Have you ever had an occasion when it seemed that brand new words somehow appeared in the text of your Bible? It happened to me recently and I've been contemplating the incident ever since.
As I was preparing to lead a study my research took me to the end of Luke chapter 6. That's where the parable of the wise and foolish builders is recorded. I passed my eyes casually over the words asking the Spirit to make the connection for me to the topic of the study. When I read verse 48, "He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock."(NIV) My antennae went up and my mind was suddenly in red alert mode.
Where in the world did those words, "dug down deep and laid the foundation" come from? I honestly couldn't remember ever having read them before. I rushed to the concordance and found that the same parable is also recorded in Matthew 7. Sure enough, those specific words do not appear there. Verse 24 ends with, "like a wise man who built his house on the rock". I realized that the Matthew passage must be the only one I'd previously read.
These kinds of discoveries are one of the ways the Lord reaches into my occasionally relaxed attitude about His Word and grabs my attention. I began to ponder the additional detail provided in Luke and asking the Spirit to guide my thinking. The insights I was given have stuck with me and I've already shared them with a number of friends.
You see, the picture I had from the Matthew passage was of two men who built similar houses - one set on a rock and the other set on a sandy beach. Old Yankees like me understand that important difference because we've weathered Nor'easters and hurricanes along the New England coast. Anything set on sand will surely be washed away, while things set on a rock are much more secure.
I have to admit though that there were times when my image of two identical houses caused me some discomfort. You see, I have witnessed times when structures have been washed right off of rocky islands. But God's Word is God's Word and He said the house on the rock stood firm under the onslaught of a storm. That was good enough for me.
What joy and delight to have the Luke version of the parable clarify the situation. The man who built his house on the rock "dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock". (Luke 6:48) He wasn't going to take any chances on having the precious structure he labored over washed away by any outside threat. He put his back into the task and excavated until he found rock solid enough to secure the foundation and support the entire house. He wanted his home to be secure for the long haul so he began by applying himself to the task of setting it on solid footing.
The parable took on a whole new perspective. It's possible that the wise and foolish man's houses did look identical to a passerby during beautiful weather - perhaps even surrounded by lovely landscaping. It would be when the "torrent struck" (v. 48, 49) that the difference would become obvious. The wiseman's house with the firm foundation set on rock would not even be shaken. The foolish man's house with an insufficient foundation would "collapse and its destruction [be] complete." (v. 49) The importance and value of the support below the surface would be clear to even the casual observer. One building much as it was before the storm, the other in shambles.
The spiritual comparison is easy to make. The person who humbly approaches God for wisdom builds their life on the solid foundation of a relationship with Him through Christ's atoning sacrifice, the truth of His Word, and a loving desire to be a doer of that word and not a hearer only. (James 1:22) Such a life will be sustained and unshaken when the storms strike. No amount of wind, rain, hail, trials, struggles, loss, deprivation, opposition, persecution, etc. will move such a life. "God's solid foundation stands firm." 2 Timothy 2:19
The person who stands alone builds their life on the foolishness of their own thinking. Such a life cannot withstand the storms that threaten it. Wind, rain, and all the pressures of this fallen world will cause such a life to collapse and be totally destroyed. "He who trusts in himself is a fool." (Proverbs 28:26a)
Hallelujah that God indwells His people by the power of the Holy Spirit. He leads and guides us according to the Father's wisdom. "For in Him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28) Christ Himself calls out to His Father for our protection. "I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. ... My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." (John 17:9,15)
Praise God that He always keeps His promises. (Numbers 23:19) He is the refuge for the righteous and we are secure in Him. (Hebrews 6:13-20)
Then it dawned on me - no wonder sanctification is hard, often dirty work. The process is represented in this parable by digging down until we find rock that is solid enough for a foundation on which to secure the building called my life. Plumbing the incredible depths of the unshakable truths of Scripture and seeking an intimate relationship with God Himself take time and effort. There's a lot of dirt and filth to dig through both in my heart and the world around me. We shouldn't be surprised by the effort or the muck.
Thank you, Lord, for this glimpse at the awesome work of salvation that provides the solid rock for my sanctification. Please continue to work out your good purpose in my life and cause me to stand firm amidst any and all dangers and evil that you alone might be glorified and your Name hallowed in all the earth. Amen
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Suitcases and Horizons
The traveling I do is often misunderstood. Some folks think that just because I get on an airplane and go to some faraway place that I must be on vacation. Others realize that I am in the service of our Risen Savior as He blesses me with outreach opportunities for sharing the gospel. Though ministry to those the Father sets before me is the stated purpose, the trips I make have another eternal impact.
Case in point:
Last week I realized that it was only seven more days until I needed to be ready to go to the airport. I pulled out my suitcases and piled the items I was preparing to take with me into them. Curt thoughtfully weighed the two I would be checking and the larger carry-on. They were within the allowable limits so I relaxed with a sigh and went on with other tasks.
This particular journey will include three destinations. Each stop will entail a variety of activities. There will be a mixture of group gatherings, family meetings, and individual consultations. As you can imagine, besides the packing, there are a lot of other preparations that need to be made for the trip. In the midst of all of that, there are also the task before me at home. It's important to take care of the responsibilities I will leave behind. Needless to say I was busy.
A few days ago the Lord gave me the impetus to move along in the packing process. This step usually doesn't happen until much closer to my departure date, but my main goal for this trip is to "remain in the vine" so I responded. John 15:4 I dutifully organized the materials and placed them into the available space. As the suitcases I intended to check filled up I moved things into the larger carry-on. When I was done I realized there was no room left for clothes. 8-0 I decided to continue "resting" which took me to the other activities of my day.
The next day I began the process of laying out clothes. I concentrated on choosing the bare minimum - underwear, one skirt, two sleeveless and two short-sleeve blouses, a spare pair of slacks. I switched from my handy little cosmetic carrier to a zip-lock baggie for my toiletry items. Hurrah, I was able to tucked everything into hollow corners. Then it was time to do the final weight check.
At first I thought everything was fine though the larger carry-on was way too heavy. I figured I'd just have to get help to put it into the overhead compartment ... and disguise how much effort I'd have to use to drag it around with me. ;-) Then Curt discovered that the airlines have changed the weight limits for baggage. Oh no!! My mind started to race. "What am I going to do with the six pounds I need to take out of that one bag." "There simply is no more space and I can't add another carry-on, what now?" "I only have three more days until I fly out." "I can't leave any of this stuff behind."
The Spirit delivered the warning, "Remember, Sandra, your number one goal for this trip is to 'rest in the vine'." Thank you, Jesus.
I turned my mind to the Word of God and the promises it contains. "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5,6 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10
I settled back into the Truth. I was able to release the concern and tension and put the solution into God's omnipotent hands. After all, there were plenty of other tasks to occupy my time and attention. I shared the need through an email to a group of colleagues asking for their prayer and put down the topic completely. It was a blessed opportunity to let God be God. Amen
Through a series of events that I will keep to myself for the privacy of those involved, God put a check into my hands for the amount needed to check a third suitcase - less than 24 hours after the request for prayer was posted. Hallelujah! I need to stick with my limited wardrobe and the zip-lock baggie, but nothing has to be left behind. Oh, the Lord is good! His mercies are not only new every morning. They are sweet!
Yes, this is an incredible victory for the benefit of those God has called me/us to serve. The curriculum and materials I will deliver will be a serious encouragement to their growth in grace as they build families under Christ. I praise His Holy Name for these blessings. There is another level to the dynamic that is becoming more and more obvious as the years unfold. God uses scenarios like this on each trip to encourage, reinforce and refine for my faith. Only He would know about the connection I would make with horizons.
I was praising God for the various details of His intervention - the funds for the additional suitcase, the hearts He moved to make it happen, the speedy timing, etc. Of course the peace that I'd been given was high on the list. I began to ponder God's faithfulness in allowing me to meet the #1 goal of this particular journey in the face of possible catastrophe. Hmmm, how did He work in me to accomplish such a breakthrough?
I was reminded of a particular skill taught me by my father, a retired member of the US Coast Guard. When you're out on the water and you're looking for something such as a buoy or landmark, the best way to find it is to scan the horizon. I've had plenty of opportunity to verify his words as I was raised on the ocean. My experience confirms the truth of His statement. If my eyes fixate on a specific spot, I am unable to locate anything. If I move them back and forth across the horizon, I am much more likely to pick up the marker I seek.
Curt has confirmed the same training and results from his time at sea with the US Navy. When he went to serve his night duty watch, he was expected to arrive early so that his eyes would get accustomed to the dark. Then he was to constantly scan the horizon to pick up any objects that might appear. In this way, he was more likely to be successful. That was the normal responsibility of anyone on watch, day or night.
The situation with the suitcases could have followed the old pattern of anxiety, confusion, frustration, and so on. Instead God intervened and short-circuited all of that unhealthy, unproductive angst. He led me to continue in the other tasks before me as I waited on Him for the solution. Philippians 2:13 I was to "remain in the vine" as I went about my routine. My reward came when His provision popped up on the horizon.
This latest episode in my divine education is a blessed one. I praise God that His answer was so specific and speedy. It is not always so, but He knows my needs and desires and always responds perfectly. This glimpse is especially poignant. I can assure you that in the future I will be much more likely to apply my head and hands to the task before me as my eyes scan the horizon for my Daddy's intervention.
What victory there is in yielding to the Father's will. What joy there is in trusting the "ever-present help in trouble". Psalm 46:1
Case in point:
Last week I realized that it was only seven more days until I needed to be ready to go to the airport. I pulled out my suitcases and piled the items I was preparing to take with me into them. Curt thoughtfully weighed the two I would be checking and the larger carry-on. They were within the allowable limits so I relaxed with a sigh and went on with other tasks.
This particular journey will include three destinations. Each stop will entail a variety of activities. There will be a mixture of group gatherings, family meetings, and individual consultations. As you can imagine, besides the packing, there are a lot of other preparations that need to be made for the trip. In the midst of all of that, there are also the task before me at home. It's important to take care of the responsibilities I will leave behind. Needless to say I was busy.
A few days ago the Lord gave me the impetus to move along in the packing process. This step usually doesn't happen until much closer to my departure date, but my main goal for this trip is to "remain in the vine" so I responded. John 15:4 I dutifully organized the materials and placed them into the available space. As the suitcases I intended to check filled up I moved things into the larger carry-on. When I was done I realized there was no room left for clothes. 8-0 I decided to continue "resting" which took me to the other activities of my day.
The next day I began the process of laying out clothes. I concentrated on choosing the bare minimum - underwear, one skirt, two sleeveless and two short-sleeve blouses, a spare pair of slacks. I switched from my handy little cosmetic carrier to a zip-lock baggie for my toiletry items. Hurrah, I was able to tucked everything into hollow corners. Then it was time to do the final weight check.
At first I thought everything was fine though the larger carry-on was way too heavy. I figured I'd just have to get help to put it into the overhead compartment ... and disguise how much effort I'd have to use to drag it around with me. ;-) Then Curt discovered that the airlines have changed the weight limits for baggage. Oh no!! My mind started to race. "What am I going to do with the six pounds I need to take out of that one bag." "There simply is no more space and I can't add another carry-on, what now?" "I only have three more days until I fly out." "I can't leave any of this stuff behind."
The Spirit delivered the warning, "Remember, Sandra, your number one goal for this trip is to 'rest in the vine'." Thank you, Jesus.
I turned my mind to the Word of God and the promises it contains. "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5,6 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10
I settled back into the Truth. I was able to release the concern and tension and put the solution into God's omnipotent hands. After all, there were plenty of other tasks to occupy my time and attention. I shared the need through an email to a group of colleagues asking for their prayer and put down the topic completely. It was a blessed opportunity to let God be God. Amen
Through a series of events that I will keep to myself for the privacy of those involved, God put a check into my hands for the amount needed to check a third suitcase - less than 24 hours after the request for prayer was posted. Hallelujah! I need to stick with my limited wardrobe and the zip-lock baggie, but nothing has to be left behind. Oh, the Lord is good! His mercies are not only new every morning. They are sweet!
Yes, this is an incredible victory for the benefit of those God has called me/us to serve. The curriculum and materials I will deliver will be a serious encouragement to their growth in grace as they build families under Christ. I praise His Holy Name for these blessings. There is another level to the dynamic that is becoming more and more obvious as the years unfold. God uses scenarios like this on each trip to encourage, reinforce and refine for my faith. Only He would know about the connection I would make with horizons.
I was praising God for the various details of His intervention - the funds for the additional suitcase, the hearts He moved to make it happen, the speedy timing, etc. Of course the peace that I'd been given was high on the list. I began to ponder God's faithfulness in allowing me to meet the #1 goal of this particular journey in the face of possible catastrophe. Hmmm, how did He work in me to accomplish such a breakthrough?
I was reminded of a particular skill taught me by my father, a retired member of the US Coast Guard. When you're out on the water and you're looking for something such as a buoy or landmark, the best way to find it is to scan the horizon. I've had plenty of opportunity to verify his words as I was raised on the ocean. My experience confirms the truth of His statement. If my eyes fixate on a specific spot, I am unable to locate anything. If I move them back and forth across the horizon, I am much more likely to pick up the marker I seek.
Curt has confirmed the same training and results from his time at sea with the US Navy. When he went to serve his night duty watch, he was expected to arrive early so that his eyes would get accustomed to the dark. Then he was to constantly scan the horizon to pick up any objects that might appear. In this way, he was more likely to be successful. That was the normal responsibility of anyone on watch, day or night.
The situation with the suitcases could have followed the old pattern of anxiety, confusion, frustration, and so on. Instead God intervened and short-circuited all of that unhealthy, unproductive angst. He led me to continue in the other tasks before me as I waited on Him for the solution. Philippians 2:13 I was to "remain in the vine" as I went about my routine. My reward came when His provision popped up on the horizon.
This latest episode in my divine education is a blessed one. I praise God that His answer was so specific and speedy. It is not always so, but He knows my needs and desires and always responds perfectly. This glimpse is especially poignant. I can assure you that in the future I will be much more likely to apply my head and hands to the task before me as my eyes scan the horizon for my Daddy's intervention.
What victory there is in yielding to the Father's will. What joy there is in trusting the "ever-present help in trouble". Psalm 46:1
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Heavy and Light
It was a small ladies Bible study around the table on our deck. God was blessing us with lovely weather and good conversation. I was unprepared for the full-blown glimpse I was about to receive.
The topic of the day was humility and we were going through a string of verses that held a variety of points. I admit that I hadn't paid much attention to that word in my previous readings of Matthew 11:28-30. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
We began to talk about the passage and one of the ladies made a comment that went something like this. "I know what a yoke is and they are heavy things. I don't see how a yoke could ever be called light. Actually, this verse doesn't make any sense to me at all." I began making my way through what I thought was a reasoned explanation by pointing out that the One who spoke the words was Jesus the Christ.
It was easy enough to talk about Jesus' call for those who are "weary and burdened" to come to Him for rest. That covers pretty much all of us living in this fallen world. I was able to mention some of the specific struggles that were tiring burdens for some of us. I paused before taking on the next sentence though. It's an interesting combination of directions and results.
Jesus seems to be telling those who are already dragging a heavy load to add the weight of a heavy farm implement. The key is that it is His yoke that he calls us to take on our shoulders. To make the point, I took out a pen and drew a simple yoke with two neckbands. Jesus isn't directing His people to pick up a dead weight and add it to the burdens we are already carrying. He's calling us to put ourselves under a yoke to spread out the burden.
I've learned a lot about yokes lately. Directions for making a yoke include measuring the animal. Time needs to be spent carving, sanding, and finishing the wood for a proper fit. It's not a complicated piece of equipment, but it is highly efficient for harnessing power. A pair of oxen under yoke are able to pull more than double the weight a single ox can handle on his own.
Sharing the load is only one benefit of a yoke. One of the ways to train a young or inexperienced ox is to yoke it with an older, experienced animal. The yoke itself becomes an educational method as the pair shoulder the weight-bearing task. The one needing the training is directly connected to the appropriate tutor making it difficult to miss the important lessons.
Jesus' call is not to take up just any yoke. It's His yoke that He wants us to put on. The goal is not merely to offload some of the weight of the struggles we face by sharing them with someone else. Jesus offers Himself as a yoke-mate. He is the One who will shoulder the weight; the weight of the yoke itself as well as the struggles. He wants us to be right next to Him that we might learn His ways.
I looked to the next phrase to continue my way through the passage - "for I am gentle and humble in heart". Right here in this particular analogy Jesus shares these two particular attributes. As with the idea of a heavy yoke being light, gentle and humble don't seem to be attributes to esteem when looking to accomplish a formidable task. What could gentleness and humility have to do with it?
I silently and earnestly asked the Spirit for help and picked up my pencil. To buy some time, I drew a simple yoke to illustrate what we were discussing and wrote J-e-s-u-s in the left neckband. Then it hit me. Jesus is describing His own heart condition when He is under His yoke. Our Older Brother is setting the example for coming under His tutelage as we make our way through this life.
I've often thought about being yoked with Jesus as His helping me manage burdens. I've even imagined Him pulling me along to keep my path nice and straight. But truly seeing the word humble for the first time in the analogy was a major glimpse. I shared the insight with the ladies in the study, but it was much more than that.
The study was over and the ladies were gone. I looked at my drawing and began to consider my own stiff-necked heart. I know I'm one of God's chosen and I look forward with biblical hope to eternity with Him. I also know that the trials of this life are too heavy for me. I want/need to be under Jesus' direct tutelage every moment. I thought about what it would take to come under His yoke.
To be humble is to be "not proud or arrogant; modest ... having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience ... courteously respectful." Interestingly, Webster's Unabridged Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English Language, Gramercy Books 1989, also gives the following examples. "I am humble in the presence of the starry firmament. I am your humble disciple in all things of the spirit."
Oh yes, I'm aware of my humble position before the holy, triune God. He has taught me well that it is in Him that I live and move and have my being. Acts 17:27 I can do nothing on my own to please Him. He is the One who works in me to will and to act according to His good purpose. Philippians 2:13 It is Jesus who presents me before the throne of grace. Hebrews 7:25 It is the Spirit who testifies on my behalf. Romans 8
Acknowledging these truths and many others, in my mind's eye I lower my head and come along side Jesus under His yoke. The neckband slips on easily and is a perfect fit. My soul is indeed at rest. The burdens of this life are lighter as my Savior and Lord shoulders them with and for me. He has much to teach me and I long to learn. Jesus is calling all of His children to bow their heads and take up His yoke. How about you?
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
The topic of the day was humility and we were going through a string of verses that held a variety of points. I admit that I hadn't paid much attention to that word in my previous readings of Matthew 11:28-30. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
We began to talk about the passage and one of the ladies made a comment that went something like this. "I know what a yoke is and they are heavy things. I don't see how a yoke could ever be called light. Actually, this verse doesn't make any sense to me at all." I began making my way through what I thought was a reasoned explanation by pointing out that the One who spoke the words was Jesus the Christ.
It was easy enough to talk about Jesus' call for those who are "weary and burdened" to come to Him for rest. That covers pretty much all of us living in this fallen world. I was able to mention some of the specific struggles that were tiring burdens for some of us. I paused before taking on the next sentence though. It's an interesting combination of directions and results.
Jesus seems to be telling those who are already dragging a heavy load to add the weight of a heavy farm implement. The key is that it is His yoke that he calls us to take on our shoulders. To make the point, I took out a pen and drew a simple yoke with two neckbands. Jesus isn't directing His people to pick up a dead weight and add it to the burdens we are already carrying. He's calling us to put ourselves under a yoke to spread out the burden.
I've learned a lot about yokes lately. Directions for making a yoke include measuring the animal. Time needs to be spent carving, sanding, and finishing the wood for a proper fit. It's not a complicated piece of equipment, but it is highly efficient for harnessing power. A pair of oxen under yoke are able to pull more than double the weight a single ox can handle on his own.
Sharing the load is only one benefit of a yoke. One of the ways to train a young or inexperienced ox is to yoke it with an older, experienced animal. The yoke itself becomes an educational method as the pair shoulder the weight-bearing task. The one needing the training is directly connected to the appropriate tutor making it difficult to miss the important lessons.
Jesus' call is not to take up just any yoke. It's His yoke that He wants us to put on. The goal is not merely to offload some of the weight of the struggles we face by sharing them with someone else. Jesus offers Himself as a yoke-mate. He is the One who will shoulder the weight; the weight of the yoke itself as well as the struggles. He wants us to be right next to Him that we might learn His ways.
I looked to the next phrase to continue my way through the passage - "for I am gentle and humble in heart". Right here in this particular analogy Jesus shares these two particular attributes. As with the idea of a heavy yoke being light, gentle and humble don't seem to be attributes to esteem when looking to accomplish a formidable task. What could gentleness and humility have to do with it?
I silently and earnestly asked the Spirit for help and picked up my pencil. To buy some time, I drew a simple yoke to illustrate what we were discussing and wrote J-e-s-u-s in the left neckband. Then it hit me. Jesus is describing His own heart condition when He is under His yoke. Our Older Brother is setting the example for coming under His tutelage as we make our way through this life.
I've often thought about being yoked with Jesus as His helping me manage burdens. I've even imagined Him pulling me along to keep my path nice and straight. But truly seeing the word humble for the first time in the analogy was a major glimpse. I shared the insight with the ladies in the study, but it was much more than that.
The study was over and the ladies were gone. I looked at my drawing and began to consider my own stiff-necked heart. I know I'm one of God's chosen and I look forward with biblical hope to eternity with Him. I also know that the trials of this life are too heavy for me. I want/need to be under Jesus' direct tutelage every moment. I thought about what it would take to come under His yoke.
To be humble is to be "not proud or arrogant; modest ... having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience ... courteously respectful." Interestingly, Webster's Unabridged Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English Language, Gramercy Books 1989, also gives the following examples. "I am humble in the presence of the starry firmament. I am your humble disciple in all things of the spirit."
Oh yes, I'm aware of my humble position before the holy, triune God. He has taught me well that it is in Him that I live and move and have my being. Acts 17:27 I can do nothing on my own to please Him. He is the One who works in me to will and to act according to His good purpose. Philippians 2:13 It is Jesus who presents me before the throne of grace. Hebrews 7:25 It is the Spirit who testifies on my behalf. Romans 8
Acknowledging these truths and many others, in my mind's eye I lower my head and come along side Jesus under His yoke. The neckband slips on easily and is a perfect fit. My soul is indeed at rest. The burdens of this life are lighter as my Savior and Lord shoulders them with and for me. He has much to teach me and I long to learn. Jesus is calling all of His children to bow their heads and take up His yoke. How about you?
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Monday, July 20, 2009
Thanks and Glory
When I was a kid I was taught that a thank you note was an important piece of social etiquette. I'm not sure why that lesson stuck so securely to my life, but it did. When I became a mother I wanted to prepare my children for the grown up world and thank you notes became part of their lives too. In that process God showed me that expressing thanks was more about developing thankful hearts than meeting an unwritten moral code.
I've noticed that this small social grace has, for the most part, fallen out of fashion. Thankfully that never happens to God's Word. The Scriptures abound with the call for God's people to be thankful - actively, expressively thankful. Lately I've been pondering 2 Corinthians 4:15 and it has opened up a wider horizon on the topic of thanks-giving.
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
First, I had to look back to find out to what "all this" refers. The previous verses outline the assurance believers have of being raised to new life in and with Jesus. *1* These indescribable gifts are given "for your benefit." Since this book was written to the church of God in Corinth, I understand that the benefits are for followers of Jesus. *2*
"So that" implies there is a specific purpose for the aforementioned gifts to be given. I learn that God's grace is "reaching more and more people" as He calls His chosen ones to Himself with the desired consequence being the "overflow" of "thanksgiving." What more reasonable and expected result could there be from a heart redeemed from the wrath of a holy God, reconciled with the Creator, and secured for an eternity of praise, worship and service to the King of Glory? *3*
For me, the end of this verse is the most powerful piece, "to the glory of God". I have long sought to fulfill the ultimate goal of a grateful, fallen child's heart as described by the Westminster Shorter Catechism - The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." I am thunderstruck by the possibility . . . probability . . . the reality that hearts overflowing with thankfulness for the gift of grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10) actually bring glory to God! *4*
When one recognizes and comes to realize more fully the immeasurable parameters and value of the gift, thankfulness is the only possible response. As one ponders our own undeserving nature and imperfect performance, thankfulness erupts that God bases His covenant on His own character and not ours. As one considers the blessings of His daily presence and promised inheritance, thankfulness automatically overwhelms and flows forth from our being.
The very gifts that God Himself grants stimulate the heart condition of thankfulness that He craves and calls for from His chosen people. We can't help but tell others how loving are the ways of our Father, how compassionate is the ministry of The Son, how intimate is the counsel of the Spirit. Simply by telling others of God's amazing grace to me we are/I am enabled and empowered to reach the goal by The One who set it in place. Hallelujah!! *5*
I wonder what it would look like if God's people were to send a thank you note toward heaven every time they recognized one of His blessings. Would the halls be littered with envelopes? Would the gates wear out with mail deliveries? Would the air be filled with messages winging heavenward? Would our pockets be empty from the cost of postage?
Here's my tentative but confident beginning contribution to that scenario:
*1* Thank you, God, for your gift of salvation through Christ and the glorious eternal life in Your presence that awaits those who believe.
*2* Thank you, Father, for your personal gift of faith and the future you have in store for me.
*3* Thank you, Jesus, for your substitutionary and atoning sacrifice that grants the abundant life both now and for ever more.
*4* Thank you, Holy Spirit, for this fresh, illuminating glimpse.
*5* Thank you, perfect Triune God, for waking me up this morning in my right mind and setting me on my way. May you alone be honored and glorified. Amen
I've noticed that this small social grace has, for the most part, fallen out of fashion. Thankfully that never happens to God's Word. The Scriptures abound with the call for God's people to be thankful - actively, expressively thankful. Lately I've been pondering 2 Corinthians 4:15 and it has opened up a wider horizon on the topic of thanks-giving.
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
First, I had to look back to find out to what "all this" refers. The previous verses outline the assurance believers have of being raised to new life in and with Jesus. *1* These indescribable gifts are given "for your benefit." Since this book was written to the church of God in Corinth, I understand that the benefits are for followers of Jesus. *2*
"So that" implies there is a specific purpose for the aforementioned gifts to be given. I learn that God's grace is "reaching more and more people" as He calls His chosen ones to Himself with the desired consequence being the "overflow" of "thanksgiving." What more reasonable and expected result could there be from a heart redeemed from the wrath of a holy God, reconciled with the Creator, and secured for an eternity of praise, worship and service to the King of Glory? *3*
For me, the end of this verse is the most powerful piece, "to the glory of God". I have long sought to fulfill the ultimate goal of a grateful, fallen child's heart as described by the Westminster Shorter Catechism - The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." I am thunderstruck by the possibility . . . probability . . . the reality that hearts overflowing with thankfulness for the gift of grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10) actually bring glory to God! *4*
When one recognizes and comes to realize more fully the immeasurable parameters and value of the gift, thankfulness is the only possible response. As one ponders our own undeserving nature and imperfect performance, thankfulness erupts that God bases His covenant on His own character and not ours. As one considers the blessings of His daily presence and promised inheritance, thankfulness automatically overwhelms and flows forth from our being.
The very gifts that God Himself grants stimulate the heart condition of thankfulness that He craves and calls for from His chosen people. We can't help but tell others how loving are the ways of our Father, how compassionate is the ministry of The Son, how intimate is the counsel of the Spirit. Simply by telling others of God's amazing grace to me we are/I am enabled and empowered to reach the goal by The One who set it in place. Hallelujah!! *5*
I wonder what it would look like if God's people were to send a thank you note toward heaven every time they recognized one of His blessings. Would the halls be littered with envelopes? Would the gates wear out with mail deliveries? Would the air be filled with messages winging heavenward? Would our pockets be empty from the cost of postage?
Here's my tentative but confident beginning contribution to that scenario:
*1* Thank you, God, for your gift of salvation through Christ and the glorious eternal life in Your presence that awaits those who believe.
*2* Thank you, Father, for your personal gift of faith and the future you have in store for me.
*3* Thank you, Jesus, for your substitutionary and atoning sacrifice that grants the abundant life both now and for ever more.
*4* Thank you, Holy Spirit, for this fresh, illuminating glimpse.
*5* Thank you, perfect Triune God, for waking me up this morning in my right mind and setting me on my way. May you alone be honored and glorified. Amen
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