As we live our lives giving away that life for Jesus’ sake, we also need to watch and listen for His way through difficulties. There are times where there doesn’t seem to be a way, and that’s when I stand still and look out for possibilities. I know, He’s not done yet.
Our Saviour is a Redeemer, the Lord didn’t just make our sins go away, He let loose a brand new way for all of us to live. He exchanged death for life. We are participants who participate even while we are spectating! WE DO EVERYTHING FROM REST. Psalm 91:7-10 says: “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. … … as we say – “The Lord is my refuge,” and we (you) make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you,…”
…. This is what being IN Christ Jesus looks like. He becomes the place we hide in, in good times or bad. Even when those huge house rattling storms of life come. When I am hidden in Him, He will reveal the possibility of something else He wants to do, while all that chaos is exploding around me. I can learn something about Him, or myself — and about how both of us can work together. He gives me insight about what is really going on, so now I know what to forgive, and what I need to give to Him. He has promised to show me how to love the unlovely, this means I shift my focus off the problem and onto that. And maybe this is an opportunity to develop further trust?
2 Timothy 1:12 says: “…for I know Whom I have believed and I am CONVINCED that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” We cannot move forward without trusting and knowing our Leader. He’s the One we are following. Knowing His Ways gives us discernment, and our trust in Him takes us beyond the places we think we can go, or the things we think we can’t bear – into a new spiritually stronger place. “But as it is written, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9.
The Lord Jesus is like a Field Marshal, and He is a Master Strategist. He knows how to fight and He has a plan. However, He may keep His strategies quiet until the last moment – after all, someone else is listening! You and I may experience a false start if we rush on, trying to get ahead of the race. If you have ever run in a running race you will know that you position yourself to start, and then you wait for the gun to go off. This life is a race. Paul called it that in the above scripture from Philippians, sometimes we are on the sidelines waiting for our turn, and at other times we are on the track. We live ready to run that race. It is a marathon, not a sprint.
The society around us is actively dissuading us from our primary purpose, serving Him. Instead it brings up all kinds of postponement, “I’ll wait to serve Jesus until my kids are older” OR excuses, “I need to pay off my mortgage before I tithe or give offerings.” Things that seem valid, but they are a distraction from our primary purpose — which is to serve Jesus first. We can still raise kids and wholeheartedly serve Jesus – He’s a fantastic money-manager!!
Otherwise, we will live our lives distracted into being like these guys who ignored a free feast: “The first one said to him, ‘I have bought some land. I must go and look at it. Please excuse me.’ “Another one said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’’ Another one said, ‘I have just got married and I am sure you will understand I cannot come.’ ” Luke 14:19ff. We cannot afford to have a divided heart.
It is not good to become an expert in making up excuses so we don’t have to engage in His processes. Then change becomes a ‘some day’ thing, but ‘some day’ never comes. And our faith starts sliding down into pedantic and predictable. We can even begin to despise those who are actually engaging with Him, because their devotion prods our conscience. This means we never get to the place where we can see this world through His eyes of love. Let’s remember that LOVE is a verb, not a noun!
The second we step into our blood-bought inheritance, the enemy will target us with all kinds of temptation and lies. he won’t hesitate to drag up the past, and colour in the future. We need to remind ourselves of what Father God, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit look like! “Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, … … keeps going to the end.”
The Trinity look like this! They are where these glorious qualities come from! Read the above passage like this just once, it will blow your mind. “Jesus never gives up, He cares more for all of us than Himself…etc…” These verses are a perfect example of the Lord’s character, and this is the real war we face daily. We are daily tempted to doubt His goodness. We will need to battle every single day, to put aside our own selfish aims and pick up His plan for the ever-present, ongoing WAR against love. The possibilities are endless, but we can find them in the beautiful character and personhood of Jesus Christ. Bye. 👋.
