Real Live Faith

I used to think that my faith was just a part of my life. I was a writer, a St. Louis Cardinals fan, a sister, a friend, and a Christian. My faith was just part of the list of things that made me, well, me. But the truth that’s become clearer and clearer to me as I’ve walked along this journey with Jesus is that that idea couldn’t be further from the truth.

I was 11 years old (or somewhere in that general vicinity) when I said yes to Christ’s invitation. I knew that I was being invited to something much bigger than myself, that I was loved, and that I needed Jesus in my life. I knew that I had arrived at a moment when a response was required. In the years since then, the best phrase I’ve found to describe that moment in my walk with Christ is that He drew me to His side, and all I could say was yes. I wanted to follow Him. I wanted Him to call the shots. I wanted to be known as His. Saying yes felt like I had just laid down something very heavy.

Since then, I’ve sometimes found myself trying to compartmentalize my faith. It’s easy to divide our lives into two areas: the church stuff and everything else. But when Jesus has your heart, you can’t happily stay that way very long. Jesus can’t be contained, and your relationship with Him should overflow into all the areas of your life—from your friendships to the movies you watch and the decisions you make. When I’ve let go and stopped trying to restrict Him, I’ve learned just how powerful God is, and I’ve felt the wonder of being held by a Savior who remains faithful when we are faithless (2 Tim. 2:13).

If you’re a Christian, don’t mistakenly think that is just part of who you are; it’s everything. Jesus is your Savior and your Lord, and He has say in your decisions, your dreams, whom you date, what you listen to, and how you spend your time. If you get nothing else out of this month's issue of ec, it’s my hope that you read Cynthia Hopkins’ cover story, “Real Live Faith,” and understand that Christ has called you to radical obedience in every part of your life, not just the so-called “church stuff.” The goal of this issue is to help you see that your faith isn’t just part of your life; it is your life. That’s why we began a series of articles on spiritual disciplines (p. 16), and it’s why we’re asking you to evaluate your life for humility and faith in action (p. 42 and 56, respectively). Your faith isn’t just something you have; it’s something you live. And we’ll be challenging you with that truth in every devotion and on every page of this issue of ec.

If you are a believer, you are a child of God. Let that truth affect every part of your life—this month and all the days of your life.