Christian Lite …

Like many of the bazillions addicted to their iPhones, one of the things I most appreciate about the device is the host of applications you can download to your phone.

While you will find a few screenfuls of applications on my iPhone, I have yet to pay a penny for downloading an app. I have done well at raiding the offerings for free applications … it’s better than Craigslist!

However, what I have noticed about several of the apps offered for free is that you’re offered only a partial or “lite” version of the app. If you really want the whole “premium” program, you have to purchase it … it will cost you.

That’s a lot like life. You can get a little out of life for free, but not much. Often, what really is of value to you will have a cost in some way.

The same with the Christian life. While salvation from sin, and reconciliation with God is something given to us freely through Jesus Christ, living out the life as a child of God will cost you. You can’t have the “premium” version for free! Jesus once put it this way, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me'” (Matthew 16:24).

When it comes to living out the Christian life, you can’t simply download the blessings and bypass the service or the sacrifice. Indeed, Jesus says if any of us really want to follow him, we’re going to have to get over ourselves and shoulder our own crosses. There isn’t any “Christian Lite” app out there, although many try to patch together a version of one.

So how’s your Christian walk … is it premium package, or Christian Lite?

Scotty