Well, you may have got the impression from my last post that I've been feeling crud lately... I was certainly explicit enough about it in the opening paragraph.
Truth be told that is exactly where I was... dejected, lacking in self worth and utterly spent. I suppose in a very small way, these might have been the kind of feelings that Elijah experienced after he legged it away from Mount Carmel... running away from victory.
I was down to do the reading at church yesterday... and when I sat down in the pew to go over what I was reading, I noticed that the passage was weird... it wasn't a single section, instead it straddled two separate sections in Luke's gospel, one about worry and the other about watchfulness. If you want to check it out the passage was Luke 12:32-40.
Truth be told that is exactly where I was... dejected, lacking in self worth and utterly spent. I suppose in a very small way, these might have been the kind of feelings that Elijah experienced after he legged it away from Mount Carmel... running away from victory.
I was down to do the reading at church yesterday... and when I sat down in the pew to go over what I was reading, I noticed that the passage was weird... it wasn't a single section, instead it straddled two separate sections in Luke's gospel, one about worry and the other about watchfulness. If you want to check it out the passage was Luke 12:32-40.
As soon as I began to read, another passage was given to me:
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:14-16
I felt very strongly that God was saying that his desire for the people in my church is to prepare their hearts for the season to come... but that they were letting personal issues and worries get in the way. I'm not pointing the finger, I felt personally challenged by this myself. I've been in a situation that has been eating me up alive. I am watching what I perceive as a situation that I have no control over, develop threateningly around people I care about. I think some people are out of order... but I am not in a position to do anything.
What I felt God was saying to me personally was that this was a distraction. By spending so much time worrying about it, I was just becoming more angry inside and not thinking appropriate thoughts. More importantly... by allowing this to carry so much attention in my heart, I was robbing myself of God's peace and spiritual nutrition.
What in effect God was saying to me... and is saying to our church, is that a time is coming when his Spirit will rain down on our area... but we won't be ready so long as we cling to our worries.
He showed me that our worries are like that bowl that descends upon our lamp and hides it from the world. Worse than that, as I am sure you are aware... if you leave a candle underneath a bowl long enough it's oxygen supply will dwindle and the candle exhausts itself.... and it no longer gives light. God is calling us to stop looking at the bowl and start looking to him. We cannot let our fears and worries master us. Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters - he was talking about money becoming more important in our hearts than God... but tell me, if we let anything else become more prevalent than God in our hearts... can we really deny it is any different?
We can't.
Fears and worries are as much false idols as strange gods, money, fast cars and celebrities.
God has every right to become irritated with us and leave us in our sorry state.
What I felt God was saying to me personally was that this was a distraction. By spending so much time worrying about it, I was just becoming more angry inside and not thinking appropriate thoughts. More importantly... by allowing this to carry so much attention in my heart, I was robbing myself of God's peace and spiritual nutrition.
What in effect God was saying to me... and is saying to our church, is that a time is coming when his Spirit will rain down on our area... but we won't be ready so long as we cling to our worries.
He showed me that our worries are like that bowl that descends upon our lamp and hides it from the world. Worse than that, as I am sure you are aware... if you leave a candle underneath a bowl long enough it's oxygen supply will dwindle and the candle exhausts itself.... and it no longer gives light. God is calling us to stop looking at the bowl and start looking to him. We cannot let our fears and worries master us. Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters - he was talking about money becoming more important in our hearts than God... but tell me, if we let anything else become more prevalent than God in our hearts... can we really deny it is any different?
We can't.
Fears and worries are as much false idols as strange gods, money, fast cars and celebrities.
God has every right to become irritated with us and leave us in our sorry state.
But he doesn't.
As Chris Tomlin observed, he sees the depths of our hearts and loves us the same anyway.
Not forgetting us in our despair and hopelessness, he instead bids us come before his throne and abandon ourselves at his feet as he embraces us with his loving arms.
I was given the courage by God to say this up front at church... it wasn't merely for me... but for others too.
I went into church somewhat lonesome and defeated... I emerged transformed - victorious and carried by God... and the situation I mentioned - it may get worse, it may just be false fear... but I have no control and God has total control. If that happens... what is that to me? I must follow him.
It would be remiss of me to talk about burdens and not provide some answer as to how you may unload them... and so I offer this passage for you to meditate on:
"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."
Matthew 11:28-30
God bless you and please do not struggle... give it to him instead.
Peace be with you...always
N
I don't know if any of my words can help, but I would like to say that I have returned to your blog several times because I do like to read them. I have tryed to return every day to see if you have written anything new. Whatever the problem is that you are having God will be there for you. There is a song by Rascal Flatts called He Ain't The Leaving Kind and it expresses this. I get a burst of renewed faith everytime I hear it. If you would like to send me a message you can send it to my blog at coolaid1073.blogspot.com Keep smiling:)
ReplyDeleteNick, as ever, another insightful post which creates careful thought and consideration. I love to visit here. Sorry I haven't left comments of late, been having problems with our new computer.
ReplyDelete