Once there was an old man, who wanted to go on a cruise before he died. So, he spent 4 years saving up and afterward bought his ticket. Since this man had very little money he could not afford to buy the fancy dinners on the cruise, so he packed his suitcase full of cheese and crackers. During the cruise, while everyone else sat inside eating luxurious dinners of steak, seafood,and many other delicacies..the old man ate his cheese and crackers.
On the last night of the cruise, as the old man sat eating his crackers..a man walked out to see him from the dining room.
The man asked the old man why he would not come eat with the everyone else. He exclaimed "I haven't enough money"
The man then said "The meal was a part of the ticket price..you were supposed to eat with everyone"
How often do we just sit outside being settled with eating our "cheese and crackers" instead of entering into the fullness of Christ? He paid our ransom from sin and we are okay with just floating along.
Instead let us seek his fullness no matter what it may cost.
Our lives?
HE IS NO FOOL THAT GIVES WHAT HE CANNOT KEEP TO GAIN WHAT HE CANNOT LOSE
-Jim Elliot
Our reputation?
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
ISAIAH 53:3
Family?
If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:26
When we follow Him and enter into His fullness, he adds to us: His Life, His reputation, and His family which are all eternal.
Lets not be satified with even the place we are now with God, but go FURTHER UP AND FURTHER IN!
I tell some of the young people every now and then, "What a terrible thing you're doing to yourself! You toe the line, making sure you don't do things that displease God, but you don't seek him to get the things he wants to give you. You are taking the responsibility, but you are not reaping the benefits!"
ReplyDeleteYes, let us feast at the table of God! Let us come into his presence with singing and praise and enter his gates with thanksgiving! Let us make our requests know to him by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. He cares for us; let us not run from him!
Thanks for that Shammah! It is so true.
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