A Severe Mercy

An incredible excerpt I ran across while reading A Severe Mercy.

"So, if he wanted the heights of joy, he must have, if he could find it, a great love. But in the books again, great joy through love seemed always to go hand in hand with frightful pain. Still, he thought, looking out across the meadow, still, the joy would be worth the pain--if, indeed, they went together. If there were a choice--and he suspected there was--a choice between, on the one hand, the heights & depths and, on the other hand, some sort of safe, cautious middle way, he, for one, here & now chose the heights & the depths.

Since then the years had gone by, & he--had he not had what he chose that day in the meadow? He had had the love. And the joy--what joy it had been? And the sorrow. He had had--was having--all the sorrow there was. And yet, the joy was worth the pain. Even now he reaffirmed that long-past choice."  Glenmerle Revisited

When "god-like" won't suffice!

Recently, David Platt, Pastor of Brookhills, posed this question: 

Q: Is it possible to be completely obedient to the gospel of Christ and the church actually try to stop you?

A: Certainly, he said. Consider Acts 20-21 as this was the case for Paul. Also consider men like CT Studd, Jim Elliott, David Livingstone, Adoniram Judson, William Carey, John Paton, & more. Each of these men were faced with the option to either be obedient to Christ or to loved ones--family, friends, church. Sometimes those who love us the most are our greatest obstacle to following Christ. "Thank God that the church could not stop these men!" Where would we be without these heroes of the faith. 

Lately, I have been dealing with a similar dilemma. Will I trust many around me who are offering counsel that seems "typical & god-like" or will I trust Christ & be obedient to what sometimes seems "foolish & of-GOD?" I conclude that much of what is taught and counseled by well-meaning pastors, teachers, Christians is no different that Job's friends. Sometimes what sounds "godly" is out of context & wrong. I am frankly disturbed by how much my worldview is likened to nominal western Christianity as opposed to Christ Himself. Yet, the greater disturbance is how few people actually resemble Christ of the Scriptures. May we be conformed to the image of His Son!

"Christian spiritual formation is focused entirely on Jesus. Its goal is conformity to Christ, a process that arises out of purposeful interaction with the grace of God in Christ. Obedience is an essential outcome (John 13:34-35; 14:21)." -D.Willard (Revolution of Character, p.16)