How often have we felt like praying Jeremiah's prayer: "I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course. So correct me, Lord, but please be gentle" (Jeremiah 10:23-24 NLT).
Hudson Taylor gave us a wise perspective on life when he said: "I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked God if I might help Him. I ended up by asking him to do His work through me."
If we run the race set before us, engaging in duties God-appointed and not self-chosen, and bestowing all our energies, and that cheerfully, on the God-appointed tasks and sorrows, then may we rest in full assurance that our strength shall never fail, that our fruit shall remain, that our life shall, though apparently fragmentary, be complete, that we shall reach the end, and be counted faithful in that day. -- Adolph Saphir
This summer I was able to sit under the teaching of my favorite author at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This humble man of God's writings have impacted every part of my life--he practices what he preaches. He believes that "what I do and achieve cannot be the core of what I am. While God calls me to partnership with Him in changing the world, He first of all loves me for who I am. In fact, He loves me in all my vulnerability and need. ... I am an amazingly loved person by the God of all grace and mercy, and as such I can confidently live to fully please God in all that I do." -- Charles Ringma (Resist the Powers with Jacques Ellus)
Ringma goes on to remind us, "while we may celebrate the work of our hands as God's gift, we should never depend on it. For it is God alone who sustains us and He ought to be the focus of our adoration."
Love your quotes & thoughts. Thanks, Elaine!
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This is inspiring Elaine... I especially liked ... "This humble man of God's writings have impacted every part of my life--he practices what he preaches."
ReplyDeleteWe have a mutual friend who always made me feel loved and appreciated, just the way Jesus instructed us to be. She always practiced what she preached. Then one day, I sent her information that she judged very harshly. Evidently she judged me harshly at the same time. I left two phone messages for her to call me which she ignored. Then in a further effort to bring peace, I sent an email with a few innocent questions and the only response was a detailed explanation of why she could no longer have any time for me and I suppose she feels Jesus was wrong when He instructed her to love me as much as she loves herself.
I can't help but still love her, as instructed, and I totally forgive her. She is also a writer and I would love to work with her because she is one of the most talented, intelligent, compassionate, understanding woman I've had the joy and pleasure of knowing in my lifetime of 72 years.
You're a very wise woman Elaine, You truly walk in the spirit. Do you have any advise??