The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Marks"
"According to His purposes, God allows His enemies to challenge His children for the glory of the Lord Jesus, our personal benefit, and the blessing of others who see Christ in us as we respond to our 'marks' as God directs and enables."
"I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus" (Galatians 6:17).
The Apostle Paul refers to physical wounds experienced that resulted from his knowing the Lord Jesus Christ, and faithfully walking with God to fulfill His purposes.
"Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep, in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness" (II Corinthians 11:24-26).
Not all believers suffer physical wounds, as did Paul in a day of much open and overt opposition to the Lord Jesus and the Gospel. However, we will all bear marks of the soul as we seek to trust, obey, and communicate Christ by way of life and word of mouth. The world was not a friend to our Lord. It is no friend to us. Spiritual enemies also abound in the present system, and the flesh of the fallen who do not know our Lord chafes at Him and His truth. According to His purposes, God allows His enemies to challenge His children for the glory of the Lord Jesus, our personal benefit, and the blessing of others who see Christ in us as we respond to our "marks" as God directs and enables.
"And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:40-41).
The Christ who prayed for His those who had nailed Him to the cross upon which He hung now lives in us to enable the same response. "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given unto us" (Romans 5:5). Be they physical, mental, or emotional, the difficulties and pains we know because our Lord lives and walks in us are badges of honor (to God), as viewed from His perspective (the only one that truly matters). No less than wounded Paul testified to such assurance and hope: "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). Let us reckon the same regarding whatever challenges may come our way, of whatever mode and measure. As the hymnwriter beautifully exulted, "it will be worth it all when we see Jesus." It will, and the truth of the matter is that it is worth it all now as we honor our Lord by how we respond to the challenges He allows, and so uses in our hearts and lives for His glory and the blessing of others.
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven."
(Matthew 5:43-45)
Weekly Memory Verse
Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.
(Romans 15:8)
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