For the Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ
The wise men gave of themselves for Jesus. They gave of their time and lives – choosing a journey to an unknown destination. Am I willing to give all? To give gold as to a King? Myrrh as to His Mortal Heart? And Incense as to a Living God?
My heart still holds back in the still of this world’s echoing hesitations to surrender all. But in the deepest crevice of my soul, I am beckoned to give back to my fullest. I am beckoned to try.
And so, I will try.
The God of the Israelites’ wilderness is the same God of the Israelites’ parted sea. The God of David’s valley of the shadow of doubt is the same God of Calvary’s hill. He does not change that I might better see Him. My faith is strengthened that I might better seek Him. And in seeking Him I see Him.
Therefore, my soul cannot help but tell of the treasure in the lowly places. For He is working there.
And I don’t want to miss it.
If I really love those around me, their salvation should be ever on my mind. Because no matter how kind I am or how loving I am or how many people consider me a “safe place” …I can’t save them.
So I have to speak of the good.
I have to tell of the One who came to redeem and restore.
In a world where hell keeps laughing…I must speak life.
We live in a world of broken nights. We live in a land of shattered hearts. Our lives are endless poems without rhymes; tapestries unraveling in a tangled storm.
But this is our hope, that one day Christ will return. And on that day all the praise will go to Jesus.
All the praise. . .to Him alone.
“There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on His Word, spiritual strength for labour in His service. We ought to muse upon the things of God because we thus get the real nutriment out of them…” -Charles Spurgeon
The world isn’t only changing through people with powerful voices and sharp minds. The world is changing by people, genuinely disturbed by the lack of hope and the world’s craving to be seen, known, and loved.
There is beauty in disturbance when it draws us nearer to God’s heart.
I am thankful for the “heart connections” I have around the world simply by being a part of God’s family. The church is a precious gift to each of us as believers. It is a form of accountability and support as those striving for the same goal, this “upward call of our God in Christ Jesus.”
When the Israelites turned from God repeatedly, allowing their questions and doubts and confusion to overwhelm their wearied hearts, and when they so stubbornly and selfishly denied their Redeemer and Creator…still He remained faithful. And throughout all the prophets this theme continues, woven in an endless and beautiful depiction of God’s love despite our human inconsistencies and flaws. This theme to slow down…and remember.
What do I know of Calvary love? Oh, how precious little I know. What small and selfish lenses of love I am prone to see through!
I pray that He would teach me to love the way He does. Just as He sees my brokenness, my doubts, my messes…and loves anyway. Just as He knows I’ll be faithless a thousand times and more…and loves anyway.
Lord, help me love anyway.
Since being back in the US, I have learned that America is busy – myself included! But are we intentional? Are we making the most of the time we have?
What would happen if we took the time to slow down?