September 28: The "Go" of Unconditional Identification
I'm so sorry that it has taken me so long to get back to you. My computer crashed!! It is up and running again (at least for now), and I praise God for that.
I do wish I could have an audio feed into your minds when you have been reading some of these last lessons from "My Utmost." I would love to hear all the arguments that "the natural man" inside of all of us has been screaming at you. Even though I've been working for years toward the goal of "absolute annihilation of my right to myself and identification with Himself," I still hear those arguments every time I read this.
Those arguments today have been about Jesus v. family. The screaming voice (certainly not the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit) contends that it is impossible to possess "a heart broken forever from allegiance to any other person or thing" without disobeying other passages of scripture. A simple question quiets the noise: "Jesus, would You please explain this to me?"
Yes, the Bible repeatedly tells us to sacrifice for others. In I Corinthians 7, Paul deals extensively with this subject, even suggesting that we could more perfectly serve Jesus if we don't marry because married people HAVE to keep the needs of their spouse in mind. But he is careful to assert in v. 17 that each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has assigned him.
I could write an entire book on this subject, but let me stress one thing. If you have put Jesus first in your single years, dating only those who share your eternal interests, He will give you a life partner that will share your mission, the reason that you were placed on this earth. If both of you place Jesus as Number 1 in your lives, then neither will resent being Number 2. For the sake of your happiness here on this earth, determine today that you will let Jesus arrange a marriage for you. If you start to date, let your first prayer be "If this is not the right one, then Jesus please break us up quickly!"
Jesus, I fervently pray for these children of my heart that they will find the life mate that You have chosen for them. May the mission of their lives be to serve You first, even above each other. May their hearts be so unselfish that they will be willing to sacrifice time with their spouse when You direct it and at other times be willing to sacrifice their own desires to minister to their family as You direct. To keep You in the driver's seat is to open the door to a earthly happiness that few have ever known.
I do wish I could have an audio feed into your minds when you have been reading some of these last lessons from "My Utmost." I would love to hear all the arguments that "the natural man" inside of all of us has been screaming at you. Even though I've been working for years toward the goal of "absolute annihilation of my right to myself and identification with Himself," I still hear those arguments every time I read this.
Those arguments today have been about Jesus v. family. The screaming voice (certainly not the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit) contends that it is impossible to possess "a heart broken forever from allegiance to any other person or thing" without disobeying other passages of scripture. A simple question quiets the noise: "Jesus, would You please explain this to me?"
Yes, the Bible repeatedly tells us to sacrifice for others. In I Corinthians 7, Paul deals extensively with this subject, even suggesting that we could more perfectly serve Jesus if we don't marry because married people HAVE to keep the needs of their spouse in mind. But he is careful to assert in v. 17 that each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has assigned him.
I could write an entire book on this subject, but let me stress one thing. If you have put Jesus first in your single years, dating only those who share your eternal interests, He will give you a life partner that will share your mission, the reason that you were placed on this earth. If both of you place Jesus as Number 1 in your lives, then neither will resent being Number 2. For the sake of your happiness here on this earth, determine today that you will let Jesus arrange a marriage for you. If you start to date, let your first prayer be "If this is not the right one, then Jesus please break us up quickly!"
Jesus, I fervently pray for these children of my heart that they will find the life mate that You have chosen for them. May the mission of their lives be to serve You first, even above each other. May their hearts be so unselfish that they will be willing to sacrifice time with their spouse when You direct it and at other times be willing to sacrifice their own desires to minister to their family as You direct. To keep You in the driver's seat is to open the door to a earthly happiness that few have ever known.
posted by Jane at 4:13 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home