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COMMITMENT TO GOD: SUSTAINING IT DOWN THE GENERATIONS

by Opeyemi Ezekiel Akindele  
11/23/2013 / Devotionals

As a young person pressured by the 'get-it-all' syndrome, you may be anxious whether you'll be successful in life or not. But God has no doubt about whether you'll be a success because that is who He has made you to be. One thing God is 'unsure' of is if you will sustain your commitment to Him. You have your entire lifetime to prove yourself to God Here, we examine the role of young people.

As a young Christian coming to the United Kingdom for the first time and of course from the lower rungs of the socioeconomic class my chief concern was not how to make money or bag academic excellence as a recipient of the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship. My utmost anxiety, however, was how I will sustain my commitment to God in a Western society where Christianity and its legacies have been popularly trampled upon. It is common knowledge that, generally, young people in the UK are not following the Christian faith like two generations before them did. And so, that becomes a concern for a young Christian like me if my faith would not crash.

When asked why our 31-year old congregation of about 16 members has more of old people, Pastor Stan (American and Baptist minister) was frank when he answered my question: "The average age of people in British churches is about 61 years while in a country like Nigeria it is 18 years". I could relate with that because by the time I add up the ages of the three octogenarians and several others in their sixties, it will make little difference that we have two 13 year olds: the average will still be about sixty. He continues, "You see, the social pressure to achieve is a very strong influence on our youths. They'll tell them, 'Look, if you want to make it in life and achieve so much you have to work; you can't be going to church'." In another's opinion, parents can only try their best: it lies on the children whatever choose for themselves.

But the nagging questions are: "Is it not possible for a young Christian to sustain their commitment to God? Is there no guarantee that genuine faith can be passed down the generations?"

The following are some ways young Christians can sustain their commitment to God.
Feed on His faithfulness (Psalm 37:3)
Faithfulness means that God is committed to His words to fulfil them. We must constantly remember that God is first of all committed to us. Jesus first committed himself to us before we even got the chance to know Him. So, David says to us "feed on His faithfulness". Jesus is always there to help us out of temptations and give us wisdom to walk circumspectly in a perverse generation (Philippians 2:13-16).

The Scripture says "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it" (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Here, the Spirit of Christ speaks with regard to our sanctification (our continual separation from the world in mind, purpose and aspiration) assuring us that God Himself will do it as we trust Him. But note that the verse says "calls", which puts this act of God in simple present, habitual and perpetual. And note also that verse 24 is sandwiched between petition verses [23 and 25] which put it in the context of prayer. Hence, God "calls" us perpetually into the humble place of prayer and He is faithful to supply us with help and grace in this time of need (Hebrews 4:16). So, no matter the attractions and distractions of the world, amidst all the noises of life, we should attentive to hear the Spirit say "Come" (Revelation 22:17). We will never be without our Guide.

Delight yourself in the saints (Psalm 16:3)
Delight has to do with "great enjoyment and pleasure". And whatever gives you delight is strongly connected to your value system. David one of the most prosperous and powerful kings in history speaks of himself, "As for the saints who are on the earth, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight". He reserves no part of his pleasure for anything else, but "all his delight" for the saints fellow young people who also are committed to Jesus. Come to think of it, what tells you that the funky, trendy, folks are best guys to roll with? What informs your decision that young people who has no room for the Christian faith in their hearts are the most fun to be with? It all boils down to your value system! Imagine David, the greatest ruler of his time, did not call the unbelieving/Godless kings and rich men of those days the "excellent ones". He stamped those most precious words on the saints; and this has two implications.

One, saints are still much around in this world. Young Christians too easily fall for claims like "everybody is doing it", "there aren't saints anywhere". David mentions "the saints who are on the earth" This means there are still many fervent young Christians around known or unknown to you. One of Satan's tactics is to isolate you psychologically, giving you the feeling that you are the odd one out. But remember Jesus gives us the guarantee that no matter how bad the situation is, we will be sure to find at least one like us when He said "Wherever two of you are gathered in My name, I will be there". Many have called the United States names like Babylon, Sodom and Gomorrah; but if we truly find, we'll see many young people shinning for Christ.

Two, while choosing the Christian faith can be your personal decision; you cannot sustain your commitment alone. You need others. Hence, you must seek the company or fellowship of other believers. If you hope to find yourself in a new place or city, you must pray that God will place you in the company of youths who have given their hearts to God. According to Stanley Jones, missionary to India and friend of Mohandas Gandhi, we cannot sustain discipline on our own; we can only be disciplined in a group. Discipline is our ability to take charge of our body and soul and continually subject or deliver them to systems, values and practices that transform our character.

One man may be strong, but he can never be strong enough. Hence, even though Paul trusts that Timothy will be "strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus", yet he urges his son Timothy to keep company and fellowship with "those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:1, 22). This is because, beyond whatever the measure of faith we have within ourselves, we are made to function within the body of Christ. A single cell in our body has life and integrity in itself, but it cannot "sustain" life outside the body. Our struggle against and flight from youthful lusts can only be sustained in the fellowship of our likes.
More than ever before, and despite the unpopularity of Christianity among young people in Britain, the Lord granted me my desire. I found men and women, young and old who love God; and I have been enjoying their company like never before.

In conclusion, we young people are the vital link to sustaining the Christian faith and passing it on to the next generation. And it is possible to start right and finish well as we see in Joseph, David, our Lord, Timothy, and contemporary men and women of faith. According to a friend, a church without young people (strong in faith) is not sustainable. God is counting on you You have your entire lifetime. Will you play your part?

I am Opeyemi Ezekiel Akindele, a young Christian and Pharmacist from Nigeria. I have the ability from God the Father to teach His words through writing and occasionally speaking. You can read more of my writing here http://www.faithwriters.com/member-profile.php/websites/messenger-hire.php?id=19398

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