Post by MIRIAM JACOB on Nov 3, 2006 2:41:08 GMT -5
VICTORY IN BROKENNESS
By Justine
Today I would like to explore the most dreaded aspect of Christian walk, the question of suffering. As and when they happen, we hardly have much to preempt their occurrence. Great and virtuous men of God in the Old Testament underwent spates of afflictions, yet all decided to hung on to the faith and were counted righteous for their stance in God. One such example is Job, who even at the helm of his affliction still said, "I know my Redeemer lives"- (Job 19:25), much to the utter shock of his friends and wife who expected him to curse God.
In our time, this notion seems to present very controversial points of perception and persuasion. Ordinarily, we are more receptive to the much hyped teaching about grace and the love of God, while we tend to forget the other side of God's justice and fairness. He wouldn’t be a just God if He only mumbled at our sins without meting out some punishment. As followers of Christ though, there is the assurance in Him that he has been the ransom for our sins. That He was bruised for our iniquities and that the curses which were due to us, fell on Him, was a privilege.
There is such a thin line between suffering as a punishment and as a test of our faith in God. Yet in substances, the two stand in poignant contrast.
In Galatians 6:19 Paul sounded rather vehement about what could be seen as a reaction to others people's interference in his faith, "Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus". I would like to analyze this further than the emotion shed in the statement. Life as a Christian entails self denial, willingness to walk in the footstep of Christ, accepting to be His ambassador to the world and reflecting in us the glory of Christ that has been lavished by the father.
A friend sent me a message with a narration of someone who went to visit a silver smith. Her intents were to ascertain what processes silver has to go through before being refined. True, the silversmith was at his work when she came over and from all the circumstances around him it was everything but cool. The flames were being fanned in an oven that clearly gave unbearable heat. So she asked," how then do you know that the silver is ready and not overdone?" To which the Silversmith answered, until I see my image on the blazing piece, will I know that it’s refined".
"Oh", the lady remarked with a purpose." Now I know, until the image of Him who called us is reflected in us, will He pick us out of those situations that we think are so hot". And she added, just as the silversmith is always there to see whether his image is reflected in the piece of silver, so will God always stay around all through those situations to ensure that only what is enough to portray Him in us, is actually experienced."
An excerpt from Zechariah 13:9 seems to suggest that because God is a loving father, He desires the best for us. Rather like a painter who does not apply a new gloss without scrubbing the old one, God has to deal with the flakes in our lives so that we become radiant and lustrous like his son Jesus. This might have to come by some way of pain or even a feeling of desertion, yet He is always besides us.
It's all about what He would have us present to Him. Perhaps a sacrifice, or thanks giving which must come from the point of righteousness, so as to be acceptable to him. Malachi 3:3 says, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver." Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD,
Won’t we therefore desire to have our offerings accepted? As for a believer who knows his heritage in Christ, this is just but one of the many trials that Christ promised would come and he expects us to be delightful in those situations.
Paul in his epistle to the Romans 12:12 writes, "There-fore brethren, be patient in affliction, joyful in hope and constant in prayer." There can never be any better way to handle a situation other that the prescription given by brother Paul, remember, God will never cause us to be tempted more than we can bear, he will always provide a way out.
Now Paul was telling the Galatians that let no one bother him, for he bore the mark of Christ in his body. Literally this might be inferred to mean a physical scar or something else, but I should like to think that Paul meant the impact of the purifying fire that signified his belonging to Christ. One too many, Paul was involved in terrible moments that threatened his life, once, on the way to Rome, he was caught up in a ship wreck that he narrowly survived. Once ashore in Malta after the wreck, Paul in the quest for warmth in the chilly condition had a venomous viper sting on his hand while the islander waited for him to fall dead .
Act 28:1, says "Once safely ashore, we found out that the island was called Malta. (v.2) The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. (v.3) Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. (v.4) When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live." (v.5) But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. (v.6) The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
Dear friends, it can never be too much with Christ in our lives, successive tribulations that we undergo could mean bigger potential inside us. Just stop and watch the work He is doing in your life so that instead of falling dead, someone may see the presence of our God in us", who is unable to die from the bite of calamities. We often sing, WRITE YOUR NAME ACROSS MY HEART, quite beautifully said, but do we ever imagine what it takes for Christ to write on our heart? Remember He is God, who can write on Rocks, therefore let’s allow the process to go unhindered lest we miss the ultimate purpose he has for us.
A pastor friend said, never bother to understand the mind of God, just know his heart, because its the only thing he has expressed wholesomely upon us, a fathers heart, His love, not his mind. For who has ever fathomed his ways;
Isaiah 55:8-9 is very clear
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Therefore friend Accept the victory that comes by being broken. Considering that in brokenness, there are associated benefits that you can’t afford to miss out on.
(1) RESTORATION.
This comes with our being in the same situation like fellow brethrens else where. 1Pet 5:9, says that… knowing that your brothers all over the world are undergoing the same. And the God of all grace…after you have suffered a little while will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
You can always trust in these promises, to be firmer, stronger and proven which is the ultimate desire of any believer.
(
2) SO YOU CAN HAVE A TESTIMONY.
It’s said there is no testimony without test. How true. Christ is able to save us in our trials because he was once tested, Heb 2:18. We too as imitators of Christ can encourage others in their moments of brokenness, test and suffering to hold on to him who is able to rescue us from all forms of afflictions. Thus Paul urges the believers to imitate him as he follows Christ, and this is not devoid of pain and brokenness.
(
3) VICTORY.
Rev 12:11 says, they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of the testimony. Like I mentioned above a testimony must ensue from a test. An authentic testimony is one that the giver is a primary source. Those who have been to courts of law know this, that no hearsays are admissible in evidence. Therefore when the bible talks about overcoming the devil by word of their testimony, I suspect it to be what they went through and overcame, not what is got from sources other than the giver. In this way a believer will be able to draw analogy from his prior test to edify others and build them in the faith.
(
4) BLESSINGS.
Jms 5:10-11, Brethrens, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the lord, as you know e consider them blessed who have persevered. And we too can be blessed if we accept the conditions that come with brokenness to allow God’s way in our lives. (1Pet 4:12-13,19)
(5) APPROVAL AND HONOUR.
Ps 51:17, the sacrifice of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart, oh God you will not despise. An antonym of despise is admire. Now if God will not despise then, he will admire, honour and approve. In this way it makes us assured of the faith we profess. It can’t get any better than this and I know we all long for that time when the father will look down upon us with a beaming face. Only brokenness can move God to do so. And as it said, “Like wine is to broken grapes, godliness is to a broken soul”.
- JUSTINE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
By Justine
Today I would like to explore the most dreaded aspect of Christian walk, the question of suffering. As and when they happen, we hardly have much to preempt their occurrence. Great and virtuous men of God in the Old Testament underwent spates of afflictions, yet all decided to hung on to the faith and were counted righteous for their stance in God. One such example is Job, who even at the helm of his affliction still said, "I know my Redeemer lives"- (Job 19:25), much to the utter shock of his friends and wife who expected him to curse God.
In our time, this notion seems to present very controversial points of perception and persuasion. Ordinarily, we are more receptive to the much hyped teaching about grace and the love of God, while we tend to forget the other side of God's justice and fairness. He wouldn’t be a just God if He only mumbled at our sins without meting out some punishment. As followers of Christ though, there is the assurance in Him that he has been the ransom for our sins. That He was bruised for our iniquities and that the curses which were due to us, fell on Him, was a privilege.
There is such a thin line between suffering as a punishment and as a test of our faith in God. Yet in substances, the two stand in poignant contrast.
In Galatians 6:19 Paul sounded rather vehement about what could be seen as a reaction to others people's interference in his faith, "Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus". I would like to analyze this further than the emotion shed in the statement. Life as a Christian entails self denial, willingness to walk in the footstep of Christ, accepting to be His ambassador to the world and reflecting in us the glory of Christ that has been lavished by the father.
A friend sent me a message with a narration of someone who went to visit a silver smith. Her intents were to ascertain what processes silver has to go through before being refined. True, the silversmith was at his work when she came over and from all the circumstances around him it was everything but cool. The flames were being fanned in an oven that clearly gave unbearable heat. So she asked," how then do you know that the silver is ready and not overdone?" To which the Silversmith answered, until I see my image on the blazing piece, will I know that it’s refined".
"Oh", the lady remarked with a purpose." Now I know, until the image of Him who called us is reflected in us, will He pick us out of those situations that we think are so hot". And she added, just as the silversmith is always there to see whether his image is reflected in the piece of silver, so will God always stay around all through those situations to ensure that only what is enough to portray Him in us, is actually experienced."
An excerpt from Zechariah 13:9 seems to suggest that because God is a loving father, He desires the best for us. Rather like a painter who does not apply a new gloss without scrubbing the old one, God has to deal with the flakes in our lives so that we become radiant and lustrous like his son Jesus. This might have to come by some way of pain or even a feeling of desertion, yet He is always besides us.
It's all about what He would have us present to Him. Perhaps a sacrifice, or thanks giving which must come from the point of righteousness, so as to be acceptable to him. Malachi 3:3 says, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver." Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD,
Won’t we therefore desire to have our offerings accepted? As for a believer who knows his heritage in Christ, this is just but one of the many trials that Christ promised would come and he expects us to be delightful in those situations.
Paul in his epistle to the Romans 12:12 writes, "There-fore brethren, be patient in affliction, joyful in hope and constant in prayer." There can never be any better way to handle a situation other that the prescription given by brother Paul, remember, God will never cause us to be tempted more than we can bear, he will always provide a way out.
Now Paul was telling the Galatians that let no one bother him, for he bore the mark of Christ in his body. Literally this might be inferred to mean a physical scar or something else, but I should like to think that Paul meant the impact of the purifying fire that signified his belonging to Christ. One too many, Paul was involved in terrible moments that threatened his life, once, on the way to Rome, he was caught up in a ship wreck that he narrowly survived. Once ashore in Malta after the wreck, Paul in the quest for warmth in the chilly condition had a venomous viper sting on his hand while the islander waited for him to fall dead .
Act 28:1, says "Once safely ashore, we found out that the island was called Malta. (v.2) The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. (v.3) Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. (v.4) When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live." (v.5) But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. (v.6) The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
Dear friends, it can never be too much with Christ in our lives, successive tribulations that we undergo could mean bigger potential inside us. Just stop and watch the work He is doing in your life so that instead of falling dead, someone may see the presence of our God in us", who is unable to die from the bite of calamities. We often sing, WRITE YOUR NAME ACROSS MY HEART, quite beautifully said, but do we ever imagine what it takes for Christ to write on our heart? Remember He is God, who can write on Rocks, therefore let’s allow the process to go unhindered lest we miss the ultimate purpose he has for us.
A pastor friend said, never bother to understand the mind of God, just know his heart, because its the only thing he has expressed wholesomely upon us, a fathers heart, His love, not his mind. For who has ever fathomed his ways;
Isaiah 55:8-9 is very clear
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Therefore friend Accept the victory that comes by being broken. Considering that in brokenness, there are associated benefits that you can’t afford to miss out on.
(1) RESTORATION.
This comes with our being in the same situation like fellow brethrens else where. 1Pet 5:9, says that… knowing that your brothers all over the world are undergoing the same. And the God of all grace…after you have suffered a little while will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
You can always trust in these promises, to be firmer, stronger and proven which is the ultimate desire of any believer.
(
2) SO YOU CAN HAVE A TESTIMONY.
It’s said there is no testimony without test. How true. Christ is able to save us in our trials because he was once tested, Heb 2:18. We too as imitators of Christ can encourage others in their moments of brokenness, test and suffering to hold on to him who is able to rescue us from all forms of afflictions. Thus Paul urges the believers to imitate him as he follows Christ, and this is not devoid of pain and brokenness.
(
3) VICTORY.
Rev 12:11 says, they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of the testimony. Like I mentioned above a testimony must ensue from a test. An authentic testimony is one that the giver is a primary source. Those who have been to courts of law know this, that no hearsays are admissible in evidence. Therefore when the bible talks about overcoming the devil by word of their testimony, I suspect it to be what they went through and overcame, not what is got from sources other than the giver. In this way a believer will be able to draw analogy from his prior test to edify others and build them in the faith.
(
4) BLESSINGS.
Jms 5:10-11, Brethrens, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the lord, as you know e consider them blessed who have persevered. And we too can be blessed if we accept the conditions that come with brokenness to allow God’s way in our lives. (1Pet 4:12-13,19)
(5) APPROVAL AND HONOUR.
Ps 51:17, the sacrifice of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart, oh God you will not despise. An antonym of despise is admire. Now if God will not despise then, he will admire, honour and approve. In this way it makes us assured of the faith we profess. It can’t get any better than this and I know we all long for that time when the father will look down upon us with a beaming face. Only brokenness can move God to do so. And as it said, “Like wine is to broken grapes, godliness is to a broken soul”.
- JUSTINE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED