More … what? More and more I see posts which seep through with sadness, concerns, disappointments, mild to major personal crises and then there is the news with lawlessness and near-anarchy in segments of society. One might throw up hands and say, “I can’t TAKE any MORE!” Mylon LeFevre and Broken Heart did a song which contained these words (as best as I can recall): BREAK my heart and change my mind Set me loose from ties that bind Lead me as I follow You Give me grace to see it through … Oh … more! More! I wanna be more like Jesus! More of Jesus, less of me By His power I will be Like a flower in the spring Brand new life in everything … More … I wanna be more like Jesus My friends, that is a good prayer, a profound desire … but we cannot be more LIKE Him until we learn more OF Him, FROM Him (via His Spirit speaking to us through His Word), and willingly disregard time and sit intently at His feet. [NOT critical, for Mylon would tell you the same thing today!] The first line of the song above that I have tried to recall says, “break my heart ….” When we come to Him with our temporal-life heartbreaks, He can touch us and either change our attitude and lift up our heads (as a parent lifts the head of a hurt child who has been crying, to kiss and encourage) … Or He can simply mend our hearts and teach us eternal truth that will turn the earthly pain into Heavenly gain within our souls. Psalm 3:3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. Job, in his extreme loss, said this: Job 17:11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart. The Psalms contain various views of broken-heartedness … sometimes consequential to selfish choices, to doing it “my way,” and yet it also tells of His desire to intervene and strengthen when sorrow has taken its toll. The question is this: Will you draw NEARER to Him, and stick WITH Him until He brings comfort and restores your joy? In the Beatitudes, we read, “Blessed are the poor in spirit [crushed emotionally, beaten down and surrendering to the forces that have devastated/destroyed/turned our worlds upside down] for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” “Blessed are they that MOURN for they SHALL BE comforted.” But, to receive comfort, we find it only, find it best and most effective via the ComfortER (the Holy Spirit). Then, “blessed are the MEEK [teachable, disciplined strength that continues in temperance), for they shall inherit the earth.” More views on heartbreak in Psalms: Ps 34:18 The LORD is nigh [near, at hand] unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite [crushed, devastated, similar picture as “poor in spirit” in Matthew 5’s beatitudes] spirit. Ps 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise. [“despise” doesn’t mean to really, really HATE, but rather to ignore, to consider to be not even worth a second thought] When we bring our brokenness to God, He then can rebuild stronger, better, and … as broken soil … He can replant the seeds that will bring fruit for His glory and result in our gratitude. Then, look at THIS characteristic, this “modus operandi” that is SO God! Ps 147:3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. If you have MORE trouble, MORE sorrow, MORE brokenness, … He is all-sufficient to heal and to make a way OUT of that which tempts, free from all that ensnares. THIS day may be the day you cross from this life into eternity. Are you looking at the last opportunities to trust and obey, or are you thinking that all is lost, all is over? His rescue may be the ultimate escape – for the Christian, the child of God in Christ – for “me to live is Christ [for HIS purposes, in HIS power and grace] and to die is GAIN [no more sorrow, pain, or death]. But, there are no more opportunities to “compete” in the “Fish Bowl” [pun intended – like football championship, with angels being the audience, and that “cloud of witnesses” indicated in Hebrews 11-12]. Let us TRULY trust, for trust is only proven when there is opportunity/temptation to mistrust. One MORE smile, one MORE act of charity, one MORE prayer in faith … that may be all you or I have left before our “appointment” with our destined end of life. MORE about Jesus would I know, MORE of His grace to others show, MORE of His saving fullness see, MORE of His love Who died for me!
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 13:50:20 +0000
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