, giving, sacrificing, praying and dying for you. Friend, he is your Rock of salvation. All things majestic and mighty begin with him. And if you need a little help with the gospel message, please, go to my radio page today at joniandfriends.org and ask for your free gift called “Access to God.” It gives a clear gospel presentation that beautifully highlights the salvation of Jesus Christ. Again, that’s “Access to God” on my radio page at joniandfriends.org. Finally, let me pray for you, Lord Jesus, You are our Rock and Fortress. You tower over everything in our lives. Forgive us when we take for granted Your grace in our lives, and may we never, ever allow Your death and resurrection to become 'familiar.' In your name. Amen.
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