For a lot of my adult life I have been focused on helping people in their walk with God. I have done that in one way or another on five continents directly. If you count readers of this blog, all seven. It is fulfilling to help people learn to study the Word for themselves. It is exciting when they get excited about what they have seen.
I was reading just now Luke 10:20. The disciples were pumped – it is in the original – they had seen great things happen on their mission. Jesus rejoiced with them. But His encouragement came with a caveat. Yes it is great that you did well, but the really important thing is that your names are written down in heaven…
It is great to serve the King, His Church, His people, but the danger is that we, I, can begin to think that is what is important, that is what pleases Him, it is in my performance for Him that I should take pride and rejoice. But no. He reminds me that it is the work that He has done that is important. It is His work in my life that has caused me to be redeemed, to have my name recorded in His book that is the real reason to rejoice.
Everything else is second.
It is great to serve the King, His Church, His people, but the danger is that we, I, can begin to think that is what is important, that is what pleases Him, it is in my performance for Him that I should take pride and rejoice. But no. He reminds me that it is the work that He has done that is important. It is His work in my life that has caused me to be redeemed, to have my name recorded in His book that is the real reason to rejoice.
Everything else is second.
Can't affirm this enough. Otherwise I can become either proud or in despair about my life. I find myself very vulnerable now, especially in the latter. In the words of the old hymn, "When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest in His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor hold within the veil."
ReplyDeleteIt's His grace, in the grace of His sacrificial death that I must anchor in, in His presence. Nothing else can hold