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The Lord said: Heaven is my throne; the earth is my footstool. What kind of house could you build for me? In what place will I rest? I have made everything; that’s how it all came to be. I, the Lord, have spoken. The people I treasure most are the humble— they depend only on me and tremble when I speak. Isaiah 66:1-2 (CEV)
The great preacher C. H. Spurgeon writes, “Till we are emptied of self we cannot be filled with God; stripping must be wrought upon us before we can be clothed with the righteousness which is from heaven.”
One of the things that have made the USA great has been our attitude of self-sufficiency. We covet the American Dream. We pride ourselves on the great accomplishments we’ve made as a nation. While there have been some significant atrocities in our history, for the most part this nation has been made great by ‘pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps’ and moving forward to become world leaders in many ways.
Ironically, the very thing that has made our nation great is an enemy of the body of Jesus Christ. When God spoke through his prophet Isaiah, he was speaking to a people who were intent on ‘doing things’ in order to reach God. Activity has never impressed God. He says to us, in a sense (My paraphrase): “Ok. Let me get this straight. I made the universe. The earth is nothing more than a place for me to rest my feet, a most unimportant piece of furniture. Now you are going to build me a house? In your miniscule power you’re going to provide a place where I can rest? Listen to me and listen carefully. I don’t care about your activities. I’m not interested in seeing what you can do for me. Here’s what I want. Emptiness. That’s right. Emptiness. Your respect for my words and adherence to my ways is far more important than all your fancy endeavors.”
Jesus says the same thing in a different way during the Sermon on the Mount when he says to his hearers, “Blessed is the one who is poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 5:3) Poor in spirit means spiritually bankrupt. Discipleship demands that we be completely emptied of our own self-sufficiency and filled instead with his Spirit.
The question we must ask ourselves is this. Are we doing the things we do for our own glory or for God’s glory? Are we labeling our activities (church involvement; prayer; Bible Study; etc) as worship when we are really just entertaining ourselves?
We cannot be filled with God’s power and greatness until we are emptied of self. How many marbles need to be added to a jar before it is no longer empty? One. To be completely emptied for God’s use isn’t reserved for ministers or leaders. It’s the admonition for any of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus Christ. Nor is it something that his possible in our own power. It can only come through daily seeking the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives. His power comes only when we acknowledge our weakness.
PRAYER: Holy Father. I confess to you that even though I love you and call you Lord, many of the things I do are done to try to impress you and/or others. I ask that you empty me of self-sufficiency so that I can be completely filled for your glory. Amen.
So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 2 Timothy 1:8
My wife has a job in which she spends time in close contact with her clients. Often when they come to her they are in physical pain and nervous. She is a master at putting even the most difficult client at ease. So much so that people will ask for her rather than some of her colleagues. What’s her secret?
“Get them talking about themselves.”
When people can talk about something they are passionate about or knowledgeable about, they relax. Their focus turns from whatever pain they are going through to something they enjoy. One recent example was a client that she had been warned about. Others had worked with him and he was rude and obnoxious, or wouldn’t talk at all. My wife had him chatting and laughing before the end of their first session. The trick? She asked him about a tattoo on his arm.
The Apostle Paul is writing to his young protégé, Timothy. Timothy was going through some tough times in ministry and Paul was concerned that Timothy may lose heart. Those of us that work in ministry or in any other ‘service’ areas know how that can happen. We know we are right, we see the destructive path others are taking. Perhaps we’ve taken that road and found it to be painful and we urge others to avoid the trail, all to no avail.
What’s the secret to remaining true to our calling? Keep passionate about Jesus. People don’t need to hear about theology or doctrines. This generation in particular isn’t impressed with denominational dogma or the importance of following some tradition that has long ago lost its meaning or significance.
When Jesus walked on earth he spent most of his time focusing on the needs of others, not his own agenda. In fact, focusing on other people’s needs WAS his agenda. The defining characteristic of Jesus’ dealing with other people was leaving them with an increased sense of value. Value in themselves. Value in their own ability. Value in making important life changes.
Never grow weary in talking about Jesus. Never allow other people’s disposition and lack of faith keep you from expressing what Jesus has done for you. People can argue doctrine; they can’t argue what has happened to you personally.
During these perilous times when people are desperately searching for meaning and fulfillment, let your answer to them be your passion for Jesus.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus. During this time of Lent there are many people who are seeking answers to questions about their own lives. They are seeking relief from pain, doubt and worry. I may not be able to answer all their questions of relieve their concern, but help me to share my passion for all you have done for me. Amen.
There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? John 14:2
My daughter is amazing. She’s ten, going on 30 something at times. She’s bright and philosophical and has a heart for people who are struggling with life. She’s always writing down thoughts; paragraphs which seem far deeper than her years. One of her writings included this phrase, “Next time you complain because the shower is cold remember that someone else in the world is saying “Ah, I love this shower. I haven’t had a shower in weeks. They don’t care if it’s cold or warm, they just enjoy the shower.”
It’s easy to get sucked into the mindset that we need to be comfortable, to have a life that is free of pain, free of frustration, free of worry. God’s word tells us over and over again that we shouldn’t expect that kind of existence in this world. Jesus tells us ‘The foxes have holes, the birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). He says this in reference to those who want to follow him. Discipleship has no place for those who seek an easy life here on earth.
To follow Christ may mean, we break ranks with the popular notions of our times. Being a Christ-follower means we step outside the realm of political correctness while at the same time exhibiting grace.
That’s the hard news. The good news is this. While we may struggle to find a place of rest here on earth, Jesus is preparing a place for us where we will finally receive what we all really seek in this world, a place called home.
Here we grow weary with the battle. Here we endure the hardship of living in a world that seems intent on destroying all we know is pleasing to our Father. Here we are forced to make difficult choices that may tarnish our earthly reputation. Our sense of belonging can be shattered by misunderstanding and suspicion.
Jesus words still ring true. Don’t be afraid. Don’t worry at the struggles of daily life. There’s a place for you. A place I’ve designed especially for you to enjoy for eternity. In this world we’ll have struggles, but He has overcome the world, and through him we can overcome as well (John 16:33).
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I strive to live for you every day. It seems as though it gets harder to make the decisions I need to make to follow you in a world intent on self-destruction. I praise you for the promise that I can overcome all that comes before me in your name. I praise you that I have a place with you; a place called home. Amen.
I heard about you from others; now I have seen you with my own eyes. Job 42:5 (CEV)
I remember the conversation like yesterday. KoMy son, a recent college graduate was looking for car insurance. Part of our agreement was that we would pay his car insurance until he graduated from college and landed his first ‘real job’. The time had come and we rejoiced. Not only for his new job, but for our decrease in auto insurance!
“Dad,” my first born said, “You would not BELIEVE how much they want for car insurance! It’s outrageous!”
“How much?” A smirk was already crossing my face and I was glad we were on the phone. He told me the amount, an amount comparable to what we’d been paying for the previous 8 years.
“Really?” I said matter-of-factly, “that’s about what we’ve been paying for you.”
There was silence on the other end of the line. Reality had sunk in. I could have shown my son every insurance bill from the first time he drove the car. I could have copied the checks and sent them to him every time I paid the bill, but until the money coming from his pocket was his own, the reality would not set it.
We don’t know how long Job and his friends had been discussing God’s actions, but we know there came a time when God finally ‘appeared’ to Job. There’s no indication that Job actually saw God, but his revelation of God was awakened as God asked him a series of questions which humbled Job, stopped him dead in his tracks. Suddenly Job realized how great and awesome God was and how small and ignorant he was.
Job was a righteous man. Even God attested to his righteousness before Satan. Job knew ABOUT God, but until that day of revelation he didn’t really KNOW GOD. Once he ‘saw’ God two things happened. First of all, he saw God in a whole new light of awe and understanding. Secondly, he saw himself in a whole new light. That’s important. We can’t clearly see who we are until we have a clear view of who God is.
Isaiah spoke against the sins of Israel and the surrounding kingdoms. But when he saw God his response was quite different. “Woe is me” he lamented, “I am a man of unclean lips.”
How we act towards others and react to events of our lives have a great deal to do with how we see ourselves. How we see ourselves depends on how we view God’s view of us. Speaking evil of me has no affect on me if I’m secure in my vision of God’s love for me. In the same way I can be more accepting of you, regardless of our differences, if I live with the realization that both of us are creations of the living God.
Gain a fresh view of yourself and others by focusing on the reality of who God is.
PRAYER: Almighty God, I thank you and praise you for your love for me. Reveal yourself to me in a new way today so that I can see myself and others as you see us. In Jesus name, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 