ARE YOU LIVING IN BABYLON OR JERUSALEM?

by Barbara Chadwick

 

Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone would come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?

Matthew 16:24-26

In the book, Idol Lies by Dee Brestin, the author asks, “What, if I lost it, would make life not worth living.” Wow, what an intense question. Your answer will bring you down to the basics of what makes up your life.

Our friend, Ron Welsh, had a magnificent bass voice. It was an incredible gift. One day he said to us, “If I lost my voice or the ability to sing I don’t think I could continue to live.” ís His whole life revolved around his voice. He died early, in his forties.

I spoke at a women’s retreat once where in a Q & A session one of the women said, “I’d give anything if I could just have my kids back at home.” Her life had been wrapped up in them. So here she was, with years ahead of her, going about every day weighed down with sadness because her children had grown up and left home to live their own lives. She felt that her life was no longer worth living.

Do you have a safe full of treasures? There’s a commercial about gold on TV that ends with, “What’s in your safe?” Indicating that if you don’t have gold in your safe you’re not safe in today’s world and you have no value.

So, are you living in Babylon or Jerusalem? Babylon is the world and Jerusalem is in the center of God’s will. We often think of being “in the world” as being involved in evil things. But if we’re not living to please God then we’re “in the world.”

Are you living in Babylon?

            Are you burdened about many things?
            Are there things or activities in your life you wish you could let go of?
           Do you worry about where you’ll live tomorrow or how you’ll get by next year?
           What about whether you’ll measure up? (- to what you’re not sure – some nebulous
           level or indefinable goal - or someone else’s definition of success)

You’re living in Jerusalem when:

          You’re trusting God for His promise to be with you to the end of the age
          You believe God can give you the strength to give up unhealthy activities
          You are receiving joy and inspiration from reading God’s word daily
          You gain encouragement from meeting with fellow believers on a regular basis

You could lose all your worldly goods and treasures, all your talents and gifts, all those who are special to you, and still have the “peace that passes understanding” because you have put your faith and trust in Jesus as your Savior and you know that He walks beside you and that He will work out His plan for your life.

Let your joy be complete by living in Jerusalem.