I talk to myself a lot. Out loud sometimes. Yes, I’m one of those people. And for fun, I talk to myself in a gentrified Bristish accent along the lines of a Colin Firth or Hugh Grant. I may be crazy, but at least I sound cool. And I’m getting loads of practice for my inevitable movie stardom.

Along the way, I’ve started asking myself some questions. Such as these:

Am I really willing to give up everything to follow Jesus? If He asked me to sell everything and go live in a poor African country or in the projects in some major city, would I be obedient?

Do I love Jesus so much that my love for my family and friends seems like hate in comparison?

Am I really trying to know Jesus and follow Him or am I just all about doing as many churchy activities as possible and gaining as much Bible knowledge as my brain can hold?

If I am such a big fan of grace, especially when I need it from others, am I willing to give it to others, especially when they deserve it least (and need it most?)

Do I really expect the people I work with and live with and hang out with to read my mind about what I belive, or will I put a voice to those beliefs and not just live my faith but proclaim it?

When will I stop putting off reading my Bible while I talk about it and actually read it?

I know I’m not the only one asking these questions. And I know I’m not the only one who talks to myself. You do it, too (just maybe not in a Bristish accent). I hope you start asking these and other questions. I also hope that you and I will not beat ourselves up and get discouraged over the answers we seem to find. Jesus isn’t nearly done with us and when the time comes, He will breath courage into us and give us the words to speak.

I know I fall short on a daily basis, but I also know that those failures don’t in any way lessen the love of God for me. I am still His Beloved. So are you. That won’t change, byt thanks to the grace of God and through the power that raised Jesus from the dead, you and I will. For the better!

Amen and amen.