Hello
I know it's not my turn to blog today but I just wanted to share with the wonderful message that I have read for Saturday devotion from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. It really touched my heart and encourage me and hope it does same to you as well.
Perseverance means more than endurance-more than simply holding until the end. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of archer. God is aiming at something the saint can not see, but our Lord continues to stretch and strain, every once in a while the saint says, "I can't take any more." Yet God pays no attention; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in in sight, and then He lets the arrow fly. Entrust yourself to God's hands. Is there something in your life for which yo need perseverance right now? Maintain your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through perseverance of faith. Proclaim as Job did," Though He slays me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15).
FAITH IS NOT SOME WEAK AND PITIFUL EMOTION, BUT IS STRONG AND VIGOROUS CONFIDENCE BUILT ON THE FACT THAT GOD IS HOLY LOVE. AND EVEN THOUGH YOU CANNOT SEE HIM RIGHT NOW AND CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS DOING, YOU KNOW HIM.
Disaster occurs in your life when you lack the mental composure that comes from establishing yourself on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is supreme effort of your life-throwing yourself with abandon and total confidence upon God.
God ventures His all in Jesus Christ to save us, and now He wants us to venture our all with total abandoned confidence in Him. There are areas in our lives where that faith has not worked in us as yet- places still untouched by the life of God. There were none of those places in Jesus Christ's life, there are to be none in ours. Jesus prayed, " This is eternal life, that they may know you..." (John 17:3).
The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we will take this view, life will become one great romance-a glorious opportunity of seeing wonderful things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power. By Oswald Chambers
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4 comments:
thank you SO much for these words of encouragement!
Thanks KwiJung for sharing your devotional. Now, if I may apply our passage today to the principles you have shared...
"FAITH IS NOT SOME WEAK AND PITIFUL EMOTION, BUT IS STRONG AND VIGOROUS CONFIDENCE BUILT ON THE FACT THAT GOD IS HOLY LOVE. AND EVEN THOUGH YOU CANNOT SEE HIM RIGHT NOW AND CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS DOING, YOU KNOW HIM."
I wonder if the rich man would have considered it a disaster to give up his wealth. If he knew God as Holy Love, he wouldn't have would he? I wondered if he knew what it means to "get eternal life"? Did he think it was another thing he can possess or accomplish? something he must add to the great wealth he already had? another comfort or security, something he must be so used to acquiring here on earth, that can benefit his afterlife?
He must have been very surprise and disappointed when Jesus told him to give away the treasures he has on earth to gain treasures in heaven.
The rich man received the answer he came seeking but went away sad because it meant giving up what he treasured the most in his life right now.
The rich man did follow all the commandments of God but when Jesus showed him how to stretch into perfection, I guess the rich man could have said "I can't take any more".
Was it because the rich man lacked the kind of faith Oswald wrote about?
"Faith is supreme effort of your life-throwing yourself with abandon and total confidence upon God." "...and now He wants us to venture our all with total abandoned confidence in Him."
Yes, that seems to be the case- the case of lacking faith. However, Jesus also said " With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
I think it's not only impossible for the rich man but impossible for anyone to have this kind of faith apart from God. There is no "good thing" we can do that would ever "do". The answer for the rich man lies between the lines of the question itself. If the rich man knew eternal life and the One from whom he is asking, he would have asked:
"Teacher, only You are good. Help me to get to know you and follow you into life eternal."
Wow...Thanks Kwi Jung unni for sharing. There are a lot of times when I think I'm weak or a freak for my faith and I hate to admit this but I find myself ashamed because of my faith when I encounter ridicule from other non-believers. Your words empowered and rebuked me that I should stand tall and proud because I have God's holy love and that I should never forget this. Thank you!
thanks for your reflection kwijung. it is very encouraging to be reminded of God's purpose and power in our salvation--we so often think it's all up to us somehow.
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