The late British pastor and writer T. Austin-Sparks said that "Sooner or later
we come to the place where we must say, 'Lord, You are beyond me, beyond my
comprehension.' " This might seem obvious to us, but if it is, I think it's
obvious more in theory than in practice. Our western mindset which is
determined to understand everything, including Him, leaves little room for
mystery, and therefore, for real spiritual growth. Sparks says, "Christ is
always reaching farther and farther beyond us and drawing us out and beyond
ourselves....We can't stand still. We must go on." Isaiah 33:17 reads, "Your
eyes will see the King in His beauty; they will behold a far distant land." The
wonder of it all is that the closer we get to that land, the further away it
seems. There is always more land to enter into, land that our human senses
cannot comprehend, will never comprehend. Yet, as we move toward and into it,
we receive ever deepening glimpses of His beauty. Such sight is only given to
those who are willing to let go of all, and are willing to know what "all" truly
means. For such, the term "Let go and let God," takes on a meaning we never
thought possible.
Letting go and letting God. We can be almost flippant when we say that, or encourage others to do it, but what is really happening in that? For many of us, letting go of something to Him means we place it in His hands.....along with a detailed instruction manual as to how we want and expect Him to handle it. Even if we have grown past that, we still may cling to promises we have taken hold of concerning what's been let go of, promises and expectations that we believe have truly come from Him. Know that I believe we are to cling to the promises that He has given, but I believe that to really enter into that far distant land and behold His beauty, will require that we let go of even of the promises, for we may be clinging to them more tightly than we are to Him. Promises can become idols. So much so that anything He may have to say to us as concerns them, or our lives, can't be heard because we are so sure of what we have already heard. That doesn't mean that a promise He has given is not valid, but it does mean that we are willing to surrender it to Him in trust, believing that His ultimate promise, that of Himself, will not fail. Such surrender, such trust, will yield an ever deepening journey into the far land. We don't worship the promise, or any other word, act, or experience. We worship Him. Worship is the fuel that carries us into the unsearchable riches of the King of that far distant land.
Can you see that far land, and the beautiful King who rules it? They may be just a hazy outline on the horizon, but they call to you, call you forward. Fleshly understanding has to be let go, all has to be let go, in trust that nothing will be lost that is His desire for us to have. And what we gain will be Him, His fullness, as we journey into that far land. The Jesus Movement group 2nd Chapter of Acts had a song with the lyric, "Those faraway places are calling me home." Can you hear the Voice that reigns in those places, that place? It's the home we were made for, and its King is calling us. Will we come?
Letting go and letting God. We can be almost flippant when we say that, or encourage others to do it, but what is really happening in that? For many of us, letting go of something to Him means we place it in His hands.....along with a detailed instruction manual as to how we want and expect Him to handle it. Even if we have grown past that, we still may cling to promises we have taken hold of concerning what's been let go of, promises and expectations that we believe have truly come from Him. Know that I believe we are to cling to the promises that He has given, but I believe that to really enter into that far distant land and behold His beauty, will require that we let go of even of the promises, for we may be clinging to them more tightly than we are to Him. Promises can become idols. So much so that anything He may have to say to us as concerns them, or our lives, can't be heard because we are so sure of what we have already heard. That doesn't mean that a promise He has given is not valid, but it does mean that we are willing to surrender it to Him in trust, believing that His ultimate promise, that of Himself, will not fail. Such surrender, such trust, will yield an ever deepening journey into the far land. We don't worship the promise, or any other word, act, or experience. We worship Him. Worship is the fuel that carries us into the unsearchable riches of the King of that far distant land.
Can you see that far land, and the beautiful King who rules it? They may be just a hazy outline on the horizon, but they call to you, call you forward. Fleshly understanding has to be let go, all has to be let go, in trust that nothing will be lost that is His desire for us to have. And what we gain will be Him, His fullness, as we journey into that far land. The Jesus Movement group 2nd Chapter of Acts had a song with the lyric, "Those faraway places are calling me home." Can you hear the Voice that reigns in those places, that place? It's the home we were made for, and its King is calling us. Will we come?
Blessings,
Pastor O
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