This classic is just what I need to be reading at the beginning of this new year, at this point in my journey of realizing that there is still a part of my heart that is guarded against trusting implicitly in God's goodness. All around me is a world full of Christians she describes:
"You have found Jesus as your Saviour.... You have carefully studied the Holy Scriptures.... but in spite of it all, your souls are starving and dying within you, and you cry out in secret, again and again...." ch 1
But she insists this is not the way it has to be.
"...the Scriptures do set before the believer in the Lord Jesus a life of abiding rest and continual victory, which is very far beyond the ordinary run of Christian experience; and that in the Bible we have presented to us a Saviour able to save us from the power of our sins as really as he saves us from their guilt."
And here's what it boils down to:
1. Entire surrender to the Lord and
2. Perfect trust in him.
(so simple, and yet, so very difficult!)
"He made you, and therefore he understands you, and knows how to manage you; and you must trust Him to do it. Say to him, 'Here, Lord, I abandon myself to thee. I have tried in every way I could think of to manage myself, and to make myself what I know I ought to be, but have always failed. Now I give it up to thee. Do thou take entire possession of me. Work in me all the good pleasure of thy will. Mold and fashion me into such a vessel as seemeth good to thee. I leave myself in thy hands, and I believe thou wilt, according to thy promise, make me into a vessel unto thy own honor, 'sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared for every good work' "Next, you must lay off every other burden....everything that concerns you, whether inward or outward....We know we are helpless as regards the future, but we feel the present wa in our own hands, and must be carried on our own shoulders.... Most people...take their burdens to Him, but they bring them away with them again, and are just as worried and unhappy as ever. But I take mine and leave them with Him, and come away and forget them. If the worry comes back, I take it to Him again; and I do this over and over, until at last I just forget I have any worries, and am at perfect rest."
Oh, this strikes me first as pollyanna. But I read on about what it means to become like a little child as Jesus spoke of and in my heart of hearts, and as a mother of two boys I adore and would do anything for, it makes sense!
"He is our Father, and He loves us, and He knows just what is best, and therefore, of course, His will is the very most blessed thing that can come to us under any circumstances. I do not understand how it is that the eyes of so many Christians have been blinded to this fact. But it really would seem ais if God's own children were more afraid of His will than of anything else in life, --His lovely, lovable will, which only means loving-kindness and tender mercies, and blessings unspeakable to their souls!....Heaven is a place of infinite bliss because His will is perfectly done there, and our lives share in this bliss just in proportion as His will is perfectly done in them. He loves us, --loves us I say, --and the will of love is always blessing for its loved one."
So, there it is, the secret: Entire Abandonment and Absolute Faith.
"No matter what may be the complications of your peculiar experience, no matter what your difficulties, or your surroundings, or your "peculiar temperament," these two steps, definitely taken and unwaveringly persevered in, will certainly bring you out sooner or later in the green pastures and still waters of this life hid with Christ in God. You may be perfectly sure of this."
She closes ch 4 with another prayer of consecration:
"Lord Jesus, I believe that thou art able and willing to deliver me from all the care and unrest and bondage of my Christian life. I believe thou didst die to set me free, not only in the future, but now and here. I believe thou art stronger than sin, and that thou canst keep me, in my extreme of weakness, from falling into its snares or yielding obedience to its commands. And, Lord, I am going to trust thee to keep me. I have tried keeping myself, and have failed, and failed, most grievously. I am absolutely helpless. So now I will trust thee. I give myself to thee. I keep back no reserves. Body, soul, and spirit, I present myself to thee as a piece of clay, to be fashioned into anything thy love and they wisdom shall choose...I trust thee utterly, and I trust thee now."
Can you pray this with me for 2008? WIll you? I dare you!
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
1 comment:
Sent: Monday, 6 November 2006
Subject: A Lesson from the Amish
written by
Craig R. Smith
A Lesson from the Amish
The difference between being ordinary and extraordinary is simply a choice. A choice
to be great is never easy and may take sacrifice, but that is why there are plenty of
ordinary folks in America yet very few truly extraordinary.
This week America witnessed this principle in the most profound way. A group of
peace-loving, hard-working, self-sufficient, faithful citizens laid to rest their precious
children who were cut down in their early years at the hand of a man in Nickel Mines,
Pennsylvania.
We all know the story. The Amish community was shaken to its core as a man entered
a schoolhouse, tied up 10 young girls and then proceeded to slay them. Methodically,
one by one they were shot execution-style until ultimately the shooter turned the gun
on himself and the horror-filled air rang silent. I can't imagine what the scene must have
been like, much less what that scene looked like in the minds of the parents who loved
those children.
After the smoke settled and the reports started to pour forth, we watched as a group of
extraordinary people responded to this tragedy as only extraordinary people would.
They mourned and cried and then went about the grim task of hand digging the graves
in which their children would soon be laid to rest. Afterwards they arranged, by meeting
all the requirements of the state, to make the sorrowful trip to the coroner's office to
take possession of the lifeless bodies so a funeral and subsequent burial could take
place.
They drove their horse and buggies to the gravesites and buried their dead. Every last
shovelful of dirt was gently placed on the coffin with the same care and attention as it
was removed by the love of a father, brother or uncle. All the while the state offered
transportation, counseling and various services in hopes of making this tragedy less
burdensome. The response was
"Thank you, but all we ask is for our privacy and your prayers".
The most remarkable part of this sad story is not what was visible but what was
invisible. The invisible shows the extraordinary character of these fine people. During
this whole process you never saw a finger of blame being pointed at anyone, including
the gunman who took innocent life from the Amish community.
The most you heard was an Amish spokesman's prepared comments read by a
policeman. The comments were filled with love, understanding and forgiveness for
what took place. Comments that talked about how this man made a bad choice and
they forgive him for making that choice. They didn't blame guns, politicians, media,
society or any of the other normal targets that we ordinary people look to blame.
They didn't blame God or look to make sense of what is a truly senseless act. They
made a choice to live their faith and trust in God. Knowing full well God loves them and
has forgiven them, in turn they forgive others - even when it means the loss of
something as precious as a child.
They chose not to allow hate to fill their hearts. They know hate produces darkness
and eclipses the light of God in man. They chose to walk in light and not in darkness.
Walking in darkness can only produce more evil, and for the Amish that wasn't even
an option.
Some may suggest that is a sign of weakness, but I know that it is the sign of ultimate
strength. Make no mistake, however; it was a choice. They could hate and seek
revenge. Instead they returned evil with good. They choose to love and not hate.
Their natural reaction was to reach out to the family of the killer and invite them to the
funerals of their slain children. The Amish have been more concerned about the pain
of the killer's survivors then they are themselves. Perfect love and forgiveness has
sprung forth from this truly extraordinary group of people.
What a great life lesson we could all receive if we choose to do the same as we watch
Democrats criticize Republicans and Republicans criticize Democrats. We see no
forgiveness from either camp for mistakes made or poor choices. Instead all we see is
the constant straddling for political advantage. Who can trip up the other versus trying
to heal each other's pain. How elections mean more than truth. Human decency loses
out to advantage and politics.
This week was a rather extraordinary week to me, for I watched Americans all across
this country choose to either be ordinary or extraordinary. A man chose to walk into a
school and kill innocent kids. A group in D.C. postured and played political
gamesmanship to beat an opponent. They both walk in darkness because their motive
is hate. Then there is a group of folks who chose to be extraordinary simply by living
their faith in a God of love. They didn't blame or criticize. They didn't look to gain
advantage in order to destroy their opponent. No - they loved and forgave and chose
to walk in light.
Some call the Amish old-fashioned. They don't watch TV or listen to the radio. They
don't fill their minds with the toxic waste coming from Hollywood. They work hard, love
their families and love God. I think we all owe the Amish a collective sense of gratitude,
for they have shown us this week what America could be if we shut off the iPods,
turned off the TV, ignored the agenda- driven media and simply walked in light. They
chose to love and not hate. I can only hope each member on Capitol Hill and across
the nation heard the message coming from Pennsylvania this week.
To the Amish, I express my heartfelt sorrow and mourning for your loss. The nation
grieves with you. But we also rejoice in knowing your faith proves to us all there is more
than this life.
Post a Comment