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Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
(Matthew 16:24-27 ESV)
Dying to live; losing to gain. . .so counter-cultural; so “un-American”; so hard. . .
But the Christian life, living life like Jesus said to live it, is impossible. That’s why Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit — God in us — God living through us — so God gets all the credit and we gain the joy of Him.
Sometimes I just sit and think about His grace to me; His mercy in saving me; His love in loving me. It overwhelms me; it gives me joy; it makes me smile and laugh and cry all at the same time.
It’s just being with Him; it’s just being with Jesus. It’s just the best!
Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
-Amen
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
2 Corinthians 4:5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
I listen to Pastor John Piper speak. I read his books. I love his passion and his enthusiastic enjoyment of God. These are some meditations based on his April 13, 2008, sermon at his church. (www.desiringgod.org)
Nothing we do for Christ is for nothing. Nothing we say in the name of Christ is wasted. No Thing. Even if you are “blown off” by that person. Even if someone whom you have counseled with much prayer and God’s Word still makes a stupid decision. Even if the neighbor doesn’t thank me for moving her trash can so the garbage man could pick up her garbage. Even if my week in the nursery all the babies cry. Even if only 2 people show up for Bible study. Even if. . .Even if. . .
Why do seeming “failures” bother me so much, if it is really Jesus working in me and through me? I must confess that it isn’t so much sadness over what they are missing in knowing and loving Jesus. It’s way more that I feel as though I have failed; that I will not have a good “track record.” That I’m not good enough. That big “I” which is smack in the middle of pride. . .
If I am truly proclaiming not myself, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with me as Jesus’ servant, then I am serving Jesus, and He gets the credit for the result. If God truly has shone His light in my heart, then I should radiate Him; and the light is the glory of God, not me. He gets the credit. I am his servant.
This treasure, the gospel, the knowledge that Christ is my surpassing joy. . .God has put that treasure in this jar of clay! I wouldn’t put a treasure in a breakable, unremarkable clay pot; I would put it in a velvet-lined, sturdy wooden box. But God, because He is going to get the credit, He is going to get the glory, puts this treasure, the gospel, which is so much more precious than any other treasure — in me; in messed-up, sinful, inconsistent, me. Me, who wants to be more disciplined, more compassionate, more bold, more passionate, more loving, more honest.
Lord, I want to be a faithful servant. I want You to get the credit for anyone understanding and loving the incredible treasure that is knowing You and serving You.
Psalm 16:1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
Do I take refuge in God when I’m scared? worried? frustrated? angry? insecure? God is my Lord, He is my Sovereign, He is my King. Do I remember that He is responsible for everything that I have? Do I remember that He is good to me?
3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
Do I delight in God’s people?
4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
Am I envious of the ungodly? Do I wish I had it “easy,” like them? Do I pray for their salvation? Do I care?
5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
Am I grateful for God’s provision? Do I accept His provision? Am I satisfied with His provision?
7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
Do I ask God for counsel (not beg for ‘stuff’)? Do I spend time with Him, so that He can instruct me? Am I willing to consider a delay in falling asleep an opportunity to listen to what God may be saying to me?
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Am I willing to follow God’s lead, or do I insist on running my own way, and then begging Him to follow up after me and pick up the mess I’ve made? Do I believe that God is at my right hand? Do I live like I know that I won’t be shaken because God is for me? God is for me!!
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
God will not abandon me. . .oh, that makes my heart glad. . .my whole being wants to sing for joy. I will never be alone. I don’t go through any sorrow, any suffering, any pain. . .alone. . .never alone.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Fullness of joy. . .a path that leads to life — even if there are boulders or giants or dangers — a path that leads to life. An eternity in nearness to God. He is my pleasure; He is my life; He is my desire. . .
God is enough.
Community
Rocking babies
Teaching toddlers
This is loving Jesus.
~~~
Cutting firewood
Mowing grass
This is serving Jesus.
~~~
Meals on Wheels
Parenting classes
This is honoring Jesus.
~~~
Singing praises
Greeting people
This is loving Jesus.
~~~
Mentoring
Befriending
This is obeying Jesus.
~~~
Sharing a meal
Calling a shut-in
This is imitating Jesus.
~~~
Opening your home
Opening your heart
This is serving Jesus.
~~~
Forgiving
Serving
This is loving Jesus.
~~~
In my marriage
In my family
Do those I love see Jesus?
~~~
On my street
In my workplace
Who needs to know my Jesus?
~~~
In my town
In my world
Am I serving Jesus?
~~~
By my life
By my speech
Does anyone want to meet Jesus?
~~~
Serving, Mowing
Giving, Driving
Clothing. Cooking
~~~
Cleaning, Teaching
Singing, praying
Touching, talking
~~~
Will it invite people to Jesus?
And this is His commandment,
That we believe in the name
Of His Son Jesus Christ,
And love one another,
Just as He commanded us.
(1 John 3:23 ESV)
Looking back through recent (and not so recent) posts, this whole voice/no voice thing has been much on my mind and my thoughts and my focus. “All right, all ready!” I said to myself. “God, I just want to be done with this; I’m tired of all the scatteredness this is causing in my walk with you and in the peace in my soul. I just want this done and settled.”
Quiet.
Listening.
And here’s what God said through His eternal, awesome, unfathomable, specific Word. . .
” When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”
(Proverbs 10:19 ESV)
Ouch.
Prudent – adj.
1. Wise in handling practical matters; exercising good judgment or common sense.
2. Careful in regard to one’s own interests; provident.
3. Careful about one’s conduct; circumspect.
I think the biggest “ouch” in this correction is the amount of self-control and personal decision that is evident. Restraint comes in making a decision to restrain oneself; being “careful” requires a decision to take care; exercising good judgment entails developing the muscles of discipline and self-control.
So. . .if I keep talking even though I know it’s not in my best interest, I am choosing to sin. It’s not a “well, I’ll talk now and just take some pain meds later. . .” I am choosing to go against the path God has set before me. That’s sin. When I don’t choose to “restrain my lips” I am not only choosing to sin, but I am also not exercising good judgment; I’m not using the common sense God gave me just for this situation; I’m not acting in my own best interest; I’m not being prudent.
Hopefully this will be my last post on the struggle; future posts about my vocal cords will be a praise to a merciful God who has enabled me to “say no” and follow the path He has laid before me.
Lord, I am so pleading for grace! I love Your mercy; I love how wonderfully specific You are! Thank You for Your forgiveness, Your pursuit of me. You are truly wonderful. . .
