PK’s Ponderings
Most Christians live far below the privileges and comforts of True
Christianity
Let this be proof that I
haven’t fallen off the face of the earth, though perhaps I don’t blame some of
you for thinking so. I thank those of
you who have contacted me to make sure I’m o.k., and those of you who have
contacted me for a Christ-like kick in the seat of my pants to get these going
again.
Today’s thoughts come
from a website I recommend for devotional thinking. Someone is making some of my favorite “Old
Dead Guys” put a devotional blog on the web! Isn’t modern technology great? Though they be dead,
yet they still blog!
The site can be found at http://jonathanedwards.blogspot.com.
The following is an adaptation of a portion of a sermon by John Flavel, a
Puritan minister who lived in
Since by conversion all true believers are admitted to
the privileged state of communion with God, let them strive to have the
greatest amount of communion with God that is possible in this world. They must
not be merely content with just enough grace to keep them out of Hell, but
should instead labor for as much grace and communion with God Himself that will
make their life here on earth like living in the suburbs of Heaven. It is
greatly to our loss that we live at such a far distance from God and are so
seldom having fellowship with Him. We ought to make communion with God the aim
of our souls in all our religious duties. Let it be the very thing our souls
most desire, let the desires and hopes of communion with God be the very thing
that draws us to every sermon and prayer. Psalm
27:4 “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I
may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the
beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.” In all our approaches to God through the means
of grace let us beg and plead earnestly with God for the manifestations of His
love and further communications of His grace. Psalm 27:7-9 “Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and
answer me! You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face,
LORD, do I seek.’ Hide not your face
from me.” You bid us to come Lord,
therefore we ask that you do not put us off in your anger. You are our help and
we have had sweet experiences of your goodness, do not turn us away empty. We
must not desire the comfort and refreshment of communion with God merely for
our own sake, but instead for the sake of motivating us to duty and service.
These times of refreshment and comfort in communion with God ought to
strengthen us to cheerfully serve God in all things. Though great heights of
communion with God are attainable on earth, most Christians live far below the
privileges and comforts of True Christianity.
(adapted from John Flavel: England’s Duty. Sermons on Rev. 3:20).
Oh, that I might seek
after God the way that I should! Oh,
that I might pursue Him with the intensity of the desire within me! Yet, I am so easily distracted. May the God who is rich in mercy, continue to
be merciful to me, and give me His Aide that I might put off the goodly things
of this world, for the better things of His Kingdom. He is able, will you and I be
willing?
I leave us with this
thought from one of God’s more modern servants who pierces
with the same truth:
What is your ambition in life today? Is it to get
rich? Is it to make a name for yourself? Is it even to
do some wonderful thing for God? Listen to me, beloved. The highest desire that
can possess any human heart is a longing to see God. J.
