What is Reasonable

My Utmost For His Highest

 

‘It was Paul’s delight to spend his life for God’s interests in other people, and he did not care what it cost. But before we will serve, we stop to ponder our personal and financial concerns— “What if God wants me to go over there? And what about my salary? What is the climate like there? Who will take care of me? A person must consider all these things.” All that is an indication that we have reservations about serving God. But the apostle Paul had no conditions or reservations. Paul focused his life on Jesus Christ’s idea of a New Testament saint; that is, not one who merely proclaims the gospel, but one who becomes broken bread and poured-out wine in the hands of Jesus Christ for the sake of others.’ CHAMBERS

 

Are you willing to follow Jesus no matter where He leads?  No matter what the destination or personal cost?  When  I preach here, I often talk to the people about our two natures .. the old and the new (2 Corinthians 5:17) and that the old does not want the new to prosper. There is a struggle between the two.  That is what Chambers describes … stopping to consider whether what God is asking us to do seems reasonable .. responsible … and natural … I have talked to many volunteers over the years who expressed a desire to serve as we do … but … there are issues they must consider .. the danger of financial loss … the uncertainty of their future when they are too old to serve … the list of reasonable concerns is very long .. and so ,, content with their evaluation of the viability of actually doing what God is calling them to do, they go home .. satisfied that they at least considered a life of service.

 

So what is the problem … actually it is the heart … you don’t have to move to Haiti to live for God .. to forsake the old and embrace the new … you can live that way .. today.  Probably the most visible group of people that live that way are the Amish.  At least they are on the exterior .. their lifestyle reflects a rejection of things of this world .. only embracing the necessities.  When we were in Waveland … we had some Amish working on one of the houses we were rebuilding … when I arrived to check on the progress, one of the young men was outside smoking a cigarette and the girls, dressed in their long dresses were singing along with music on a Country-Western station while they worked.

 

Not what you might expect .. but you see .. there is a struggle for all of us .. between the old and the new.  We can dress the outside up, but it is the inside where the sin resides and where the eternal change takes place. (Matthew 23:25-26)  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.  (26)  Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.”

 

Is God speaking to you?  Search your heart.  Don’t trust in yourself for your good.  Trust God.   What will be your answer?

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)