“In This Place - At This Time” Part III of III
Continued from yesterday…
The parting thought was, ““Permeating worship” requires, nay, demands an overlapping of each area as one’s eyes are opened to the fullness of God. With such, comes the realization and wonderment of such sweet satisfaction that one marvels at what took them so long to reach this state.”
What is it, what desire, what force draws the Christian to this level of comprehension of, and communication with, God? A quote from a secular business magazine stated, “When you begin to understand something at a deeper level, your passion for it begins to brew.” (Entrepreneur Magazine April 2003)
But how does one begin to understand without study? And how does one begin to study without desire? And how does one desire without seeing a need? And please, one more, how does one see a need without beginning to understand that he needs to study?
Is it God’s gift; God’s calling? And if it is, can those not so inclined, blame God for neglect? “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14) Or is the faintness of the call to be blamed on the roar of the sirens that beckon from each shore and each separate segment of their lives?
The assurance is certain of God’s desire to fellowship with man. (Rev. 3:20) So then, what can be done to hear the call, to take note of the need to blend the parts into a whole? Does one simply decide to “see” God in everything? Or is it a growth process whereby God revels Himself in all things as the layers of scales drop from our eyes?
No one ever healed themselves, but alas, no one was ever healed either, without turning to healing. As the Ethiopian Eunuch was “faintly” hearing the call, he declared to Phillip, “How can I (understand) except some one should guide me?” (Acts 8:31-35) Thus comes the awesome responsibility of “the witness.”
Those whose lives are filled with “permeating worship” cannot just live lives of personal worship and communion with God in selfish solitude. “Permeating worship” must so permeate all of life that the believer cannot help, but to witness to that for which they live. Many “saved souls” are not fully hearing their calling. The responsibility of this witness then, is to begin to muffle the noises of the world so that “the called” may begin to hear their calling. And where must this “witnessing” take place? It must take place as we “dwell in this place at this time.” It must take place as we are doing the “other things that must be done.” As we are “doing regularly scheduled maintenance and production.” As indeed we are “walking before the Lord in the land of the living.”
Why us? Why here? Why now? “If you hold your peace at this time, then shall there deliverance come to the (called) from another place; but who knows but that you were called to such a place for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
We were created to “dwell” in this place at this time for the Glory of God.
Betty Newman
©September 3, 2003
The parting thought was, ““Permeating worship” requires, nay, demands an overlapping of each area as one’s eyes are opened to the fullness of God. With such, comes the realization and wonderment of such sweet satisfaction that one marvels at what took them so long to reach this state.”
What is it, what desire, what force draws the Christian to this level of comprehension of, and communication with, God? A quote from a secular business magazine stated, “When you begin to understand something at a deeper level, your passion for it begins to brew.” (Entrepreneur Magazine April 2003)
But how does one begin to understand without study? And how does one begin to study without desire? And how does one desire without seeing a need? And please, one more, how does one see a need without beginning to understand that he needs to study?
Is it God’s gift; God’s calling? And if it is, can those not so inclined, blame God for neglect? “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14) Or is the faintness of the call to be blamed on the roar of the sirens that beckon from each shore and each separate segment of their lives?
The assurance is certain of God’s desire to fellowship with man. (Rev. 3:20) So then, what can be done to hear the call, to take note of the need to blend the parts into a whole? Does one simply decide to “see” God in everything? Or is it a growth process whereby God revels Himself in all things as the layers of scales drop from our eyes?
No one ever healed themselves, but alas, no one was ever healed either, without turning to healing. As the Ethiopian Eunuch was “faintly” hearing the call, he declared to Phillip, “How can I (understand) except some one should guide me?” (Acts 8:31-35) Thus comes the awesome responsibility of “the witness.”
Those whose lives are filled with “permeating worship” cannot just live lives of personal worship and communion with God in selfish solitude. “Permeating worship” must so permeate all of life that the believer cannot help, but to witness to that for which they live. Many “saved souls” are not fully hearing their calling. The responsibility of this witness then, is to begin to muffle the noises of the world so that “the called” may begin to hear their calling. And where must this “witnessing” take place? It must take place as we “dwell in this place at this time.” It must take place as we are doing the “other things that must be done.” As we are “doing regularly scheduled maintenance and production.” As indeed we are “walking before the Lord in the land of the living.”
Why us? Why here? Why now? “If you hold your peace at this time, then shall there deliverance come to the (called) from another place; but who knows but that you were called to such a place for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
We were created to “dwell” in this place at this time for the Glory of God.
Betty Newman
©September 3, 2003
posted by Betty Newman at 10:00 AM
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