At What Cost?

I read this in Streams in the Desert Devotional today. It stood out to me so much that I decided to share it on here. Are we willing to count the cost and follow Christ, no matter the pain that it may involve, in order to share in His glory?

"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14).

They were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill their prayers. They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish; they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver," until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.

They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so nigh to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot go back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).

But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.

Little by little, from time to time, by flitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out through them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.

Such, are they in all ages, "who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."

Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If they had halted anywhere--if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back -- what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection? But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well nigh slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
--Anonymous

What's your Mission Field?

Recently I heard a rather convicting and profound quote. A man named Ryan, who has been serving in Haiti, said “Being a missionary is really just living the genuine Christian life somewhere else.”

One major thing that the Lord has showed me these past few years is that wherever He has put me is the place that He has ordained to be my mission field. Our typical picture of a mission field would be in the jungles of Africa or some other faraway place with people who have never heard the Gospel and speak a language that we have never heard of. However, a college campus, a work place environment, and just hanging out with friends are all “mission fields.”

Leonard Ravenhill said, “The world out there is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity; it’s waiting for a new demonstration of Christianity.” Some people have heard at least aspects of the Gospel before, especially in the United States. But what would happen if we went into each situation with a “missions” mind-set? Instead of thinking about what I want to get from my time in college, what I need to get done at work, or how much fun I want to have hanging out with a group of friends, what if I instead focused on how I can pour the love of Christ into them? What if I focused on how I can serve them and take the lowest place for them? We would think of doing these things if we went on a mission trip, but many people every day are watching our lives because we profess to be Christians.

“By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another.” John 13: 35

What sustains you?

This morning, I read a verse that always causes me to stop and simply meditate upon the rich words contained therein.

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.” Isaiah 26: 3-4

The word “stayed” literally means to lean upon, support, trust in, sustain. In this frazzled world where I feel, at times, that I’m running around like a crazy person throughout the day, God gives a promise for perfect peace. Most people would tell you this is impossible, that no person can actually have perfect peace throughout the day.

I would tell you that it depends on what your focus is, who/what your support is, and where you’re putting your trust in.

We’ve been trained in our culture to turn to media and other people when we are stressed out and just need a break. I find this to be a temptation in my own life. When I have been completely stressed about homework, the pile of assignments that need to be turned in, or a long day at work, it is a temptation to go home and just veg out in front of a movie. However, this does not provide true refreshment. Real peace is available.

1 Corinthians 15:58 commands us to be immovable. It doesn’t say, “Be immovable, except when… (you’re stressed out because of school, work, etc). It simply says to be immovable. And if God commands us to do something, it means that He provides what we need to do it. So, what if we chose instead to focus our minds upon Jesus, to lean upon Him for our support? What if we chose to let Jesus sustain us instead of turning to other things?

A week or two ago God revealed something incredible to me. I had been feeling overwhelmed because of the homework and assignment load that this semester required of me. It did not seem as though I would have the time to get it all done. However, He showed me that since this is what He has called me to for this season, He literally must provide all that I need.

Therefore, I choose to simply rest in His promise. I choose to fix my mind upon Jesus. He has my life under control, and I trust Him.