We make it our aim…to be well pleasing to Him. —2
Corinthians 5:9
{CHAMBERS} ““We
make it our aim….” It requires a conscious decision and effort to keep our
primary goal constantly in front of us. It means holding ourselves to the
highest priority year in and year out; not making our first priority to win
souls, or to establish churches, or to have revivals, but seeking only “to be
well pleasing to Him.” It is not a lack of spiritual experience that leads to
failure, but a lack of working to keep our eyes focused and on the right goal.
At least once a week examine yourself before God to see if your life is
measuring up to the standard He has for you. […] Paul spoke of the importance
of controlling his own body so that it would not take him in the wrong
direction. […] My worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my
private life. Is my primary goal in life to please Him and to be acceptable to
Him, or is it something less, no matter how lofty it may sound?”
{ELGIN} Living by faith and
walking in the light does not just happen.
It requires commitment and discipline.
(Philippians 2:12-15) “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always
obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with
fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in
order to fulfill his good purpose. Do
everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and
pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”” This new life requires effort of the heart… to
submit to the Lord requires us to lay down on the altar. Working out our salvation is not self-effort
.. trying harder to be “good” …. it’s submission.
So many people are satisfied with working on
having a good-Christian appearance and miss the joy and peace that comes from living
in obedience to the will of God. I know
too many people that are struggling with life and refuse to trust God. (perhaps you do too) If you ask them, they
will tell you that “all is well”, but all is not well, they just want it to be
in spite of their living in disobedience.
Desperation of circumstances can subvert your faith and divert your
walk. Unless you are willing to trust
and obey. I wish I could do that for others,
but I can’t, I can only watch their struggle and hope they look to God for answers
instead of trust in their own designs that have consistently failed them in the
past. And perhaps be an encouragement to
them.
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