What are we waiting for?
24th May 2020
Wait for it. Well that was the message at virtual Church this morning. I think for me it’s he “it” that needs clarification. After the service my wife and I discussed, what we should now be doing as a result of that message. I summed up my response as; pray for God’s peace. Paul puts that thinking much better: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Php 4:6-7)
But… If we think we can pray to God and everything becomes easy for us immediately, then I think we’ve missed the point of service and discipleship. Paul knew this. “Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me–to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:7-10)
Following a house group I came to the realisation, based on study, peoples testimonies and prayers, that Jesus is not only beside me, but also leading in front and protecting my back for eternity, if not for the present. Omnipresent in time and space. My present has been put in priority perspective. My future is as ever in God’s hands and perhaps this is making me more open about such things as expressing my faith on social media, because it’s acting for God that matters and not what people think of me or how I come out of it better.
I think I need to focus on what I believe he is leading me to do and remember it’s not my work but his. Who knows what, how or if he will use it. It’s become important to me to be more open and try not use worldly objectives to decide whether my actions were successful. Gods work is not always measurable or indeed in our time frame. His SMART, not our foolishness. His work and it’s a privileged to be part of it.
These current difficulties really have changed my priorities. The Christian faith is rooted in the Love of God and his grace through Jesus who was persecuted to death in the extreme. After which resurrection power for so many. A better future following, and as a result of, torment. I think state of mind is paramount. FEAR, Forget Everything And Run OR Face Everything And Rise.
Just doing what we think is right for Him needs to be enough, even if it is indeed very challenging. My faith is perhaps much simpler to explain but harder to undertake. I know I have much to learn.