I experienced a major turning point in my life near the end of my freshman year in college. Although I believed that God had called me to serve Him for a lifetime, I knew little about what I needed to do to follow-through on my commitment to Him. And then, at a luncheon at the local Baptist Student Union building, I listened to a speaker whose words penetrated my heart and changed my life. The speaker entitled his talk “Quo Vadis?” He explained that this Latin phrase means “Where are you going?” But, then he added the question, “And, what are you doing to get there?” His words convicted me that I needed to become more intentional about living for Christ and preparing for ministry. My heart was heavy with conviction as I walked to my afternoon class. When I reached the sidewalk in front of the campus library I stopped and could not move. It’s as if I was alone with God on that public sidewalk. At that moment and on that spot I renewed my commitment to God and determined to become intentional about pleasing Him.
I have reflected on that particular day many times since then. More than once I have wondered about what might have happened in my life had I not attended that free luncheon or had there been a different speaker on that day. And, although I am far from perfect, the desire of my heart has remained the same since I stopped to pray on the sidewalk in front of the campus library. I am still determined to love and to please God. I was reminded of that commitment again this afternoon while driving to speak at a funeral. As I was thinking about the words I would share with the grieving family I turned on my iTunes. The first song in the rotation was “The Motions” by Matthew West — a song with these very convicting lyrics:
I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all-consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions
The last thing I want to do when I reach the end of my life is ask, “What if I had given everything?” It’s easy to go through the motions — to learn the language and to do stuff at church and to act the part without ever having to give Him everything. Matthew West’s song reminded me of a turning point in the life of the famed evangelist D.L. Moody (1837–1899). His life was changed when Henry Varley, a British revivalist, befriended him and challenged him with these words: “The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully devoted to Him.” Moody later recalled, “He said a man, he did not say a great man, a learned man, a smart man. He just simply said a man. I am a man. And it lies within me whether I will or I will not make this full devotion to God.” And then D.L. Moody said, “I will do my best to be that man.” Moody understood that it’s impossible to change the world by simply going through the motions.
Consider how God used D.L. Moody. In 1879, Moody preached in England and awakened the evangelistic zeal in the heart of Frederick B. Meyer, pastor of a small church. F.B. Meyer preached on an American campus and a student named J. Wilbur Chapman gave his life to Christ. Chapman was engaged in YMCA work and employed Billy Sunday, a former baseball player, to do evangelistic work. Billy Sunday held a revival in Charlotte, North Carolina. Afterward, a group of local men were so enthusiastic that they planned another evangelistic campaign and invited Mordecai Hamm to preach. In that revival, a young man named William Graham heard the gospel and gave his life to Christ. And today, Billy Graham has shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with more than 210 million people in more than 185 countries.
So, quo vadis? Where are you going in your journey with Christ and what are you doing to get there? Have you made yourself available to God without reservation? Are you willing to give Him everything or have you convinced yourself that He cannot use you or what you have to offer Him? What are you holding back and why? Never underestimate how God can use ordinary people like you and me to advance His purposes in the world today. Don’t be satisfied with going through the motions. Live adventurously for God. Give him everything.
