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Viewpoint from Roger Hill for 4th January 2013
Member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church,
Burnt Lane, Gorleston
GOD KNOWS BEST
God knows what is best for us. He also wants what is best for us. He is able to give what is best for us. Many of you will remember the words of the old ballad “I did it my way.” I think it sums up rather well our self-reliance. In Proverbs 26 v12 it says “There is one thing worse than a fool and that is a man who is conceited.” Perhaps the following story helps to illustrate this fact.
An officer in the navy had dreamed from childhood of commanding a great battleship one day. He finally achieved his dream and was given a commission of the newest and proudest ship in the fleet. One stormy night, the captain was on duty on the bridge when he spotted a strange light rapidly closing in on his vessel.
As his ship ploughed through the giant waves, the light rose and fell just above the horizon of the sea. He ordered his signalman to flash a message to the unidentified craft on his port side, “Alter your course ten degrees to the south.” Within seconds a reply came, “Alter your course ten degrees to the North.” Determined that his ship would never take a backseat to any other, the captain snapped a second order, “Alter course ten degrees I am the CAPTAIN.” The response was beamed back “Alter your course ten degrees I am Seaman Third Class Smith.” By this time, the light was growing ever brighter and larger. Infuriated the captain grabbed the signal light and personally signalled, “Alter course I am a battleship.” The reply came just as quickly, “Alter your course I am a lighthouse.”
We tend to dislike criticism of any kind. As children we didn’t like being corrected by our teachers or our parents. As mature adults we don’t like being corrected by Policemen, Traffic Wardens, managers at work, and perhaps even less by our partner.
What about God when he tries to correct us? Revelation 3 v 17 says “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore and repent.” As human beings we like to think we are self-sufficient, totally in control, able to cope with any given situation, Captain of our own battleship. The reality is we are captain of a rubber dinghy. Everything we are, or own is down to God. He is the captain of the universe, His hand is on the helm, and he it is who steers us through the storms of life. God is sovereign of the universe.
Sadly all too often, it is King I who reigns supreme in our lives. To be true workers for God we must submit our will to His. We must give up the principle of self ownership, our abiding sentiment should be, that although salvation is free, it was bought at great price by our Saviour and we owe him our loyalty and service.
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mikeJ (Guest) |
05/01/2013 10:15 |
John 6:28 They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?]
29 Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger].
His yoke and burden is light! words like obedience suggest something irksome or difficult but what God wants is for us to rest in His Goodness. Now that is Good News!
Scripture goes on to say:
33 For the Bread of God is He Who comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world. "Its a Gift that is given"
34 Then they said to Him, Lord, give us this bread always (all the time)!
35 Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).
36 But [as] I told you, although you have seen Me, still you do not believe and trust and have faith.
37 All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me]. "A Promise that He is trustworthy"
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will and purpose but to do the will and purpose of Him Who sent Me.
"Jesus is the Executive of the Father, doing what the Father shows Him"
39 And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day.
"Put simply its the fathers will for us to be saved".
40 For this is My Father’s will and His purpose, that everyone who sees the Son this phrase includes perceives and receives the Son not just those who saw him with their eyes, we are included.) and believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Him should have eternal life Now, and I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day.
41 Now the Jews murmured and found fault with and grumbled about Jesus because He said, I am [Myself] the Bread that came down from heaven.
See how they missed the really great News and the expression of the Fathers love a message of ease and rest that they should enter into faith and He the Father would be served by their Faith alone and not any harder task than love.
They the religious were so keen on their position that what really grabbed their attention and offended them was hos confession that He Came down from Heaven as this was a threat to their authority.
Moreover Jesus did not go to the cross to be the Bread of Life Broken so we could lament misty eyed over the sacrifice but so we could rejoice and glorify Him in our freedom and Joy and richness of the blessing of his blood which we drink the New Wine which makes us merry indeed.
The Crucifixion is not like a car-crash disaster, to be lamented over, but a calculated planned victorious solution to Sin and separation Jesus Stood in The Gap so we don't have to, he suffered so we don't have to, He died a mortal death so we could have eternal Life, He was raised up to draw all men to himself, and then raised from death to Be our Head our King.
People there is No Arduous Service required by our King he finished all that was required He just wants us to be blessed in the bliss of Christ Enraptured by love in Faith trusting in Him.
It really isn't hard work and it really is Good News.
Mike Jarvis
Agents for Change
Agents4change@gmx.co.uk
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