Life teaches us many things and none of us get out of it alive, it has an incredible knack of removing rough edges and filing down our sharp points. But if we handle those things correctly it has an incredible ability to make us mature shine and LEARN to enjoy what we have been given in life. I think it was Rudyard Kipling who said "if you can keep your head while all those about you are losing theirs, then you'll be a man my son" I always used to say "If you can keep your head while all around you are losing theirs, then you'll be the tallest man in the room!" I know what Kipling meant though. It was a sense of peace and calm when all about you was falling apart. It was this sense of serenity and peace for him that was the distinguishing mark of maturity. From my point of view it is no different for the Christian.
One of the weirdest things I find about God is that He gave us all free will and a choice to believe. I know if it was me as God and I went to the great lengths that our God did to redeem us I would give my subjects no choice but to follow. But our God in His infinite wisdom has intentionally given us a choice to follow, reject or push aside His gentle wooing of our hearts. This leaves us open to make our own minds up as to whether we will follow the direction and leading of the spirit or to go our own way. But as you walk the road of life you find the incredible Grace that God gives us, and empowers us with, also lets us stumble and scuff our knees and learn so much about life. It is an empowering Grace, the very thing that most of us would think a huge risk actually creates in us an ability to self govern and walk uprightly when we choose to. It’s when we refuse to allow the working of the Spirit in Gods way within us that the freedom we have causes us to falter and walk in the dark as it is.
Isa 50:10 Who among you fears Jehovah, who obeys the voice of His servant, who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of Jehovah and rest on his God.
Isa 50:11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who are surrounded with sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks which you have kindled. This you shall have of My hand; you shall lie down in sorrow.
The part idea I want to emphasize here is the fact that when we try to walk independent of God or as Isaiah puts it "Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who are surrounded with sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks which you have kindled. This you shall have of My hand; you shall lie down in sorrow" When we try to do it all on our own we cannot expect to find peace in our lives.
Jesus said "All of you who have done the hard yards tried to work it out yourself, you've fought and tried, why not stop, give it a break and COME TO ME" "Where you WILL find rest for your tired minds and your weary bodies." But our life which is built around Hollywood type values teaches us to do it yourself, you deserve you need etc etc. And we never discover the rest we so desperately need. The rest that we need is only found in Jesus. That’s why God said
Col 3:3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
So if we are ever going to find our life and that rest that God wants us to have we must go to Christ who has our life in God. Our life is not our own its been bought at a great price by God and our life is intrinsically linked to God via the person of Jesus. What a place of safety and rest. Why not take time even now just to open your heart to God make that time where you can just be with Him. Why not commit to a daily time with our Lord so you can find your life. A time not where you are doing or pursuing but just being with HIM who loves you most.
Well those are my random thoughts for today
Pastor Rob
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