ListenDaily – 26 May 2010: Judging success; the remix
I said yesterday, that when it comes to our relationship with God, we must hone our definition of success, and that success = obedience. I referred to the following verse:
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands." (1 John 5:1-3)
I received some hearty "amens". I also know that some folks probably can't help but say "yeah, but..." as in:
"Yeah but -- I didn't see the person come to Christ."
"Yeah but -- there is no change in the people I work with."
"Yeah but -- everything is still the same."
"Yeah but -- the church isn't growing ("won't grow", "growing too fast/too slow)."
This is why we must listen before we act, and be prepared to act, and for the results, before we act on what we are called to do.
"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled;
set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance." (1 Peter 1:13-14).
One of those desires, one of those evil desires, is to insist on success on our terms over God's. We must trust that God is God and we are not. We must "trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5:)
We must stop demanding success on our terms, success that can be measured with earthly measuring devices. We will always rely on those when we are not in harmony with God. Please, don't get me wrong, we may well see things that are successfully earthly standards while meeting God's call -- but we must never seek the former over the latter. Seeking earthly success, using earthly wisdom and logic over what God is calling for would leave the ark un-built, Isaac off the altar, the Israelites in Egypt, Peter in the boat, and me a sinner unsaved.
But -- in our relationship with God, success = obedience.
And, according to His Word, obedience = love.
Questions:
1. How does this perspective strike you?
2. Do you find it frustrating to be a "planter" and not a "reaper"?
3. Now what?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we keep listening. Jim.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"The full acting out of the self's surrender to God therefore demands pain:
this action, to be perfect, must be done from the pure will to obey,
in the absence, or in the teeth of inclination".
C.S. Lewis
No comments:
Post a Comment