Saturday, March 18, 2006

Regarding the last post

Not that I think the last post's questions can be answered favorably by a certain age. They're more motivational than literal, but hopefully the pilgrim who is further down the path does have the graces for living manifested in his life with a more steady stream. Of course, us old folks relapse too. That's where seeking fresh daily grace comes in.

Remeber the old jalopy computer back in the master bedroom by the exercise bike? Yeah, you remember. It's the one Candace and I share because it's so slow nobody else will use it. You remember that I've told you that from time to time, I still like to raise the keyboard by setting it on a trash can and then I jump on the bike and ride like the wind going nowhere. About a week ago I was looking for a good start-up page for the jalopy. I wanted to find a page that would keep the Word of God in front of our eyes when we first get online. The start-up page I finally chose happens to be part of the Bloomington RP Church's website. They display Spurgeon's daily devitionals in his book Morning and Evening. Here's the link.

Anyway, this morning's devotion dealt with different levels of faith in believers, and it blessed me greatly. I hope it blesses you too.

“Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

Galatians 3:26

The fatherhood of God is common to all his children. Ah! Little-faith, you have often said, “Oh that I had the courage of Great-heart, that I could wield his sword and be as valiant as he! But, alas, I stumble at every straw, and a shadow makes me afraid.” List thee, Little-faith. Great-heart is God’s child, and you are God’s child too; and Great-heart is not one whit more God’s child than you are. Peter and Paul, the highly- favoured apostles, were of the family of the Most High; and so are you also; the weak Christian is as much a child of God as the strong one.

“This cov'nant stands secure,

Though earth’s old pillars bow;

The strong, the feeble, and the weak,

Are one in Jesus now.”

All the names are in the same family register. One may have more grace than another, but God our heavenly Father has the same tender heart towards all. One may do more mighty works, and may bring more glory to his Father, but he whose name is the least in the kingdom of heaven is as much the child of God as he who stands among the King’s mighty men. Let this cheer and comfort us, when we draw near to God and say, “Our Father.”

Yet, while we are comforted by knowing this, let us not rest contented with weak faith, but ask, like the Apostles, to have it increased. However feeble our faith may be, if it be real faith in Christ, we shall reach heaven at last, but we shall not honour our Master much on our pilgrimage, neither shall we abound in joy and peace. If then you would live to Christ’s glory, and be happy in his service, seek to be filled with the spirit of adoption more and more completely, till perfect love shall cast out fear.

2 comments:

quirky said...

howdy! i haven't been here in a bit. i was gonna say, that i think i can answer yes to almost all of those "are you old enough" questions, except for the first one. however, i think that some of them i think i can say yes to, but probably don't yet appreciate them in their fulness. i guess it's more like i want to say yes but i'm really trying to make it be yes in my life, when it isn't always. good list. not easy. :-P

Suzanne said...

Honest answer, Jordan. It's hard for any of us to know what we will do with the rest of our lives.