In the last post, I discussed how our own desires, and the salesmanship of the world, pull us away from finding our joy in Christ.
So, we need to wean ourselves radically away. Maybe embrace the "fortress mentality" , but ah, that fails, too. James tells us that we sin when we are dragged away and enticed by our own desires. Can't escape them. Well then, what we do ?
We don't.
"The problem is we need new thoughts, new inclinations, new desire. We don't need to learn how to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps or 'gut it out'. We need to seek to replace our sinful passions with holy one. When God grants these new passions to us, we'll find that our will, which seemed so weak before, will joyfully comply" Elyze Fitzpatrick, pg 147
As Richard Foster says in Celebration of Discipline, the disciplines put us in a place to receive God's work in our lives. Our Scripture reading, our good works, our meditations do not transform us. Rather it is the Lord's doing...His Word transforming us, His Spirit changing our desires. It is He who completes the good work He has begun in us. Philippians 1:6
from Elyse, quoting a sermon by C. H. Spurgeon
"Let it be a scarlet line that you tie in the window, namely, an avowal of true faith in his precious blood...It is a high privilege to dwell peaceable and quietly in the finished work of Christ, and in the same immutable promise of God, who cannot lie. Why fret ye yourselves...and go about with a thousand anxieties when salvation's work was finished on the accursed tree and Christ has gone into the glory, and has carried on his perfect work before his Father's face?"
Communion, Remembrance, Breaking of Bread...whatever you call it, may it be real in your heart..not a day a week, but each moment of the day. May your life, your heart, your desires, your joys be tranformed by Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment