Moved By The Word

We can be troubled sometimes by things we see and hear.  We see prices go up, and this does not please us.  When we hear about big things like ongoing wars or relatively small things as people gloating over the team we support losing again, it does not fill us with happiness.  I have noticed we can also be troubled or feel frustrated over what we do not see.  Jeremiah 8:15 illustrates this:  "We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and there was trouble!"  Many times I have heard Christians lament the lack of seeing spiritual revival, as if them seeing or hearing of revival is of primary importance.  We are not always able to find what we are looking for.  Even when we have the rare experience of obtaining our desire, it can leave much to be desired.

In all seasons of life, in good times and bad, the child of God does well to remember to look to Jesus and consider Him.  This is put forth as a remedy to weariness and discouragement in Hebrews 12:1-3:  "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls."  Jesus went to the cross gladly, knowing He was obedient to the will of the Father and all He would accomplish by God's grace.  Our call is not to identify baggage carried by others and criticise their faults but to lay aside every weight and sin that easily ensnares us--and run with endurance the race God has set before us as we look to Jesus.

Having been born again, we are to have the mind and perspective of Jesus as it is written in Philippians 2:3-8:  "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."  It is possible to open the door of our heart to Jesus and retain selfish ambition and conceit.  At times we can be quite unwilling to humble ourselves or consider others better than ourselves.  The desires of the flesh are completely contrary to the example of Jesus who is worthy of all honour (while we are unworthy and unprofitable even as servants) and humbled Himself to put on human death and gladly endured the shame of the cross.

As Christians we are to look to Jesus and follow our Good Shepherd:  do you know who God looks for?  The LORD said in Isaiah 66:1-2:  "Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? ² For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist," says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word."  It is remarkable Christians are now the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, that God who is our rest now rests upon us.  God is not moved by one shouting in protest, nor does He regard one with great wealth or fame over another.  He looks to and is attentive to the one who is humble and broken, is sorrowful for sin, one who trembles--literally moved--by God's word.  May we be those numbered among those who look to the LORD Jesus, united heart and mind with humility, knowing our glorious God looks upon us by His grace.