In the classic of our faith, by Hannah Hernard, called Hind’s Feet On High Places, Jesus looks at Ms. Much Afraid and asks her, “If I did not keep my promise to take you to the high places and give you feet like a deer, would you still love me?”. She looked at him with love and said, “If you are able to not keep your promise you may, I trust you completely.”
Do we love and trust the Lord that much?
When standing on the steps of the student union at the University of Michigan, then President Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask instead what you can do for your country.”
When Jesus was on earth and was healing everybody, he realized that what they wanted was to be fed, clothed, healed and protected. But what they really needed was to hear the truth about sin repentance and salvation. So he was always telling them not to tell anyone about their healing, which they promptly did, making it impossible for him to preach as much as they needed, since he was always tied up healing people.
The Bible says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added onto you.”
When the blind person came to Jesus, Jesus asked him what appeared to be a foolish question, “what do you want?” He said, “Lord that I might see.” Now he was demonstrating faith that Jesus could do a miracle but pause and consider. Had you been blind your whole life you probably would have asked to see physically. But Jesus would have been impressed and pleased if instead, you asked to see and hate your sins, then to have your sins forgiven and for you to have the power to rise above sin and find eternal life.
When enthusiastic friends tore up the roof and let the paralyzed man down on ropes, Jesus addressed the man’s most important need and said, “Your sins are forgiven you.” Of course that got him into trouble with the religious types.
When the apostle Paul had a bothersome thorn in the flesh, he asked 3 times for it to be removed. However, God knew that he needed that thorn in the flesh to keep him humble. So God chose, instead, to give Paul the grace to deal with his infirmities. I just love Paul’s radical response, “Much more would I then rejoice in my weakness for my strength is made perfect in my weakness, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”.
God’s power had flown through Paul to the healing of many others but he let God’s will be Sovereign in regards to himself.
Oh, We too ask for relief but after 3 times it’s, “bugging” and we should let it go. When looking at going to the cross and then becoming my sin, and being separated from his father, Jesus said, “Father you can do anything you can take this cup from me. Nevertheless not my will but thine.“
Do you long for sweet peace and for faith to increase and have her earnestly fervently prayed? Oh, you never can know the delights of his love till your all on the altar you lay. (By E. A. Hoffman)
In order to rest and have peace, nothing, nothing, nothing can be more important than Jesus. It must not be Jesus plus family, Jesus plus health diseases plus money Jesus plus house. Otherwise, there is always a possibility of losing the “plus” and so our peace goes out the window.
If you take each sensation of anxiety anger feeling overwhelmed and then ask the question, “What will be able to separate me from Jesus’ love?” And if the answer is, “Nothing ever-no matter what.” Then peace, sweet peace will be yours. Now if you find yourself noticing anxiety depression anger, do not yell at yourself, instead, run to the Lord and see what he wants you to do, then do it, then cast all your fear on him because he really does love you.
Then when we have placed ALL on the altar, he asks us to pick them back up and interact with the people and things together. Thus our involvement with them will draw them closer to God and fill them with purpose and glory while strengthening our closeness with the Lord.
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