Every Knee WILL Bow!

It has been a busy life lately and I have not taken the time to sit down and share the words that God has been laying on my heart as often as I should be. This morning, I have spent the majority of my time just moved to tears by the "God Stories" that I have been reading. A God Story is a testimony of how God has moved in someone's life. Some are stories of years and years and some are merely random events or happenings where an individual was very aware that God was present and at work.

As I was reading and watching some of these this morning I was overwhelmed with the thought of so many people knowing God. I thought to myself, "it seems that I hear more and more of these stories". More people are coming to know God, more people are opening their eyes and seeing Him at work, more people are sharing their testimonies with others. But you see, there are still so many out there in this world that have never realized the presence of God in their lives. There are people that have never even heard the name Jesus. Can you imagine that? In a world with so many people and so much technology, there are actually people that have no idea who Jesus is? Then there are people who know about Jesus, but just have not been explained the importance of the relationship with Him. They have been deceived into believing that saying a prayer or going to church on Sunday without any type of obedience or change will get them to Heaven. How will they know the truth? And what about the people that have just blatantly disregarded Christ? The people that have heard the Gospel and have chosen to not follow Jesus. They do not want the change, they have things they do not want to give up.

As Christians we are often caught up in the emotion of all of these scenarios and we catch ourselves saying these things: "He will get what he deserves in the end" "She will answer to God for that some day" "Wait until he doesn't have time to decide to follow Jesus". What about this one, "Scripture says, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess", when Jesus returns they will know that He is God and it will be too late". These are all very true statements, and I have heard them so many times....from Christians. I am guilty of them myself at times.

This morning as I meditated on this passage from Philippians chapter 2, God showed me a different view. I was overjoyed by all of the people that knew God, but I was heartbroken by all that did not, or did and chose not to KNOW him. Then I took a deeper look at the scriptures.

…9Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place, and gave Him the name above all names,10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.…

What if every knee on earth would bow and every tongue on earth would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord before He returns? That is the heart of God. His heart and his plan is for each of us to bow and confess while we are still on earth. He does not desire for any of us to perish.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

In striving to become more like Christ, we as Christians need a change of heart. When we see those living a life not acceptable to God or rejecting the commands and desires of God, we need to remember that is why we are here. We are not here to acknowledge their condemnation and walk away. We are here to be patient with them as God was patient with us. We are here to desire that they not perish. We are here to come alongside them, praying and leading them graciously to repentance just as God did us. We are here to fulfill the heart of God, that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and that all glory belongs to God!!!

In Christ's Love,

Natalie