Looking in.
If like me you know with clarity that you have many failings, your weaknesses are too glaringly apparent, and that your stamina and discipline as a Christian waver far more than you can bear to consider, remember that you and I are in good company.
Looking around.
Hebrews 11 and 12 reminds us that whilst the olympic stadium is empty, there is a full mega-stadium of observers watching on in the presence of Christ. All of them have been where we are, failed like we have and felt like we do. This is not about Olympic super-heroes who pristinely accomplish self grandeur, without breaking a sweat or scratching their manicured nails... but this is about a massive crowd of people (all ages, races, epochs of history) who all tell the story of God's unwavering and unshakeable greatness, in the context of our feeble fragility.
Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, are normal people. If you are have a record of murder or prostitution, your sin is not bigger than God's grace. In full knowledge of our inabilities, and foreknowledge of our failures he takes us all on, in unconditional love.
OUR
LIFE STORY IS ... "HE alone IS ABLE"
When we look at our world, ourselves, what is possible ...where hope will come from...humanly speaking... there are little or no grounds for confidence. We want to see unreached people connected with Christ, those humanly speaking who are far away (the drunkard in the war region who can't hold a conversation, the drug addicted prostitute who "needs" her pimp and fix, the cynic who spits at the preacher) come close to Christ. Can this happen ?
We want to see churches planted where there are none (no funding, no training, no interest), children find loving homes where "none care" (other than if they can make money from them) has been mastered and is institutionally robust . We want to see nations reached in the context of 0% Christianity, networks that create jobs, farms and business that provide sustainable healthy foods, caring employment and share the love of Christ. On top of this mountainous challenge we see ourselves, our lack of gifting, our lack of holiness, our lack of compassion like Jesus, our lack of gifting to communicate. our lack of resource, our love of comfort.
The thing is ... this is normal faith. When we see how small we are, the more we see the greatness of our God. The truth is ... all of the above has happened in recent days because ultimately his global mission depends on him, not us, on His provision and power not us. He blesses despite us not because of us, he chooses to include us out of grace not because he needs us.
So as we look to unchartered waters what do we look at?
Looking up.
In humble realisation of ourselves...
We are assured that all our hope is well placed in God and his grip of grace. (11:1)
In real assessment of the giant obstacles we see that God is bigger...
We look to what is unseen not what is seen (11:1)
In realisation of the smallness and ineffectiveness of what we say...
We look for God to speak the word of life (11:3), the voice that spoke the cosmos into being and raises the dead to life (Ezek 37).
Does God have the ability to make you and me eternally fruitful ? Absolutely.
Have all the contingencies of our failures been taken into account ? Absolutely.
Is the reality of promised land, divided waters, rescued safety, forgiven sin, future inheritance, glory through sacrifice, and ultimate victory in life for you and me? In Jesus Christ (the same yesterday, today, and forever ...) absolutely !!!
12:1 reminds us that In Christ's victory, his unchangeable supremacy dictates all the outcomes as we live by faith in Him. The one who leads all of us has gone before us. The path of the cross, leads to victory. Endurance leads to the finishing tape. His kingdom cannot be shaken 12:22-29.
So as we pray for lives made fruitful, for ourselves and others to be unrecognisably changed, more planted churches, more nations reached, more of his work in us and on us, our gaze is lifted... to those who say "he is able", and beyond them the one who makes all things new, the founder and perfector of our faith, the source of all joy. We cling to him not our sin, we trust in him not ourselves, we consider his victory not our failure, we hope and work in the context of his secure, impenetrable, throne.
We trust in Jesus.
2 Cor 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Joshua 1:8-9
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
2 Tim 1:7
for God gave us a spirit not of fear (inertia through timidity), but of power and love and self-control.
Psalm 73:7
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
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