Serving Rascals, Clumsy Disciples, and Physically and Mentally Ill Believers with the Unconditional Love of Jesus Christ
I can hardly believe it, we’ve had 30,ooo distinct hits in about 15 months. I’m ecstatic that we have been there for so many seekers. Thanks for supporting this work, the Lord is using you. But I encourage you to pray, that this would be a work of the Holy Spirit, otherwise, in my mind we should shut it all down, and move on. I want to please Him who gave everything up for me. I believe that is what you want as well!
Nothing compares to the joy of a child. I think its a form of lunacy myself. (But I’m an old man, so what do I know.) Children love life–they are attracted to a vibrant life like bees to nectar. They breathe it, feel it, wait for it. They see it as an exclusive focus, they see nothing else. It is what they want.
I, on the other hand, weigh out my options, I compare their value and I give it some time, think about it even more, then make my decision. Children on the other hand are spontaneous and look closely at their first impressions. They trust the innate ‘gut reaction’ and will choose accordingly.
Jesus made the outrageous statement, that we are to become as children, to enter the Kingdom, where God rules. The obvious issue, is how do I get there? (Nicodemus in John 3 was the typical prototype.) Perhaps a deeper question is this, what if Jesus decided He wanted to come to my house? He knocks on the door. Mom comes to the door, kicks the dog who is barking, shouts something unintelligible and reaches for the door. She is hoping He didn’t hear her, and hopes the dog isn’t too traumatized by her feeble assault.
Jesus is incredibly gracious. As a matter of fact, He moves and conducts Himself as if He were a member of royalty. He steps into the foyer, as if He were stepping into a coronation hall. But there is absolutely no arrogance, there is nothing but kindness and gentleness in His demeanor. When He looks at the room, He is looking for people. People are His focus, pure and simple.
My religious tendencies are idiotic and misshapen. In my ‘spiritual’ world, Jesus has none of these qualities, and certainly not this approachable. I simply cannot fathom such magnificence. I have reduced Jesus down to a ‘puppet-savior’, and He is much easier to contain and understand. He now poses no threat to me, or my way of life. I may get assertive and even try to put a collar-and-leash on Him so He understands who is calling the shots.
You know what? Jesus understands people like me. He calls me ‘His brother’. Me! Full of ugliness and turmoil–His ‘brother’. But His heart even now, is reaching for the children. They have a quality that I only dream about. These children will have a grace and purity poured on them, till their clothing is soaked with His presence. They will run through a lawn sprinkler for hours!
The Kingdom is coming (actually, it is rushing) to children who will embrace Him with a love and zeal that simply doesn’t compute in our calculations. As adults, the more proficient of us, has read (and maybe written) whole books on systematic theology. We develop nuances, and are able to parse verbs from our Greek New Testaments. We are good!
But Jesus clearly rearranges the furniture. And we are definitely confused. But maybe, that is right where He wants us. His Kingdom is wide open to everyone who has the heart of a child. I suspect that Jesus has a plan that has a ‘shake me to wake me’ kind of an approach. I want to open up to all that He is doing. I need Him so much.
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot…
Eccl. chapter 3
They also serve who only stand and wait.– John Milton
Our spiritual lives are cyclical, or seasonal. We move in and out of seasons that take us through various experiences and different theologies and thinking. There have been times when all I could think was about ‘evangelism’. Than I went through a period when ‘teaching’ was everything. Morning, noon and night. Teach, teach, teach. I have walked through seasons of prayer; and parenthood or work issues.
There are many dozens of these spiritual excursions. Each season brings us something neat. And demanding. There will be unique concerns around each place you visit. Jesus, who is in charge of turning us into disciples, has itineraries and dossiers on each one of us. He knows the lessons we have already undertaken. He is going to teach us our next unit.
Sometimes what it is, is a lot of scariness, anxiety and work. I’ve heard it said, more then once that Jesus is more concerned with our character than our comfort. His followers have had to traverse some nasty terrain. They’ve had some ugly falls, and blisters and ‘charley horses’. He did not ‘issue’ them shoes with wings.
Let’s be honest–I am currently in a season of illness and pain. It’s funny, I have been in ministry over 20 years. I sit in this classroom and it is the hardest thing I have ever done. Remember, staring at the clock, using your secret powers in order to make the bell to ring sooner? That’s me, right now.
When we live in spiritual seasons, we are amazed how quickly they change from one to another. Very little remains the same. And, if you’re dealing with mental illness things are usually more fragmented. My Bipolar turns me into a liquid. I float over there and then over here. From moment-to-moment I can be anywhere. I am unstable. This makes things problematic, but not impossible.
This particular season I have been put on the shelf. For the most part, I’m in the dark, I’m on the bottom, pushed to the back and I wait. I know He hasn’t forgotten me. Over the years, I have observed this and I do have a general idea of ‘how it works’. But God is faithful, if not patient. That blesses me, and infuriates me, at the same time.
I came across a quote by John Milton, and it has been solace for me for months. “They also serve who only stand and wait.” I am assured that I have not escaped my Master’s heart.
Below are the lyrics from Larry Norman (and an CCM artist by the name of Honeytree). Look for them, or this song on YouTube.
I Am a Servant
I am a servant, I am listening for my name,
I sit here waiting, I’ve been looking at the game
That I’ve been playing, and I’ve been staying much the same
When you are lonely, you’re the only one to blame.I am a servant, I am waiting for the call,
I’ve been unfaithful, so I sit here in the hall.
How can you use me when I’ve never given all,
How can you choose me when you know I’d quickly fall.So you feed my soul and you make me grow,
And you let me know you love me.
And I’m worthless now, but I’ve made a vow,
I will humbly bow before thee.
O please use me, I am lonely.I am a servant getting ready for my part,
There’s been a change, a rearrangement in my heart.
At last I’m learning, there’s no returning once I start.
To live’s a privilege, to love is such an art
But I need your help to start,
O please purify my heart, I am your servant.
And I can’t say anything else. B
So we plow on in this miniseries on “Victory in Our Affliction”.
This is part 3.
***
Part 1 is here–https://brokenbelievers.com/2010/09/23/victory-in-the-middle-of-affliction/
Part 2 is here–https://brokenbelievers.com/2010/10/19/more-victory-in-our-affliction/
Our pain tells us we are growing in Christlikeness. When we hurt often the Lord will draw quite close, with pain focusing our eyes to see Him, others and His Kingdom. It is far from pleasant. Diamonds are produced in confinement and pressure. Our faith is like a precious jewel ‘in the making’. Gold has to be refined to make it pure . “I tested you in hard times just as silver [or, gold] is refined in a heated furnace.” Isa. 48:10. Both diamonds and precious metals have to be worked on before they are recognized as authentic. Often, it will be a blast furnace of affliction.
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 2 Cor. 4:17, NKJV
“These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing.” 2 Cor. 4:17, CEV
We can hold a sense that our different afflictions are actually our employees who work for us. They ‘prompt’ us for what we need at any given moment. For example, we need to grow in love. What does God do? He sends us very difficult and frustrating people for us to love. He sends us His best for us! Our lessons are given to guide us into a Christlike identity.
The natural impulse is to regard our affliction as eroding our faith, or degrading it. But the opposite is true. Affliction is like the weight bars waiting for us in the gym. The bar and weights do not have an agenda or impulse to defeat me. They are there to help me. The gym is a wonderful metaphor for us to grasp spiritual things.
“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience.” Romans 5:3, KJV
The word ‘patience’ simply means ‘endurance’. And it seems we are starting all over in thinking that afflictions are evil, and to be avoided and rejected. But actually the opposite is true! We deal with the pain and frustration knowing it is working in us a ‘concentrated form of glory.’
“Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” James 1:3
Essentially it is all ’cause and effect’ with our provisional acceptance to the Lord’s good intention, we let Him have His way with us. It hurts, some may call it brutal, but it seems to be the only way for God to make us ready for eternity.
Broken Believers 