Today's "thought" comes to you from the Christian devotional classic, "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas a' Kempis (1380-1471). His name means "Thomas of (or from) Kempen" - a small town in eastern Germany, just a few miles from the border of Holland. His God-given gifts which come through to us in his writing consist in his wisdom, keen insight into human nature, and ability to say a lot in very few words (a gift I missed out on)!
In terms of personal transformation he taught: "The acknowledgment of our weakness is the first step in repairing our loss." In terms of spiritual leadership he stressed: The loftier the building, the deeper the foundation must be laid." In terms of the self he said as we all can: Who has a harder fight than he who is striving to overcome himself." And in terms of Jesus words in John 14:7 he assured us: "Without the Way, there is no going, Without the Truth, there is no knowing, Without the Life, there is no living." This selection is entitled"Few Bearers of His Cross." Enjoy.
"Jesus
now has many lovers of the heavenly kingdom, but few bearers of His Cross. He
has many who desire consolation, but few who desire tribulation. He finds many
companions at His table, but few of His abstinence. All desire to rejoice with
Him, but few are willing to endure anything for Him, or with Him.
Many
follow Jesus unto the breaking of bread, but few unto the drinking of the cup
of His sufferings. Many reverence His miracles, but few follow the shame or
disgrace of His Cross. Many love Jesus so long as no adversities befall
them. Many praise and bless Him so long as they receive consolations from
Him. But if Jesus hide (the sense of His presence) and leave them but a
little while, they turn to complaining or into much dejection of mind.
But
they who love Jesus for the sake of Jesus, and not for some special comfort
they can receive from Him, bless Him in all tribulations and anguish of heart
as well as in the state of highest comfort. Even if He was never willing
to give them comfort, they would, even then, praise Him and wish to be always
giving thanks.
O
how powerful is the pure love of Jesus, which is mixed with no self-interest or
self-love! Are not all those to be called mercenary who are ever seeking
consolations? Do they not show themselves to be rather lovers of themselves
than of Christ, who are always and only thinking of their own profit and
advantage? Where shall one be found who is willing to serve God for
nothing?"
Now,
here, I do need to confess I am one who enjoys and cherishes the comforts and
consolations of Jesus when they come. I believe we all do. Even Mr.
A'Kempis did, as he confessed elsewhere. That's not really his point. His
point is that if that's all we seek; if
we only seek, love, praise, and thank Jesus when we
are receiving those things, and we cease doing so, or walk away in bitter anger
and disillusionment when the opposite comes (whether it be for a short or
extended time) we must question what we are seeking, who we are loving, why we
are praising, and why difficulties would make us stop giving Him thanks.
If
we love Jesus only when the blessings are flowing, and not when the struggles
come; if we cherish and adore Him only for what He gives, and not for the sake
of who He is (the Lamb worthy of all glory and honor and power - Revelation
4:6-5:14) we must truly question if it's Jesus that we love. If a child
only "loves" his father when his father was giving him gifts, and is
indifferent or does nothing but complain when he withholds those gifts, what
would it say about the object of that child's "love"?
You
see, a pure love for Jesus mixed with "NO self-interest
or self-love" may be an ideal that we can never fully achieve
so long as the principle of sin still clings to us in this life. Yet, that
ideal can be placed before us, and should be placed before us (as a'Kempis does
here), to serve as a means of grace which helps us move away from the all too
common tendency to love so conditionally the Lord who loves His children so unconditionally.
Only you can know the reaction a'Kempis' words caused inside you, but I must
confess they lead me to say, "Sorry Lord, please change my
heart."
Thankful
for His Grace, Pastor Jeff
