For the Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ
Several weeks ago, my family tested out having chickens and dogs in the same yard. Little did we know, we were turning our yard into war territory.
Like chickens and dogs, though, humans don’t often live in harmony with one another. We expect everyone else to be perfect and accept our imperfections: silly, huh? God sets a different standard.
God says: be patient with people.
The ugly truth of garden snails is the ugly truth of the human heart too: both are full of a parasite that kills them and anyone who encounters them.
The lovely grace about garden snails is that they can be cleansed from their parasites! But it requires a tedious work that involves their death.
This is the difficult, beautiful glory of God. It is full of grace and truth.
A letter on outsiders, to outsiders, from an outsider…
I almost never do guest posts on my blog, but today I am sharing a letter written by a disciple of Christ who I dearly admire and appreciate. These aren’t my words, but they are full of far more experience and lots of wisdom.
So, read this letter. Trust me. You will be blessed by the words.
Do you hear the heartbeat of creation’s song? Do you hear the anthem of His people’s praise? Shh…listen. It is all around you. It is filling the air, it is blessing this ground.
The saints are singing a new song unto their worthy God!
Are you singing?
He delights to grow beautiful things within our souls.
And so, He reaches out, with a Kingly sovereignty and a Fatherly heart, waiting, asking: will you follow the roads? Will you go where no one dares to go? You asked for my lamp to guide your feet…and I faithfully will.
But if the roads lead to graveyards…will you still walk them?
As humans we live in a world that is temporarily ruled by a king of darkness. This darkness leads us to utter blindness. And the paradox of the darkness is that we must acknowledge it to be rid of it.
We must acknowledge our blindness.
For who can give sight to a man who sees? And God wills that we see what the blind men see.
Just as in the garden of Eden, where freewill brought mankind to shame through their own weakness, our freewill delights in attracting us to fleeting pleasures and distracting us from holy nearness.
God is near, yes. But it is our duty to pursue His nearness. The knowledge of nearness is futile should our souls never feast on the beauty of it all.
Yet He is not far from each one of us.
God’s blessing to us are the offerings of a sacred testimony – a fragrant sacrifice which declares the knowledge of Him to craving souls. Our response to these blessings reveals a great deal about our heart.
May my heart delight in rendering praise to His throne, from whence all blessings flow. May I know the utter Beauty of His testimony which He weaves into every gracious gift He bestows.
May my anthem be that I am filled to be emptied again.
Is Jesus enough for me?
I have, ashamedly, found a griping spirit deep within. As I dwell upon my frustrations and human weariness, my soul is convicted with a still, small voice which whispers, “am I enough for you?”
Do I live as though my cup overflows?
As the first missionaries were sent unto the uttermost – as Jesus beckoned, “come and die” – He gave them a glimpse of hope. He gave them a comfort for the lonely nights on their long journeys. He gave them a reason to smile in the seasons of deepest despair.
From the first breath of their calling, Jesus directed them onward, upward.
He beckoned them “follow Me.” And in the weight of those words lies the beauty of a fleeting life redeemed with overflowing fullness.
Because we trust the Shepherd who guides us unto death.