Tuesday, March 07, 2006
conversations ~ on the road to emmaus
When all their hopes seemed empty, and their life's dream unfulfilled, His disciples said "We trusted." (Luke 24.21)How tragic that their sentiment was past tense, even as they spoke to their Lord. My prayer today is that my faith in my Lord will remain present tense, that I would ever say, "I am trusting"... The Lord led me to this meditation yesterday, and it has been a timely reminder.
Later in the day, I happened upon Kristen's heartfelt post and could so relate with what she shared there, as her sentiments are along the same lines as where Chris and I have been lately, in the valley of hopes yet unfulfilled and dreams deferred, on numerous fronts. I do realize that He is trying to get me somewhere in all of this, calling me/us deeper into Him. I am gradually learning to find rest and peace in His presence alone.
For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.My life's fulfillment, though intrinsically wrapped up in my role as a woman, wife and mother, must not be dependant on any one of those roles, though their fulfillment is righteous, they are not enough. My identity and sole reason for living must be rooted in Him, every day... And as I walk through this realization that His ways are not our own... I'm certain that He's put certain hopes and dreams within us.~Hebrews 4.8-10
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
~Psalm 139.23-24
I do find myself in danger of speaking even as the disciples did that day, of saying "I trusted". Lord, let me never put my faith in past tense, may I ever say, "I am trusting". The Lord has been reminding me of that mysteriously necessary power of prayer, which when coupled with trust in Him will effect His will in our lives. Truly deferred dreams do make a heart sick, and a sick heart turns so easily to apathy and depression. Lord, forgive me for this...
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
~ 2 Corinthians 4.7
There is no way of learning faith except by trial. It is God's school of faith, and it is far better for us to learn to trust God than to enjoy life.
The lesson of faith once learned, is an everlasting acquisition and an eternal fortune made; and without trust even riches will leave us poor. ~ Days of Heaven upon Earth.
I've found myself wondering over the years, "What is the difference between faith and passivity? What is active versus passive faith?" And have mused over the concept for some time. So, when I found this entry recently in my Streams in the Desert book, I found it quite helpful indeed:
Taken From: Streams in the Desert
"If thou canst believe, all things are possible. to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23).
Seldom have we heard a better definition of faith than was given once in one of our meetings, by a dear old colored woman, as she answered the question of a young man how to take the Lord for needed help.
In her characteristic way, pointing her finger toward him, she said with great emphasis: "You've just got to believe that He's done it and it's done." The great danger with most of us is that, after we ask Him to do it, we do not believe that it is done, but we keep on helping Him, and getting others to help Him; and waiting to see how He is going to do it.
Faith adds its "Amen" to God's "Yea," and then takes its hands off, and leaves God to finish His work. Its language is, "Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him; and he worketh.' ~Days of Heaven upon Earth
"I simply take Him at His word,
I praise Him that my prayer is heard,
And claim my answer from the Lord;
I take, He undertakes."
An active faith can give thanks for a promise, though it be not as yet performed; knowing that God's bonds are as good as ready money. --Matthew Henry
Passive faith accepts the word as true
But never moves.
Active faith begins the work to do,
And thereby proves.Passive faith says, "I believe it! every word of God is true.
Well I know He hath not spoken what He cannot, will not, do.
He hath bidden me, 'Go forward!' but a closed-up way I see,
When the waters are divided, soon in Canaan's land I'll be.
Lo! I hear His voice commanding, 'Rise and walk: take up thy bed';
And, 'Stretch forth thy withered member!' which for so long has been dead.
When I am a little stronger, then, I know I'll surely stand:
When there comes a thrill of heating, I will use with ease My other hand.Yes, I know that 'God is able' and full willing all to do:
I believe that every promise, sometime, will to me come true."Active faith says, "I believe it! and the promise now I take,
Knowing well, as I receive it, God, each promise, real will make.
So I step into the waters, finding there an open way;
Onward press, the land possessing; nothing can my progress stay.Yea, I rise at His commanding, walk straightway, and joyfully:
This, my hand, so sadly shrivelled, as I reach, restored shall be.
What beyond His faithful promise, would I wish or do I need?
Looking not for 'signs or wonders,' I'll no contradiction heed.
Well I know that 'God is able,' and full willing all to do:
I believe that every promise, at this moment can come true."Passive faith but praises in the light,
When sun doth shine.
Active faith will praise in darkest night--
Which faith is thine?
--Selected
Oh, what conviction has come over me lately, how I've neglected to pray as I should. But how comforting to hear Him calling me even now. This is also taken from my Streams in the Desert;
Our too general neglect of looking for answers to what we ask, shows how little we are in earnest in our petitions. A husbandman is not content without the harvest; a marksman will observe whether the ball hits the target; a physician watches the effect of the medicine which he gives; and shall the Christian be careless about the effect of his labor?The Disciples’ Eyes Opened
Every prayer of the Christian, made in faith, according to the will of God, for which God has promised, offered up in the name of Jesus Christ, and under the influence of the Spirit, whether for temporal or for spiritual blessings, is, or will be, fully answered.
God always answers the general design and intention of His people's prayers, in doing that which, all things considered, is most for His own glory and their spiritual and eternal welfare. As we never find that Jesus Christ rejected a single supplicant who came to Him for mercy, so we believe that no prayer made in His name will be in vain.
The answer to prayer may be approaching, though we discern not its coming. The seed that lies under ground in winter is taking root in order to a spring and harvest, though it appears not above ground, but seems dead and lost.
~Bickersteth
Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.
Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying,
“The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.
~Luke 24.28-35
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