The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Crawling To Ministry"
I have long maintained that preachers should crawl to their pulpits, at least figuratively and in heart. This truth applies to all who seek to bear witness to the Lord Jesus Christ in any manner.
"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry" (I Timothy 1:12).
"For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet (worthy) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God" (I Corinthians 15:9).
God counted the Apostle Paul faithful for the singular role of communicating the Gospel. Paul, however considered himself as unworthy. This affirmation of grace granted by God and the humility of His servant portrays absolute perfection regarding how all believers should view our calling to represent the Lord Jesus.
At least figuratively, every Christian preacher, teacher, writer, and witness of the Gospel must recognize this marvel of mercy, that God graciously grants believers the privilege of representing the Lord Jesus. Such a privileged responsibility should thrill our hearts, no doubt. However, it should also personally bewilder us. If both sensibilities reside within us, we may be "counted… faithful," as was Paul. Indeed, his chief qualification may well have been that he knew himself, apart from the grace of God, to be unqualified. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God" (II Corinthians 3:5). Only by such an awareness and attitude can we begin to communicate that which must pointedly penetrate into the hearts of needy human beings, as directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it" (Psalm 127:1).
We can and should prepare the best possible sermon, lesson, writing, and witness. However, only the Holy Spirit can apply God's truth into human hearts precisely in accordance with their need. He does so through vessels seemingly ill-equipped for the duty. We all are, actually. Not a one of us deserves to speak one word for the Lord Jesus. Not a one of us knows exactly what people need to hear from us. And not a one of us can convince others of God and His truth, even as we seek to communicate as best we know how. The Spirit of God alone performs this supernatural application of grace, as administered by those soberly aware that we require no less grace than our hearers. Paul knew this - as must we all - and in heart, crawled to his venues of ministry…
"By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
(I Corinthians 15:10)
Weekly Memory Verse
We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
(Philippians 3:3)
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