February 19, 2010
The Missing Link
Of late Hudson Taylor’s life, but more specifically his day-by-day walk with the Lord has challenged me greatly. This man who gave himself for the lost souls of China was dedicated to his God in a way not many Christians are today. He was a cross-bearing man who “counted all things as loss, compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord” (Philippians 3:7). I also want to follow Hudson’s example and be completely and wholeheartedly committed to my God and serving Him. I want to take up my cross and follow Jesus and that is the daily battle I face as a warrior of the faith and soldier of the cross.
This leads me to wonder why there are so few Believers who also long to be like Hudson and live for God as He did. I have felt so confused because I see plenty of professing Believers who can talk up a storm about God and sound so sincere and genuine and in part they are, but then I watch them live their lives and things do not match up. It is as though God gets Sunday (just the morning mind you) and as long as He gets His hour or two at church then the rest of the week is theirs. Why do so many claim Christ as their Savior but so few obey Him as their Lord? And what has happened to cross-bearing men and women who will give all willingly, eagerly, and happily for the sake of Jesus’ name?
So I have been contemplating and mulling over these questions for the past several weeks, but today I believe I have an answer though perhaps just in part. I started a new book, which is actually an old one that I read back when I was thirteen---Knowing God by J. I. Packer. Oh, how it is full of rich teaching and instruction for Lovers of Christ! In it, I believe I have found my answer to why so many professing Believers who seem to be genuine Christians live such powerless lives and have so little passion for God’s glory. Packer starts his book by delving into the topic of knowing God and makes the quick distinction that there is a difference between knowing about God and actually knowing God. I believe that Christians today know a lot about God, but they do not know God. They fill their minds with knowledge but their hearts are empty of true fellowship with the Almighty One.
How little we think God is that we fit Him into the mold we want Him to be instead of trembling in His presence that He would even draw near to us. For surely that is what it is, not that we are drawing near to God, but that He has come to us and befriended us. Oh, let us stop knowing Christ through other peoples experiences and actually know Him ourselves---daily walking with the Lord as we spend time pouring over His Word and treasuring it in our hearts (yes there is a difference between reading and treasuring), momentarily lifting our souls up to God in humble prayer, exalting His name on high, and rejoicing in who He is.
So this is my challenge for all Believers, a challenge I have first of all been challenged with myself, know your God and do not just know about Him. Do not let a day go by that you are not in the presence of the LORD. He is always with us---His presence, He has promised us---but are we living our lives with Him?
The Missing Link
Of late Hudson Taylor’s life, but more specifically his day-by-day walk with the Lord has challenged me greatly. This man who gave himself for the lost souls of China was dedicated to his God in a way not many Christians are today. He was a cross-bearing man who “counted all things as loss, compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord” (Philippians 3:7). I also want to follow Hudson’s example and be completely and wholeheartedly committed to my God and serving Him. I want to take up my cross and follow Jesus and that is the daily battle I face as a warrior of the faith and soldier of the cross.
This leads me to wonder why there are so few Believers who also long to be like Hudson and live for God as He did. I have felt so confused because I see plenty of professing Believers who can talk up a storm about God and sound so sincere and genuine and in part they are, but then I watch them live their lives and things do not match up. It is as though God gets Sunday (just the morning mind you) and as long as He gets His hour or two at church then the rest of the week is theirs. Why do so many claim Christ as their Savior but so few obey Him as their Lord? And what has happened to cross-bearing men and women who will give all willingly, eagerly, and happily for the sake of Jesus’ name?
So I have been contemplating and mulling over these questions for the past several weeks, but today I believe I have an answer though perhaps just in part. I started a new book, which is actually an old one that I read back when I was thirteen---Knowing God by J. I. Packer. Oh, how it is full of rich teaching and instruction for Lovers of Christ! In it, I believe I have found my answer to why so many professing Believers who seem to be genuine Christians live such powerless lives and have so little passion for God’s glory. Packer starts his book by delving into the topic of knowing God and makes the quick distinction that there is a difference between knowing about God and actually knowing God. I believe that Christians today know a lot about God, but they do not know God. They fill their minds with knowledge but their hearts are empty of true fellowship with the Almighty One.
How little we think God is that we fit Him into the mold we want Him to be instead of trembling in His presence that He would even draw near to us. For surely that is what it is, not that we are drawing near to God, but that He has come to us and befriended us. Oh, let us stop knowing Christ through other peoples experiences and actually know Him ourselves---daily walking with the Lord as we spend time pouring over His Word and treasuring it in our hearts (yes there is a difference between reading and treasuring), momentarily lifting our souls up to God in humble prayer, exalting His name on high, and rejoicing in who He is.
So this is my challenge for all Believers, a challenge I have first of all been challenged with myself, know your God and do not just know about Him. Do not let a day go by that you are not in the presence of the LORD. He is always with us---His presence, He has promised us---but are we living our lives with Him?
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