Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Lineage of grace
Jim Elliot, Charles Spurgeon, Amy Carmichael, Oswald Chambers...
To think and know that the Christ who stirred their hearts is the same Christ in me is amazing - I am a continuing link in a long line of Christ followers.
My heart battles within me, easily amused and entertained by the things of this world. Even so, my humanity and weakness cannot take away my salvation. I imagined myself one day worshipping alongside the apostle Paul, Jim Elliot, Amy Carmichael, Watchman Nee.
I thought to myself, "I am part of this great family of God. These great men and women that I look up to - they are my brothers and sisters".
They too were once here on earth, wrestling with the same earthly battles, pressing into Christ to be their salvation in this temporal and mortal existence. Their human frailties and battles were wrought into the hands of Christ.
Their pursuit of God was really the pursuit of God for them; a lineage of grace continues as I see Christ pursuing my own heart and the people around me. If I am responding to Christ at all with an iota of faith, it's because Christ pursued me first. I cannot take credit for any goodness or fruit in my life. This is becoming ever so clear as I see the depths of my own frailty and sin.
My prayer today: Help me to run this race faithfully 'til I see your face. Burn away the earthly dross.
To think and know that the Christ who stirred their hearts is the same Christ in me is amazing - I am a continuing link in a long line of Christ followers.
My heart battles within me, easily amused and entertained by the things of this world. Even so, my humanity and weakness cannot take away my salvation. I imagined myself one day worshipping alongside the apostle Paul, Jim Elliot, Amy Carmichael, Watchman Nee.
I thought to myself, "I am part of this great family of God. These great men and women that I look up to - they are my brothers and sisters".
They too were once here on earth, wrestling with the same earthly battles, pressing into Christ to be their salvation in this temporal and mortal existence. Their human frailties and battles were wrought into the hands of Christ.
Their pursuit of God was really the pursuit of God for them; a lineage of grace continues as I see Christ pursuing my own heart and the people around me. If I am responding to Christ at all with an iota of faith, it's because Christ pursued me first. I cannot take credit for any goodness or fruit in my life. This is becoming ever so clear as I see the depths of my own frailty and sin.
My prayer today: Help me to run this race faithfully 'til I see your face. Burn away the earthly dross.
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