Sunday, April 17, 2011

Man's Short Sight vs God's Perspective

It’s been quite a while since I shared my thoughts. Though I am right now lost in this ocean of thoughts there is one cymbal that’s been resounding in my mind. The yearning for discernment and longing for the slightest yet strongest hint of God’s will in my life has never been more intense than now. When life seems to be taking its own twists and turns I cannot but acknowledge that it’s just the Supreme Counselor and the Guide that I can bank on. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth” – John 16:13. I am most certain that each of us will or would have gone through this phase.

While God works on me to make me what He wants me to be, I am trying to figure out His perspective in every walk of my life. There are things at which man sees and there are things that God sees. “But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."” – 1Sam 16:7 If God is looking at the heart where am I looking at? Is it His will that I am pursuing after or is it just the blind race to follow my selfish desires? Where is my focus?

The misplaced affections and wavering standpoints of my life have caused me to throw myself time and again on my knees and into the Creator’s hands. There is no better way to regain your lost strength and forgotten convictions back than to run into His presence and continue the journey only that this time you are beaten up and crushed yet much stronger and tougher. The Truth that sanctifies us daily strengthens us as we are molded into His image. “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” – John 17:17  I have learnt one undeniable fact that temptation and trial will be by our side till we leave this carnal life. But do I heed to that strong enticing and loud attractive persuasion of this world or to the still slow small voice that’s the very reason for my living. I found it important to prove not to anyone but to myself that I am in the acceptable will of the Almighty. “..trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” –Eph 1:10 “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?” – 2Cor13:5.
  
God’s plan for us to be perfect and holy cannot be comprehended by our worldly wisdom. “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” –Matt 5:48. "You shall be holy, for I am holy."- 1Pet 1:16. Our shot sight only lets us see till the horizon where we merry by the blinded thinking that the sky and the earth meet  nevertheless when we look closer and think deeper do we realize that they don’t. Our wisdom at best cannot be compared to God’s wisdom at the least. I realized that I can experience the unexplainable joy of being in the centre of God’s will only when I am willing to fix my eyes beyond my sight. Though it is simple being said than living I think I have known God well enough that I can say with confidence “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord”- 1Cor 1:9 He will never let me go and will shape me if I freely transfer to Him all the rights as my Potter. Even as the clay which is a worthless impure lump of mud goes through the entire  process of designing, pruning, purification and transforming, its beauty and glory can be appreciated only in the end! But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.”- Jer 18:4

I would like to end with something I read today at the Church.
“I am a disciple of the Messiah. I will not let up, look back or slow down. My past is redeemed, my future is secure. I am done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, mundane talking, chinchy giving and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, top, recognized, praised or rewarded. My face is set; my goal is sure. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few. My God is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, delayed or deluded. I will not flinch in the face of adversity, not negotiate at the table of the enemy or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I am a disciple of the Messiah. I must go until He comes, speak of all I know of Him and work until He stops me. And when He comes for His own, by the grace of God, He will have no problem recognizing me because my colors are clear.” – Unknown Zimbabwean Pastor.