Carpe Diem! Latin for Seize the Day. As Christians we sometimes find ourselves praying for friends who seem like they’ve never quite turned that “kingdom corner” becoming the real deal citizens of God’s Kingdom. In fact, to the contrary, many of us seem to gravitate towards, the ‘living for ourselves’ kingdom all too often. Recently, I heard someone say (about their wayward friend they were praying for), “he’s a loser”. That piqued ruminations: is it a good idea for me, as a Christian, to be labeling someone else a loser. After all, does not the Bible teach that we all stand before a final reconciler who lifts one and puts down another? (Ps.75.7) I’m not arguing whether or not losers happen. I’m just wondering if it’s cool for me to identify them as such.

Then just last night I had a dream (don’t worry, I’ve flipped on the theme from Twilight Zone in the background), it was both scary and poignant. I was in that dreamy state of half awake and dreamed that I started to commit a horrible sin and about that time someone walked into the room where I had begun this disgusting act. As I laid there I became aware of a sense of sorrow and shame that I’d even contemplated such an step, albeit in a dream. I thought, ‘who does this stuff but the worst of the worst of disobedient heathen?’ I also wondered if I was saved from making it worse by the providential entrance into the room by others? But since I had actually initiated the act I don’t believe the guys who walked in were much of a deliverance in terms of what I’d already initiated. Or maybe I should feel ’saved’ by the fact it was “all in a dream” so it does not count for real? Not really, in my mind, since, well, I’m not sure, but I don’t feel off the hook just because it was from a “dreamy state” and not full consciousness.

No, I felt more like God was reminding me that when it comes to being a loser there is no vaccination, per se, that prevents a recurrence of a choice(s) to disobey God. I must admit at every level of evil, “there go I but for the grace of God”. Bottom line, we’re all losers at some point(s) in life, and have the potential to be (in God’s sight) within the hour. The only medicine for any of us who disobey God and lose out on being God’s righteous, sin free person, is a daily loving spoonful of industrial strength repentance. It’s the only thing that gets me out of the loser column (in God’s books) and puts my initials under “Victor in Christ” at the end of the day. Sounds easy in one sense, but if you’ve ever tried, you know it’s anything but easy. Especially if turning around from this sin means I’ve offended others (which is often the case) in addition to God. The sheer embarrassment of having to admit that I am just as weak and libel to do the stupidest and most dastardly deed; this is the biggie when it comes to biblical repentance. It’s hard enough to go to Him (God) and not only say I’m sorry I’ve disappointed you, but tell Him and mean it that by His grace I won’t do that again. God says that I must seek others forgiveness, as well, and the last time I checked that means admitting to another human being that I’ve been (temporarily I hope) a LOSER in some respect to/with them. I ran the low hurdles in high school but confessing my sin against a loved one or friend is like the pole-vaulting hurdle event!

And this, of course, is why some of us find it “easier” not to take care of the sin issue with God and/or another and sort of allow it to slide into a groove in my record (read habitually offending God and whoever else) but not copping to it. God calls this “hardening of the heart” where pretty soon our conscience sort of glazes over with a shell of protection from sin’s conviction the next time around. So how do I know if I’ve already detoured from the path of right standing with God without realizing it? One way that seems to indicate my conscience is calcifying is when my wife or pastor or one of the elders at church or someone at work, or teacher, brings up my (obvious to many but not to me) new (shameful) “groove”. I become all irate, paranoid or in some way offended that people are judging me or picking on me, and so forth. ‘I’ll teach them, in fact, they’re the sinner here, they’re the one’s that have some sort of phobia and prejudice against some poor innocent group of (stone cold sinners) who love their Mom’s, apple pie, and would not harm a flea, even on a dog (like me).

So have I inadvertedly scheduled a trip to Point Deception like one of these unfortunate souls who may not be able to see their sin even if someone were to come back from the dead right in front of their eyes? Decidedly not. But what I need to remember is that I’m never more that a dream (fill in the blank here) away from starting down that ‘hard to turn around from’ road. If you’ve ever read Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyun, it’s an apt picture of how tempting a slight detour through disobedience to God and His Word can be. But REPENTANCE saves the Christian and is nothing more or less than making a U-turn by confessing my sin to God (with appropriate assurance I have no intentions of being a repeat offender) and where necessary, confessing to you, or my wife, or my friend at work or school, my sister, brother, child or parent.

I know I must pray for the grace from God, then, to be able to confess and turn (repent) EVERYTIME I give into this or that temptation. And if I’m giving in to the same stumbling block time after time, I need to go to one of my elders at church. Bring in the heavy artillery. If I don’t feel like I’ve got godly leader-type men at my church who I can take a recurring sin to, then it’s time for me (us) to find a new church. If I’m not in one in the first place, well, as my friend Karen Cook used to say, no duh!! I need to ask God to show me one and get their faster than you can say, ‘I’m a Winner, at the end of the day, by God’s grace, not a Loser!’

At the end of the day that’s finally redeemed, even at the last minute in some cases (see parable Matt.20 esp.verse 8 ) about the guys who went to work last and got paid the same as the guys who started at sunrise) God can make anyone He chooses into a winner in His books, which are the only books that matter in the final analysis. And one more thing I hope I learned in all this: When the kids were little we used to pray a prayer with them at bedtime something like, ‘Lord please protect their sleep and cover their dreams’. Last night that prayer made a comeback here and if I don’t keep praying it, then I’m a loser.