Yesterday's (or the day before, not quite sure now) verse of the day on my YouVersion Bible app was 1 Peter 3:15: "But sanctify the Lord God[a] in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you..."
I think sometimes we forget this vital part of the Christian life...giving a reason for the hope that we have. So many Christians walk around defeated. If someone asked them why they were a Christian, their answer might be a simple, "I just am" or "I was raised that way." They don't have a true REASON.
I was listening to the radio last week on my way to work early one morning. The Morning Cruise from the JoyFM gives small devotionals around 6:30 in the morning that I love to listen to if I can get out of the house early enough. Bill Martin was discussing this very verse and how important it is for us to be able to give the reason for our hope. He quoted a guy who said something to the effect that if we are not able to give a reason for our hope, then in 4 generations, unbelief will creep in. We must not only give a reason for our belief to unbelievers, but to our children as well. If we don't give our children reasons for why we believe what we believe, then they will just assume. If they in turn just assume and don't give reasons to their children, their children will begin to doubt, and ultimately their children's children will not believe. See the pattern there? Of course, this isn't 100% of the time. God works in mysterious ways and will break generational barriers to reach people but the idea makes sense.
So...what's your reason? In this case, your "reason" can be synonymous with your testimony. All Christ followers have a testimony...a story of how they came to know the living Christ. If you don't have one, perhaps it's time to reevaluate your "Christianity." We should all be able to give the reason why we believe...why we have joy in the midst of suffering...why we have hope in the midst of pain and death...why we have peace in the midst of personal strife...why we are different. My prayer is that I would be different. I saw a quote on pinterest a while back that said, "Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers." I don't want that. I don't want my life to make sense to those that don't follow after Christ. I want my life to look odd and out of place from the rest of the world. I want people to scratch their heads and say, "Something's different about that girl. Her life just doesn't make sense. Why does she do the things she does?" And I want my reason to be..."Because I love the Lord and want to follow Him. Because of the cross He endured for me. Because I want to die to myself daily so that I can become more like Him."
Let's be real...I have a loooong way to go. But I will continue to strive and press on toward the goal. When I stand before my Creator, and He asks me why I should be allowed into His Holy presence in the kingdom, I want to be ready...with my REASON!
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