Living in the "Nevertheless"
As we grow in Christ, our will's become more and more surrendered to His. This growing happens as He shows us that He is indeed trustworthy. We take baby steps towards Him realizing we haven't fallen, but He catches us with His safe and loving arms. Then, again, trust grows towards Him, and it gets firmer and firmer. We become "established on the Rock of our salvation" which is Jesus Christ.
Jesus, Himself, (mysteriously) also had to learn this obedience founded on trust. The Word said He learned obedience by the things that He suffered. We suffer as we attempt to do things our way, trusting only in ourselves. Usually there is a consequence, as He is good to discipline our self centered actions. He is a jealous God, wanting all of us, not willing to share our affections even with our own selves. Many of us are still in love with us! Oh God, deliver us.
When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, the ultimate test of giving over to God's will was given.
"And he said, 'Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt." Mark 14: 36 (KJV)
He had reached the point of surrender to be able to lay His own
desires down (take this cup from me, or save me from the cross) and instead in love and trust for His Father, ask for the Father's will to be done. He had learned to live in the "nevertheless."
I, believe, that as we follow Christ by surrendering to His will in making daily decisions in line with His will that we too, will be able to live in that place. We will so want to honor Him, as He's proven His love and trustworthiness to us, that we will joyfully choose to yield to Him. Oh, to know we are glorifing His name as we walk this earth is such a rich and meaningful joy! Even to the point of being persecuted by others-this, too is a blessedness the Lord offers us.
Living in the "nevertheless" in response to the Love He's shown us is a place of peace and rest. Let us labor to enter into that rest.(Heb. 4:11)
Jesus, Himself, (mysteriously) also had to learn this obedience founded on trust. The Word said He learned obedience by the things that He suffered. We suffer as we attempt to do things our way, trusting only in ourselves. Usually there is a consequence, as He is good to discipline our self centered actions. He is a jealous God, wanting all of us, not willing to share our affections even with our own selves. Many of us are still in love with us! Oh God, deliver us.
When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, the ultimate test of giving over to God's will was given.
"And he said, 'Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt." Mark 14: 36 (KJV)
He had reached the point of surrender to be able to lay His own
desires down (take this cup from me, or save me from the cross) and instead in love and trust for His Father, ask for the Father's will to be done. He had learned to live in the "nevertheless."
I, believe, that as we follow Christ by surrendering to His will in making daily decisions in line with His will that we too, will be able to live in that place. We will so want to honor Him, as He's proven His love and trustworthiness to us, that we will joyfully choose to yield to Him. Oh, to know we are glorifing His name as we walk this earth is such a rich and meaningful joy! Even to the point of being persecuted by others-this, too is a blessedness the Lord offers us.
Living in the "nevertheless" in response to the Love He's shown us is a place of peace and rest. Let us labor to enter into that rest.(Heb. 4:11)
posted by Patti Blount @ 9:00 AM
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