Apples of Gold
Radio Script for November 10, 2008
“The Moment That Changed Michael W. Smith’s Life”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
We went to the Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith concert at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre Saturday night.
For me, the highlight of the evening was the young man sitting behind us.
Yes, he was mentally challenged, and his whole being vibrated with joy at the thought of seeing his absolute all time favorite artist, “Smitty.”
When a song began that he liked, he squealed with joy, “Oh, I LOVE THIS SONG!”
He wasn’t obnoxious. He wasn’t rude. He just responded with great enthusiasm to this singer whose songs he loved so much.
So there was Michael W. Smith – performing. And there was this young man – responding.
At one point Michael talked about the second most important moment in his life, just behind his salvation.
He said he was looking at himself in the mirror one day, shaving. And all of a sudden a routine moment became a divine moment.
Suddenly he sensed the Lord speaking to him. He said something like, “You know that I love you, but did you know that I like you? I really do. And you know what else? I’m actually quite fond of you.”
Those words, that divine moment, changed the life of Michael W. Smith.
He said that up until that time he had been performing for God. If he could just be good enough, just minister enough, be obedient enough – then he could please God.
After that divine encounter he saw things differently. Now, instead of performing for God, he is responding to God.
He said that is something we all need to grasp, and when we do, it will radically change our lives.
So what about you today? Are you performing for God or responding to God?
On the outside Michael W. Smith may not look much different. He still writes songs and plays concerts. But the difference is on the inside, his motivation.
Instead of writing Christian music as his required work for God, now he writes Christian music as a response to God, responding to all of God’s love for him.
Do you see the difference between performing and responding?
Let’s take a look at Romans 12:1. It’s a familiar passage that says we should offer our bodies as living sacrifices.
Now there are two ways to go about it. One is by performing our duty.
“Oh boy, here I go. I have to do this to make God happy. It’s a pain, but it’s my duty to perform.”
But that doesn’t take into account the first part of that verse.
Here is how Romans 12:1 starts: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices…”
Look at the middle part again, “…in view of God’s mercy…”
So first of all, we look at God’s mercy. We ponder and meditate on God’s great mercy for us. Ephesians 2:4 says that God is “rich in mercy.” It also says that God has “great love for us.”
So our thinking begins with God and what He’s done for us and how He feels toward us. He loves us! And He has great mercy for us!
God is the initiator. He started this relationship. Through Jesus He forgives our sins and clears the way for us to come to Him.
He is reaching out to us in love, and we accept Him. We believe and put our faith in Him.
Then what? Then many times we turn it into a drudgery. Serving the Lord becomes a duty we must perform.
Like a child we ask, “Do I have to?” then we tell ourselves, “Yes, you have to.” And we perform our duty for God so He will be happy, or at least so He won’t be mad.
That is performing for God.
But there is a better way. It is responding to God. We realize all He’s done for us, we receive all that He has for us, and we respond.
It’s just like that young man at the concert. He didn’t leap up and shout for Michael W. Smith because he had to. It wasn’t a drudgery or a task he had to perform.
Instead, it was his joyful and exuberant response to the artist who had blessed him so many times.
And that is how our Christian life should be. Yes, we offer up our bodies as living sacrifices, but not because it’s a duty we must perform. Instead it is our joyful response to the One who has blessed us so many times.
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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