Hills to die on - Introduction/ Part 1

I was recently gripped with an urgency to present a collection of blogs on what I’m calling hills to die on.  Ron Luce once stated, “Until you find something worth dying for, you’re not really living.”  If someone were to ask me what are some things that I would be willing to die for, hills that I would be willing to die, what would they be?  Well, I have several subject matters that I’m passionate about.  But I have not yet determined how many I will be giving in this blog series. 

Before continuing, let me state that going down this road isn’t as easy for me as you might think.  Jesus said in John 15 not to be surprised if the world hates a follower of Christ because it hated Him as well.  “If they persecuted me,” He continued, “they will persecute you” (verse 20).  The longer I follow Jesus, the more I can see the truth of His words.  Make no mistake about it: there is a cost to following Jesus.  I have seen it with my own eyes: unrestrained hatred from the world because of my allegiance to Jesus Christ.  So please know composing this has had an emotional and spiritual effect on me.  Yet, I must speak because I believe it is more vital than ever before to present the truth.

Augustine (354-430) in his autobiography “Confessions” wrote to God: “You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”  This is a concept that I would die for: life without God makes us feel incomplete, searching, and restless.  It’s like a puzzle that is missing a piece.  The Bible illustrates this concept well in the book of Ecclesiastes, where the preacher describes all he tries to find ultimate fulfillment.  He speaks of how he used his vast wealth to build houses, vineyards, gardens, and pools (Ecclesiastes 2:4-6).  In verse 10, he speaks of indulging in pleasure; but in verse 11 he sums up his endeavors with: “all was vanity and grasping for the wind.”

This was the life of Augustine as well.  One tremendous resource writes, “Augustine looked for rest through relationships.  He gave in to peer pressure, doing things like stealing, thinking that solidarity with his peers would lead to peace…Augustine also chased after romantic relationships, notoriety, and success in his career.  None of these efforts provided what his heart longed for.  He knew there had to be more to life.  Such pursuits will never satisfy us either, if they are pursued as an end in themselves.  So what are we to do?  The answer, Augustine tells us, is to come and receive the rest that God offers us in Jesus Christ.”

(Source: https://www.bibles.net/heart-restless-augustine-answer/)

Jesus Christ said, “Come to me all you who weary and burdened and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, from I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).  Augustine found that rest.  Throughout the centuries, a multitude around the globe have experienced this thrilling rest in Christ – myself included.  The same article concludes with these words, “Rest for our restless hearts is only found in the eternal God who made us for himself.  To rest in God is to receive the gift of salvation freely offered to us in Jesus Christ, and then to entrust our lives to him.  Have you found this rest?”

Kevin