Almost from the moment we enter this world we are encouraged to hurry up, to win the race, to stay ahead. Speed, and moving quickly become a part of life. As we grow older, the world encourages us to admire people who act impulsively, or spontaneously, especially if they're successful by world standards.
Interestingly, the Bible provides nearly an opposite perspective regarding time. While it discourages slothfulness, or wasting of time, it rarely mentions anyone hurrying anywhere. The pace of life related in God's Word presents a stark contrast to today's "hurry-up" world. (Psalm 37:9, Psalm 123:2, Isaiah 8:17, Isaiah 40:31)
Have you ever considered that the Holy Bible, spanning thousands of years and recorded by various individuals, only speaks of the future in terms of prophetic events? As my youngest son once informed me, we know that God considers this moment a precious gift because He named it "the present".
We can obsess about yesterday and tomorrow, but how about today? In God's economy, there is no time more valuable than the present. (Matthew 6:34, Philippians 4:6, 1 Peter 5:7) So here we are - now what would God have us do with it? Glorify His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ with all we say and do!
Onward Christian soldiers!
Bob Benson
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October 21
Impulsiveness or Discipleship?
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith . . . —Jude 20
There was nothing of the nature of impulsive or thoughtless action about our Lord, but only a calm strength that never got into a panic. Most of us develop our Christianity along the lines of our own nature, not along the lines of God’s nature. Impulsiveness is a trait of the natural life, and our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple. Watch how the Spirit of God gives a sense of restraint to impulsiveness, suddenly bringing us a feeling of self-conscious foolishness, which makes us instantly want to vindicate ourselves. Impulsiveness is all right in a child, but is disastrous in a man or woman— an impulsive adult is always a spoiled person. Impulsiveness needs to be trained into intuition through discipline.
Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy to someone with impulsive boldness, but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is something altogether different. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, but he "followed Him at a distance" on dry land ( Mark 14:54 ). We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises— human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God, but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people, and this is not learned in five minutes.
Amen!
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24
