CONSUMER OF CHRIST OR CONSUMED BY CHRIST

By Zecharias E. Castro

Two kinds of people always follow Christ, even today. The majority or larger group has been the self-appointed follower who is determined to trust the Good Name of the Lord in order to be the best consumer of Christ. The smaller group has been the one Jesus as Lord & Master of Creation has called out, prepared and appointed the task of living His lifestyle for the propagation of His Name.

A store or corporation working to meet the needs of the public knows two kinds of people desiring to put their trust on their Good Name. The consumer and the employee. Though the former as well as the latter may have access to enjoy the products dispensed by the company only the latter enjoys trusting his whole livelihood to it.

As our Lord rose from the grave he went up showering the earth with all kinds of gifts which are His spiritual products. And just as the multitudes were ready to crown Him King and make Him Lord of their lives when they saw how He could feed the thousands, millions upon millions nowadays have done the same.

Many have dedicated their lives to Christ to make certain they can have all His spiritual gifts, from healing, teaching, prophesying and speaking in an angelic tongue. They want to be spared from any mishap. Delivered from illnesses and misfortunes. And guarantee a heaven for retirement. Indeed the self-appointed followers - consumers of Christ - are now just as abundant as when Christ walked around by the shores of the sea of Galilee.

The ones who served the food he multiplied, who saw the miracles and healings and yet never asked for any of these things for themselves. The ones whose hearts and minds were consumed by the Life of their Master. Who wish to spend every waking and sleeping moment by His side so as not to miss one single word coming from His mouth. The ones to whom Christ guaranteed persecution, torture, defamation and death. The ones to whom He commanded to forsake family, houses, lands and every good thing this world holds dear by constantly praying to God to have it to feel blessed. These ones, just as then, have always been a small remnant.

But Thanks be to God He knows who are His. He knows who is happy to praise Him and worship Him with HIS LIPS for all the good things he now has and will continue to receive from the Lord and He knows who is happy to praise Him and worship Him with his LIFESTYLE for all the good things he has forsaken and will continue to freely give away even at the cost of losing his physical health in the process. Because to him God has become his Health, Life and Salvation. This one has ENTRUSTED THE WHOLE LIVELIHOOD OF HIS SOUL TO THE WORD.

Is better and far more blessed to be consumed by the life of Christ than to exist to be just a consumer of what the life of Christ has secured for us.