I have a tendency to fight for things, I want things the way I want them, efficient, working in what I think is harmonious, and I have to tell myself, if my SAVIOR is asking me to give him this, should I not readily open my hands? And be at peace? That's the struggle for me, being at peace, finding the balance between letting God work yet doing what he would have me to do. We have responsibility to loyalty to the truth but not to outcomes. A difficult concept to balance.
Wonderful and comforting...
“And they follow me.”John 10:27
We should follow our Lord as unhesitatingly as sheep follow their shepherd, for he has a right to lead us wherever he pleases. We are not our own, we are bought with a price—let us recognize the rights of the redeeming blood. The soldier follows his captain, the servant obeys his master, much more must we follow our Redeemer, to whom we are a purchased possession. We are not true to our profession of being Christians, if we question the bidding of our Leader and Commander. Submission is our duty, cavilling is our folly. Often might our Lord say to us as to Peter, “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.” Wherever Jesus may lead us, he goes before us. If we know not where we go, we know with whom we go. With such a companion, who will dread the perils of the road? The journey may be long, but his everlasting arms will carry us to the end. The presence of Jesus is the assurance of eternal salvation, because he lives, we shall live also. We should follow Christ in simplicity and faith, because the paths in which he leads us all end in glory and immortality. It is true they may not be smooth paths—they may be covered with sharp flinty trials, but they lead to the “city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant.” Let us put full trust in our Leader, since we know that, come prosperity or adversity, sickness or health, popularity or contempt, his purpose shall be worked out, and that purpose shall be pure, unmingled good to every heir of mercy. We shall find it sweet to go up the bleak side of the hill with Christ; and when rain and snow blow into our faces, his dear love will make us far more blest than those who sit at home and warm their hands at the world’s fire. To the top of Amana, to the dens of lions, or to the hills of leopards, we will follow our Beloved. Precious Jesus, draw us, and we will run after thee.
1 comment:
I love that passage! It is hard to give up what we want to follow Christ, but I think our flesh deceives us. I think what we really desire and crave can only be filled by Christ, so in reality, we're "giving up" some things, with faith (from God) that what He has to give us is so much better! That thought has really encouraged me to continue on when I feel the same way you do (which is all the time). :) As C.S. Lewis said, we're children playing in the slums with mud (sin) and content to do so, because we don't realize what a holiday at the sea would be like, and oh, how God longs to give us that! Oh that we would pray to God to make our desires so strong that nothing this world could satisfy them, and that would force us to turn to Him as the only source of satisfaction!
Your comments just reminded me of that, and I've been reading Piper's Future Grace and his Desiring God, and what he said fits in so well with your comments!
Sorry this has been so long! I tend to ramble!
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