1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (ESV) 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
I am reminded today, the first anniversary of my mother's(memaw) going home of the above verse. I rode my route last night thinking about my mother and that verse came alive to me. I knew without doubt where my mother was and that I too would join her someday. It is in these times, the times that are so intensely personal, that knowing the Lord Jesus way down deep in your soul.....the pain, the sting isn't there. It is that deep sense of comfort, joy the Bible calls it, that I want to talk about today. The joy of the Lord. The peace that passes all understanding. Notice I didn't say happiness, nope, I don't believe the Bible emphasizes that, it is based on circumstances which are fickle. But, God DOES promise us that deep down, in your gut feeling, that all is well. PEACE IN YOUR SOUL. AMEN? That said..
I read this recently.
"As helpful as spiritual disciplines can be, they never can replace your love for God. Love is the discipline. God looks beyond your godly habits, beyond your moral lifestyle, and beyond your church involvement and focuses His penetrating gaze upon your heart."
As hard as we try not to, sometimes we miss the mark don't we? I know..I missed that mark this week, more than once! Can I get an Amen? As I wallowed about,God reminded me of a message that I wrote some time ago concerning the condition of our hearts. Not surprisingly it involved memaw and the gist of it was this. God told me that He had far better preachers, bloggers, etc., than me to proclaim His word. He also told me that He had people, WILLING people ,that were infinitely more able than me to give materially to the furtherance of His kingdom in this life.. BUT, and here it is, He didn't have anyone else, excepting my sister and myself, to help my aged, invalid mother get out of the bed and go to the bathroom. You see it was a matter of my heart. It was a matter of the love that I had in my heart for God. It was whether I would allow Him entrance into my heart and be obedient to His desire. You see, helping and caring for my mother WAS my ministry. During that time, I had to look no further than the adjoining bedroom(try as I might) to discern and fulfill God's present call in my life. Once I got that, there was a peace, a joy,even in difficult circumstances, that lodged in my soul. Way down deep I was assured that all was indeed well. "O death, where is your victory?..."
Yes, God does task us with responsibilities. He does ask us to do stuff. He does "call" us to ministry, both lay and clerical. And it is important that we heed His requests and do our best.But, and we must be careful here, sometimes we allow those tasks to become the end all. They become our focus instead of God. We become involved, as a dear friend once described, in"dog and pony shows."
God is showing me more and more as I get longer in the tooth,the truth about joy and peace. You know those lofty words that seem so elusive in this world we live in today.As the apostle Paul said, He doesn't want our stuff, He wants us. He wants our hearts. When you are laying in bed in the midnight hour. No one is around. All the make up, both physical and spiritual has been washed away, and the real you is laying there; THAT is when God wants to talk to you. When your insides are churning and you are trying to figure it all out...IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR, that is where you will find the joy of God, the PEACE that passes all understanding, IF....IF.....you will simply ask HIM to give it to you. Not your Pastor, not your friend, not your commentary, but God Almighty.
"O death, where is your sting?"
1 Corinthians 15:57 (ESV) 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 25:1 (ESV) 1
God Bless
No comments:
Post a Comment