Sunday morning retuning: Pastor Paul Armitage challenged us Sunday to not let the rocks cry out in our place. We did a good job responding to that immediately following his message, but I wonder if we've continued to be as successful in the days since? Jesus, help us live lives of worship.
I spent some time one day last week developing my upward gaze. I took a photo to capture the moment and even tweeted about it. That feed automatically goes to my Facebook account, and one of my friends there quickly commented, “We need to constantly work on this!” Ah, the technology!
As I thought and prayed, I pondered how true that is. We need to constantly work on this. Pastor Paul’s message Sunday reiterated this in my mind. “The rescued always need to remember the Rescuer.” Indeed, we need to. But do we? I think it requires some work on our part to maintain a perspective that ever keeps the Rescuer, and his unparalleled work, ever before our eyes. It is this perspective that empowers our praise, encourages our souls, and keeps us humble before the One who is worthy of all our praise and adoration and affection.
As I sat there last week, listening and reading and praying, the Lord spoke some things to me about my life and the ministry we share. I looked across the sanctuary and saw, as if for the first time, the cross in each of the six exterior windows of our sanctuary. We must keep Jesus and HIs finished work on the cross ever before us in some way. It must guide our praise, and inform our living. As I thought and prayed, it occurred to me that we may be inclined to see the cross and everything behind it like this. The cross is clear, but everything behind it is not, for whatever reason. I think we may be prone to this kind of perspective, where we fix our eyes on Jesus [Hebrews 12:2], and everything else becomes unclear. I do not think this is the perspective Jesus wants us to have.
Rather, I think Jesus wants us to see the cross clearly, always keeping it ever in our gaze, yet at the same time keeping in focus everything behind it. How else can we serve our world effectively, starting with those closest to us and working out to the ends of the earth? How can we grow together to be more like him, if we do not keep an accurate picture of Him and His work ever before us? How can we love Jesus through lives of worship, prayer and humble obedience if we can see the cross clearly but are disoriented to the world around us? Simply, we can not. And this will require some work. But we can find solace in the fact that the Holy Spirit will help us. He will illumine our hearts to the reality of Christ, while keeping us focused on the cross and its’ implications on our lives and the world in which we live.
So how is your perspective today? Can you see the cross clearly? Can you see the world beyond across clearly? If either is out of focus, take some time right now to adjust your perspective.
Jesus, help us maintain a focus on your cross and the world around us. This may not be easy, but we are determined to do it with Your help Holy Spirit. In Jesus name. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy
No comments:
Post a Comment