The other day I stopped by to visit with a dear old friend, we spent a couple of hours just talking about old times, how things have changed and what has happened to our loved ones the last twenty years. There were so many things I wanted to ask him and tell him. I couldn't bring myself to ask the things that have weighed heavy on my mind about church splits, rumors I had heard, why he made this decision and that one. I wanted to pick his brain, I wanted to know so many things.
He was tired and still plugging along. This man was so much a part of my past, training me up to be the mature Christian I eventually became, I can still hear his voice repeating sound good advice in my head when the occasion arose that I needed to hear it again. I love this man and his family.
I cried on my way home from the visit. I asked the Lord, "please explain to me what has happened and what is happening with this man I love so dearly like a father".
My mind began to flash back to scriptures about running the race of faith.
Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
This man will finish the race, he has touched so many lives and the Lord began to show me the other side of the rumors, he has been betrayed and hurt by those he loved. He has not been understood and has had very few people he could trust and those he trusted betrayed him instead of coming along side of him and giving him a hand up. In the end God will say," Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!"
Its not about winning the race, its about the journey of the race, those of us that have been fighting for a long time might be the last to come in to the winners circle and we may be dragging our feet and out of breathe but we will make it. Those of us dragging are dragging the heavy load of our fellow brothers and sisters also.
So why is it that we feel we have to go and tell people what they are doing wrong? Why do we feel that we are better than them and know what they should or shouldn't be doing. We should be coming along side of them and praying for them and speaking all good things for them so our Heavenly Father will hear and lift them up to a place that they can stand on their own feet once again.
Galatians 5:7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.
I don't want to be the one who cut in and kept someone from obeying the truth. Do you?
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