Well so much for the "Bless me Lord" prayers...I'm back in the hospital for respiratory issues. I read a devotion today that came in my email (http://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/standing-strong-through-the-storm/)
And I was struck by the need for us to suffer...God carves out his image on us via the means of the knife (surgery) or chisel(artist) or crushes us and makes us into the shape that pleases him (potter)....all of these are Biblical descriptions of the way in which God Works in us....and if you notice, they all involve pain, re-shaping and hardship for the material that is in God's hands --US.
Sure, we can pray for a life of ease and pleasure, but at what eternal cost to us? We are not told in Scripture anything about Jabez's walk with the Lord or about his eternal destiny. We ARE taught by Scripture that Narrow is the path that leads to life and the path is not one of ease and leisure. It is a road of suffering...the Villa dolorosa. If we seek to avoid that pain, that suffering, Jesus may just turn to us and say, "Get thee behind me Satan, for you do not have in mind the things of God"
God is crushing me. carving me. chiseling me. May I turn out to be a thing of beauty, worthy of his service.
And I was struck by the need for us to suffer...God carves out his image on us via the means of the knife (surgery) or chisel(artist) or crushes us and makes us into the shape that pleases him (potter)....all of these are Biblical descriptions of the way in which God Works in us....and if you notice, they all involve pain, re-shaping and hardship for the material that is in God's hands --US.
Sure, we can pray for a life of ease and pleasure, but at what eternal cost to us? We are not told in Scripture anything about Jabez's walk with the Lord or about his eternal destiny. We ARE taught by Scripture that Narrow is the path that leads to life and the path is not one of ease and leisure. It is a road of suffering...the Villa dolorosa. If we seek to avoid that pain, that suffering, Jesus may just turn to us and say, "Get thee behind me Satan, for you do not have in mind the things of God"
God is crushing me. carving me. chiseling me. May I turn out to be a thing of beauty, worthy of his service.
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