Jesus is my endurance…

 

In “Streams in the Desert” the author tells of a deep trial in which God revealed to her the why of the agony she experienced. An old oak log in her fireplace began to ‘sing’ releasing noises that was trapped in its knotty hardened growth. She realized that those sweet sounds would not have been released if the log had not been in the fire.

This was the Lord’s way of showing her that His sweet music was like the songs of praise that flow out of hearts that are purified by trials, something like the singing of Paul and Silas in prison (Acts 16) but even more — like Jesus who died on the Cross and out of that great pain brought forth the sweetest music of all time, the song of forgiveness and eternal life.

This story speaks to me of two things. One is that my trials are to produce the music of Jesus, His very goodness comes forth when my hard heart is totally yielded to Him in that fire.

It also speaks to me of the yielding. That log had no choice. It was in the fire and it could burn without a sound, but it yielded a song. I can be the opposite — silently enduring, making no music. Or I can deny myself and let the trial be my cross, my place of dying to self where music can come forth.

Today’s devotion says that trusting Jesus is both simple and very difficult. The old nature continually resists. When Jesus said to take up my cross, He was not talking about the challenge of obedience being a difficult cross, but the challenge of death to self and being willing to obey, even dying for Jesus.

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:24–26)

Some have assumed that “taking up the cross” means doing the will of God and the challenge of obedience is the ‘cross’  but that is not the main idea. While obedience means giving up what I want to do, the heavy burden is not in obeying God but dying to sin. That old nature resists death rather than welcomes it. As for obedience, Jesus said:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)

He never indicated that taking up His cross is about serving Him. Instead, it is about leaving me, myself, and I out of it. Doing His will is a delight and the abundant life. Denying myself is a battle and all about death.

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:38–39)

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:6–11)

This is where I always need to remember that facts pull the train and faith follows facts, not feelings. The old nature bases its desires on what feels good or what I think will feel good. The new person in Christ bases its desires on the will of God and considers the old nature a bothersome noise and a slave to sin. But that slave is dead.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

PRAY: Lord, that old nature already died on the cross in You. I need to take up that cross and quit trying to retain anything of that old life. This is a wonder and a joy. May I stop fighting to keep a dead thing alive, always remembering I was crucified with You, but also that “if I endure, I will also reign with You” (2 Timothy 2:12) — and not only that, You are my endurance!

Joy – but not today

The life of God’s servant Paul was dramatically changed by Jesus Christ. His purpose for living became solely based on the mission that Jesus gave him. Paul said:

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)

Few Christians rise to that value system. Our lives are too precious to us and comfort is more important than sacrifice. If doing the will of God is going to be difficult, unpleasant, or cost too much, compromise prevents the completion of the course.

Jesus had a different perspective. The writer of Hebrews puts it like this:

. . . let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Jesus understood delayed gratification. Small children do not -- and unfortunately, many small children do not grow up to this understanding. Yesterday a man expressed his concerns over an 18-year-old girl who gets what she wants and never has to make major decisions. He said that when she has to face the real world, she will not survive because she has never been allowed to grow up.

Many people in North America are into instant gratification. Thousands who were employed in oil-related industry were making big money but spending it all. Their lives were all about ‘I want it and I want it now.’ Sadly, they must grow up. Many of them are selling their toys to buy groceries because they didn’t consider that one day their source of wealth could run dry.

Christians also need to beware of this desire for instant gratification. Sometimes the results of Christian ministry are not seen until eternity. The attitude of ‘I must have it right now’ has produced much discouragement and drop-outs in the kingdom of God. Unlike Jesus, it is far more prevalent to want our joy right now, rather than “set before” us, and if the joy isn’t there, to go elsewhere looking for it.

These thoughts were prompted by today’s devotional. It was based on a version of the Bible that contains two words that are not in the most reliable Greek manuscripts. In them, this verse says, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

At first, I objected, knowing that particular version used more recent manuscripts and those two words were likely inserted by copyists who thought they should be there. They seem to make ‘ultimate joy’ Paul’s motivation for doing what he did. However, Jesus also did what He did for the joy set before Him. Those verses in Hebrews could be the reason “with joy” was inserted in Acts 20:24!

Either way, the point is that I need to think about life with eternity in mind far more than what is going on right now. This is pointedly practical today. We are attending a funeral this afternoon. The person who died believed in Jesus and according to God’s promises, he is absent from the body and present with the Lord. For that we can rejoice. However, we see some devastation remaining in the life and people he has left behind. Much needs to be done to sort it out and some of it cannot be sorted or changed, only wept over.

In the middle of the night I woke in tears, asking God what to do, how to think. He gave me another look at Jesus and I heard these words, “for the joy set before Him, He endured.”

Endure. Being happy right now is not my goal. Do what God wants me to do, but be aware that gratification is usually delayed when it comes to kingdom living. Later when we are in eternity, those of us involved in what seems so tragic now will have forgotten all about it -- or we will recall it with joyous and grateful laughter.

Eternity is not far…

A busy mother of four often said, “Oh for the peace of the grave!” I like being busy, but that line crossed my mind this morning. I’ve papers to write and long articles to read for the course I’m taking, all due the end of this week. Also on the calendar are a baby shower, a funeral, a meeting, a doctor’s appointment, and finishing a book for book club, never mind the ordinary chores of daily life. I try to tell myself this is nothing compared to the schedule of the American president, but I don’t have his staff!

That mother was not serious in sighing, “Of for the peace of the grave,” nor am I, but it makes a nice lead into the devotional today. The topic is the nearness of heaven and I’m thinking how life can change from here to there, even in the blink of an eye.

Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. (Luke 15:10)

Spurgeon, who wrote the devotional, is often prompted by verses that only suggest his topic. He starts with the idea of joyful angels, skips the part about repentance, and lands on the topic of those on earth not being as far from heaven as it might seem. He begins by saying Jesus Christ is nearer than anyone else we know.

I know that is true. Sometimes the sense of Jesus’ presence is all that keeps me going. Then Spurgeon jumps from that to say that heaven and earth are also close together, even like “two ships moored close to one another.” With a vivid word picture, he adds that only “one short plank of death” will enable me to step from one to the other.

I think immediately of two accidents in yesterday’s news. In one, five members of one family died instantly when their car was hit by another that sped through a red light. That short plank took them in a moment from this life to the next. In the other accident, the daughter of a friend is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after her car hit a light pole. One short plank indeed. Life can change so quickly.

My ship on earth continuously moves closer to mooring alongside that heavenly vessel. I’ve finished the business of yesterday, even though I feel intimidated at the log for today. I’ve had a full cargo and now an emptying. I’ve known battles, victories and sorrows. But that other ship, as Spurgeon describes, is “all golden, with its ensign flying and its sails all spread, fair as the angel’s wing.” It remains always beside me, always ready, so when the time comes, I can leap from this dark one to the deck of that happy one, a golden deck on which I will sail forever.

Two additional thoughts catch my attention. One is that all who have gone before me form a “cloud of witnesses” as I sail. While live my life here, they look down and observe. These are described in Hebrews 11 then Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus…” Are they cheering? I hope so.

The other thought is of the angels. They rejoice when I repent, meaning they are also keeping an eye on me which is a great comfort. What else do these angels do? The Bible says they are mighty and quick to obey God’s commandments according to His Word — and they are my servants, sent to help me…

Are they (the angels) not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:14)

The bridge between the two ships is a dread for most, yet as the days go by, it helps me to remember that no one who has been redeemed through faith in Jesus Christ is very far from heaven. It could be hours or days or months before I step across that plank, but knowing it is such a quick, short bridge is actually a comfort. Even more, knowing that those on the other side are experiencing great joy and perfect peace is also a comfort. I’m not far from Jesus, and when I’ve weathered all the storms of life, I will anchor with Him and the saints of God within the port of everlasting peace.