Facing the day
Aug 3, 2019 11:15:23 GMT -6
Post by Gene Whitehurst on Aug 3, 2019 11:15:23 GMT -6
As many of us look into the face of this new day, we want, at least we think we want exactly what God has for us this day. We embrace this day and ask our Lord to enable us to react to everything in such a way as to produce in us His character. We would be like Jesus.
We make ourselves vulnerable to the Lord. We lay down our own will. We accept as His will those people, that work, and the things that He brings our way. We accept with joy what He brings to us. We intend to do the will of our Shepherd, no matter what it involves or costs. We are scared sometimes, but as we mature, we realize that this is the only way.
We accept those unknowns that enter into the equation of the day as from Him. We give up on formulas for the Christian life. There are none. For a formula to work, we must have all of the elements of the formula. We don't have them. What we must do is embrace the unknown, not in sadistic terms of 'whatever', but in confidence that God knows what He is doing.
We must trust Him even when it seems contrary to what we know about Him. Abraham was asked (long ago) to sacrifice (kill) his very own son. That son was known by Abraham to have a certain mission for God. Abraham prepared for the execution until God intervened. Such apparent contradictions are God's problem, not ours. We are to follow His lead.
One must trust him even if he removes his health, his job, his life, his child. Job said in Job 13:15, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him."
We must trust Him. As Hannah Hurnard says so well, "As Christians we know, in theory at least, that in the life of a child of God there are no second causes, that even the most unjust and cruel things, as well as all seemingly pointless and undeserved sufferings, have been permitted by God as a GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY for us to react to them in such a way that our Lord and Savior is able to produce in us, little by little, his own lovely character."
The only safe place, the only reasonable place, the only right place for the believer is in the will of God. This means to lay down your own will. This is a continual activity, not a one-time event. We must say to our Father that He has the right to choose for me anything that pleases Him, whether or not it pleases me.
As you face this day my believer friend, open the arms of your heart to what your Shepherd has for you. Accept it as from Him. Trust it as from Him. If it is pain, sorrow, loss, suffering, disappointments, or joyous, victorious, fun, accept it as from the one who loves you more than you comprehend. Accept it with Joy!
Make this your prayer.
Gene Whitehurst
We make ourselves vulnerable to the Lord. We lay down our own will. We accept as His will those people, that work, and the things that He brings our way. We accept with joy what He brings to us. We intend to do the will of our Shepherd, no matter what it involves or costs. We are scared sometimes, but as we mature, we realize that this is the only way.
We accept those unknowns that enter into the equation of the day as from Him. We give up on formulas for the Christian life. There are none. For a formula to work, we must have all of the elements of the formula. We don't have them. What we must do is embrace the unknown, not in sadistic terms of 'whatever', but in confidence that God knows what He is doing.
We must trust Him even when it seems contrary to what we know about Him. Abraham was asked (long ago) to sacrifice (kill) his very own son. That son was known by Abraham to have a certain mission for God. Abraham prepared for the execution until God intervened. Such apparent contradictions are God's problem, not ours. We are to follow His lead.
One must trust him even if he removes his health, his job, his life, his child. Job said in Job 13:15, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him."
We must trust Him. As Hannah Hurnard says so well, "As Christians we know, in theory at least, that in the life of a child of God there are no second causes, that even the most unjust and cruel things, as well as all seemingly pointless and undeserved sufferings, have been permitted by God as a GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY for us to react to them in such a way that our Lord and Savior is able to produce in us, little by little, his own lovely character."
The only safe place, the only reasonable place, the only right place for the believer is in the will of God. This means to lay down your own will. This is a continual activity, not a one-time event. We must say to our Father that He has the right to choose for me anything that pleases Him, whether or not it pleases me.
As you face this day my believer friend, open the arms of your heart to what your Shepherd has for you. Accept it as from Him. Trust it as from Him. If it is pain, sorrow, loss, suffering, disappointments, or joyous, victorious, fun, accept it as from the one who loves you more than you comprehend. Accept it with Joy!
Make this your prayer.
Gene Whitehurst