Sometimes when the Holy Spirit directs me to write a meditation I can’t think of a suitable title. So I ask the Lord and He never fails to tell me - such as – Rahab has something to tell you – I wonder why I don’t wonder more – The CUP – What is your bowl of soup? – When God sets a table – Compelling beauty and mystery – I still travel and many more. At other times I get the title first. Early this morning about 4 a.m. 3 words rooted themselves in my mind – Pages of Grace – then Scripture verses and other thoughts were right at their heels.
The days of my life with all their circumstances are like pages in a book and every page is a page of grace. As I read through Scripture I can trace the Divine strategy of Sovereign wisdom from Genesis to Revelation and on every page I find grace.
When I get into bed at night I sing the love songs I have written to Jesus and think over my day. I don’t see my age of 90 years, blindness and other conditions as obstacles for me but as opportunities for God’s unfailing grace. So every day I do things which I can’t do and can’t see to do. We all have various difficulties in this fallen world, don’t we? Then Jesus comes with His limitless grace and gathers up the fragments of those very things and makes them part of the “all things” which God uses (Romans 8:29-30) to make us like Jesus for which He has predestined us. Nothing (John 6:12) is lost or wasted. Who could deny that grace makes our worst of times into our best of times as precious intimacy with Jesus progressively deepens? Sometimes the Holy Spirit gives me a particular single thought which brings special joy to my meditations and conversations with Him.
Just a couple of examples: -
(1) Whether you eat or drink (1 Corinthians 10:31) do everything to the glory of God. What has my eating and drinking got to do with God’s glory? This thought hit me recently as I was having break-fast. We know that (Revelation 4:11) God created all things for His pleasure. He created the produce of all food and the necessary know how to get the wonders of creation on my plate. When I give thanks for the works of His hands and enjoy the food God has pleasure in my enjoyment and He is glorified by my gratitude.
(2) Lately the early morning sun has been so lovely I just have to stop and worship the Creator. Then this thought came. In the sky I can see the light of God’s sun which is 93 million miles away. As believers we are God’s sky where the light of God’s SON should shine out from us so that others can see the WAY out of darkness.
Many godly teachers have shared spiritual truth over the years which continues to impact my life and helps in the process of building my character.
Enoch (Hebrews 11:5) still speaks volumes of wisdom. He walked with God and escaped the judgment. John, the Apostle of love (1 John 5:14-15). If we know that God hears us then we know that we have received what we asked. The answer may be like a post-dated cheque but it is certified. Josephus wrote that John was nearly 100 and had to be carried into the church and the people hung on his words. I still do.
Dr. A.W.Tozer spoke of exploring the sacred wonders of the Triune Godhead. He also said – when the eyes of the soul looking out meet the eyes of God looking in, heaven has begun on earth.
Dr. C. Swindol – years wrinkle the skin but a loss of wonder wrinkles the soul.
Dr. C. Stanley – learn to listen to God.
Oswald Chambers – the greatest power in my life is the Atonement of the Lord.
Dr. A Rogers – bitterness is the acid which destroys its own container.
Dr. R. Zacharias – either you submit to God OR (Genesis 3:4-5) you play God.
Pastor B.McBride – Christianity is not a religion to be followed but a relationship to be pursued.
But how can all this spiritual truth possibly become reality lived out in me? Because there was Someone else Who said something else. Just 3 words, greater than any words ever spoken by humans. 3 Words that reached backward and forward to span the countless centuries from the dawn of creation to the end of time. Come with me to the Cross at Calvary and we will kneel and worship with wonder, love and praise. Listen – listen – listen – and hear the Words of Jesus - - -
“IT IS FINISHED”
That’s why the days of our lives will be a book and every page a page of GRACE and we can grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18) and in the knowledge of Him. But I’m telling myself lies if I say I love Jesus while living to please myself. Love and obedience are intricately entwined. It couldn’t be any plainer. Jesus said (John 14:23, 15:10) IF you love Me YOU will obey Me.
You might like to use in your daily prayers for yourself, as I do, a prayer taken from (Ephesians 3:19) and (Colossians 1:9-12), I don’t know what the remaining pages of my book will bring and reveal but I do know that my security is in God’s Sovereignty.
As long as we are on Planet Earth we will not be able to fully know the Lord Jesus. But I think it would be very worthwhile and profitable to actively pursue knowing Him as fully as possible by the revelation of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was not only the first to be resurrected to an endless life, He was also (Colossians 1:15) first in position. He was not the first of creation, He is the Creator and was before all time – (time – which He created). We call the American president’s wife the first lady, not because she’s the first lady to ever come along but because that’s the title of her position. Jesus is first not in time but in title and position as Supreme Ruler over all, the Lord of the universe.
We know (John 1:3) that He created all things. How? By the Word of His power: -
He framed the worlds. (How many worlds?) – He created light which travels 186,000 miles per second. He put the right amount of oxygen in the air we breathe. He set boundaries for land and water. He put thousands of beneficial viruses on our planet which we could not live without. A doctor of virology said that bad viruses total a fraction of a fraction of 1% of the number of good viruses. He set the earth to rotate at exactly the correct speed and angle to keep us at the right distance from the sun to give us days, nights and season, This does not even scratch the surface of all He created and all (Colossians 1:17) He holds together. But even with this little glimpse of the transcendent power and wisdom of Jesus - - we would never be fooled enough to worry about anything – would we?
Remember that God loves you so much that He thought you were worth dying for.
P.S. I’m sure you remember the old song – “Let the sunshine in, face it with a grin”
As I was making my bed this morning, this is how that old tune came to me.
Let God’s SON shine out wherever I’m about
So my world may see that Jesus lives in me.
May His love outflow so other folks will know
That their greatest need is JESUS.
Me being in Christ Jesus fits me for heaven. Jesus being in me fits me for earth on my way to heaven.
