It's A Wonderful Life

I guess almost six months ago I thought I'd never say I have a wonderful life again. :) I'm glad I get to say that for the reason that I get to say it.

I have learned SO much about my Lord these last six months it is unreal. I never have time to blog anymore (or the brain power either for that matter!) so maybe I'm repeating myself? I'm not going to check.

I want to share some of what I have learned, maybe you won't like to know it, but I really have to share it.

There is a parable in the bible that I have never liked. Here it is: "But which of you having a servant (slave) plowing and feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? Will he not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." Luke 17:7-10

I never liked that parable for several reasons: 1.) I'm lazy. B.) I like to be told what a nice job I've done at least sometimes. 3.) In my flesh I don't have a servant's heart. Ah! But I have learned from the LORD (or at least I'm beginning to learn) what an honor and priviledge it is to be allowed to serve Him in whatever way. I don't deserve the title of slave. In Roman times a slave was sometimes looked up to if he was a slave in a rich home (not because of the slave, but the Master!). Oftentimes slaves were well educated and extremely beneficial to their Master. I have nothing to offer and here I am slave to the best Master there ever was or ever will be. I don't deserve to be serving in His household, but He has allowed me to do it anyway because He is gracious. I have learned that the offering of myself is all He wants. He has chosen the foolish things to confound the wise. :D WHAT A PRIVILEDGE TO BE THOUGHT FOOLISH!!!

I guess I will always struggle with some aspects of service/obedience because I am still in this body of flesh, but what a priviledge to be able to serve Him at all. (Romans 7) However, although I believe we'll all struggle, it seems that THE key to being a productive "slave" or "struggler" is to so totally lose yourself in Christ that you can say with Paul, "it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" and as it was said of George Muller, "Nothing is more marked in George Muller, to the very day of his death, than this, that he so looked to God and leaned on God that he felt himself to be nothing, and God everything. He sought to be always surrendered as a passive tool to the will and hand of the Master Workman." This surrendering to abide in Christ was also the turning point in Hudson Taylor's ministry. Nothing that we did before conversion and nothing that 'we' do after conversion is acceptable unto the Lord. It is what HE does through us, His chosen vessels. I don't know about you, but that enables me to sleep at night. (Unless I've had an Andes mint right before bed.)

"We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do."