Let me decrease like a melting snowman in the blazing hot sun.
I am writing this paper because I met a man in the elevator. (explanation to follow).
I was cleaning my teeth early one morning when God surprised me with something not even remotely connected with my thoughts at that time. He said – do not let this one thought escape you (Psalms 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8). With the Lord 1 day is as 1000 years and 1000 years as 1 day. I had known and accepted that fact for years but suddenly I saw the deep awesome meaning. If God chose to, He could do in 1 day what apparently should take 1000 years or even more. He planned (Ephesians 1:10-11) the maturity of the times and the climax of the ages. Also, He could take 1000 years to do what He could have done in 1 day. As we try to grasp the creation of the immense expanse of the heavens and the earth and all they contain – surely it would take thousands of years – but God completed it in 6 days.
About 3000 years ago Isaiah asked (Isaiah 66:8) who has heard of such a thing – can a nation be born in a day? Then in 1 day of May 1948 – Israel was declared a nation. There is something even more staggering when God used 1000 years to accomplish what He could have done in 1 day. Why? Listen – ponder – worship. It was prophesied around 1000 B.C. (Psalms 22, Isaiah 53) that Messiah would come and be rejected and crucified. He didn’t appear at that time. God used 1000 years to plan the right political circumstances and genealogy, which culminated on that climatic victorious day when – from the Cross – Jesus cried (John 19:30) IT IS FINISHED!
The man I met in the elevator was important because Jesus went to Samaria. No – I’m not losing my marbles – hang in there with me and don’t get your shirt in a knot.
If you wanted to go from Judea in the south to Galilee in the north you would have to go through Samaria. BUT not the Jews! The Jews and Samaritans hated each other. (Samaritan – disloyal half-breeds!). The Jews took the long way around Samaria. They didn’t even want the dust of Samaria on their sandals. So, when Jesus (John 4:4) “must needs” go through Samaria, it must have blown the disciples right out of their sandals.
Whenever Jesus has a “must needs” it is always followed by a “for such a time as this”. Whether it’s for Esther (Esther 4:14) to save the Jewish people or for Jonathan (1 Chronicles 20:6-7) to kill a giant or for me to meet a man in the elevator – it always holds true. I got into an empty elevator and 2 floors later a man in a wheel chair got on – no one else. I just had a very few minutes but it was enough time to tell him that his individual fingerprints (Job 37:7) were the proof that he was personal and precious to God and that supreme evidence of God’s love for him was that He gave His beloved Son to die for him. We talked a bit more in the hall and he said my words reminded him of his mother. He said he would put his faith in Jesus so I’m praying that the Holy Spirit will enlighten him and that he will hear God’s call to repentance.
How many Divine appointments have we passed over because we didn’t recognize the “must needs” of Jesus and therefore missed His “for such a time as this”. Wherever we are (if we are obeying the Lord) God has placed us there for a purpose - - that through us He can make a difference wherever we are. I’m not talking about the span of years we’ve lived in a certain place but those “must needs” moments. Time is a currency God doles out to us a moment at a time. So it is a moment-by-moment life of trust, obedience and joy in loving co-operation with Jesus. For me on that particular day Samaria was in an elevator. I’m sure that in your own life you have taken many trips to Samaria and have enjoyed the extra-special sweetness of God’s Presence at such times. Do you, as I often do, stand back in amazement at God’s perfect timing?
We are very aware that we have an extremely wicked and crafty enemy. Satan is determined to turn us away from holiness. He knows when to attack as (1 Peter 5:8) a roaring lion – or – when to come softly (2 Corinthians 11:14-15) disguised as an angel of light and his demons disguised as ministers of righteousness. But we are not (2 Corinthians 2:11) ignorant of his devices and with the full armour of God we can (Ephesians 6:11) stand against his wiles.
Dr.Charles Stanley has pointed out from Eph. 5 and 6 some of the essentials for our Christian walk. He also warns of Satan’s crafty strategies to hinder us.
WALK IN DANGEROUS WILES
Unity Division
Love Suspicion – Disloyalty
Holiness Compromise
Wisdom Distraction
Praise Depression
In the Spirit In the Flesh
Harmony Discord
If our focus is steadfast on the Lord we are armed and equipped to be victorious in battle.
I think mental wool-gathering can be dangerous and requires discipline. I cannot be alert and on guard if my thoughts roam freely without discipline. Take (2 Corinthians 10:5) every thought captive. Otherwise I think our perception will be dulled to see the “must needs” of Jesus.
Isn’t this beautiful? - - They that feared the Lord spoke often of Him (Malachi 3:16) and the Lord listened and heard. A book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverently worshiped Him and thought upon His Name.
The Holy Spirit can motivate us and enable us to pursue:
Prayer that scorns my selfish desires and personal plans
Steadfastness that derides wavering
Faith that mocks doubt
Humility that joyfully crucifies pride
My prayer for myself is (John 3:30) that the Life of the Son of God within me will flourish increasingly and that I will decrease like a melting snowman in the blazing hot sun.
Oswald Chambers - a life of sanity - order – unutterable humbleness – unsullied purity and absolute devotion to God.