In view of his impending death, Paul didn't shrink back but fixed his eyes on the immeasurable, incomparable power of Christ. God is not confined by lockdown, in fact from the persective of my little and limited life, from what I am seeing currently... He is doing immeasurably more than I can think or imagine during these last few weeks.
How will you use lockdown? You have two options...
OPTION 1: Shrink back as a Christian and seek comfort. Enjoy the solitude of your own company, watch more telly.
Apparently sales of hot tubs and sofas have rocketed in recent months. People have spent a fortune at B&Q making their home a taste of perfection. (DIY GROUP profits have rocketed so much they felt the need to give the government their furlough funds back.) https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/sep/22/bq-screwfix-covid-furlough-pay-kingfisher-shares-sales-profits
What will this achieve? In the temporary here and now, the sticking plaster of self indulgence will make you feel so much better ... but only for a very short time indeed. Comfort ... is a terrible idol. It will never satisfy you or me. All that you will be left with is a hot tub that needs cleaning, an increased utilities bill, some wrinkly skin (that is still getting older), a sense that all the time you spent relaxing and indulging will never be got back. When you come to your final moments (2 Tim) like Paul, you will not wish you spent one more second in the hot tub. If you have been woken up by this season to see the reality of death, the finite nature of a our lives ("we are like grass" that sprouts, withers and dies, "here for a season") then you will be wanting to utilise every second up to the moment you stand before God.
OPTION 2: Look to the future and depend on His power as you serve Him.
a) Remind yourself (see last blog) that...
Because Jesus Christ is raised from the dead...
the word of God is not chained.
(2 Tim 2:8-9)
Therefore you can live and pray in confidence, asking God to grow his kingdom, in you and throughout the world as you partner with hus people.
B) See eternal perspective. The sufferring we are experienceing in the Uk is greater than for some time, but still perspectively miniscule compared to past generations, the mass of British history (2 world wars, previous outbreaks long before the kind of medical services we enjoy), and what other Christians face around the world now. Then.. if we are not yet convinced ...we think of what Christ sufferred for us. Surely, therefore this is not a time to feel sorry for ourselves but as Paul says (and models)
Join me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.…2 Tim 2:3
This is a time to use our solitude for fruitfulness, to use our confinement to pray for those who are sufferring for Christ accross the world. To pray for the advancement of the gospel knowing that God is mightily at work at all times. It is possible then with this hotline to heaven - to be chained and yet cheerful (Read Phillipians especially chapter 1 (v13-14)).
To encourage this... every day for the next 4 weeks we are going to share some news of our friends and partners at equip4good. We'd love you to joiu us as we encourage one another and oray together, as we look to make this a fruitful time. The update and prayer should take no more than about 5 minutes of your day, clicking subscribe on this blog will notify you. Yes you could do it in the hottub if you want, personally I'd prefer to save the cash and encourage some of our friends. Praying for you and your fruitfulness in this time,
STAY SAFE,
STAY FRUITFUL,
BLOGSKI
No comments:
Post a Comment