"in true worship, the Father must be first, must be all. The sooner I learn to forget myself in the desire that He may be glorified, the richer will the blessing be that prayer will bring to myself. No one ever loses by what he sacrifices for the Father."
I love this quote because it reveals the truth behind humility - for humility is not simply an absence of self but a fullness of God. Often we are tempted to believe that we will suffer greatly and miss out if we really sacrifice and sell out for God, but nothing could be further from the truth. 'no one ever loses by what he sacrifices for the Father.' As we remember this in prayer, then the time it takes will not be such a burden. As we remember this, then the place of putting our own agenda aside and interceding for others will become a joy.
I really like where Murray has gone the last couple days in relating our prayer life to our relationship with the Father. I think he has really drawn my attention to the marriage between the "my food is to do the will of Him who sent me" idea that Jesus teaches us in John 4 and the words the father shares with the older son in the parable in Luke 15: "my son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours." I think often times I can't leave the place of desiring to have the Lord meet my needs, so I end up "slaving" for a small goat when the fattened calf is already mine because I am in my Father's presence.
ReplyDeleteIn Luke 17:7-10, Jesus shows the other side of the same truth. On the other hand, I often find myself acting like a servant that does not know my master's
business instead of a friend who has been entrusted and empowered.
I guess what I am saying is it seems like there is a balance between knowing our identity as sons, but also maintaining the nature of a servant that approaches the master with the heart to serve Him first, and receive as a result. Anyone have any thoughts?
I definitely think that there is a balance, but there has to be recognition of what Christ said in John 15 - I no longer call you servants but call you friends. We are always meant to 'serve' the Lord, but I do not think that the primary reflection of ourselves is meant to be in servant's clothes. We are always meant to be humble before God, but I do not think that means that we are to devalue ourselves in order to be 'broken' and 'contrite.'
ReplyDeleteit's all about having to find the balance... Someone get me a whiteboard...
ReplyDelete"For humility is not simply an absence of self but a fullness of God." "No one ever loses by what he sacrifices for the Father." I love these quotes. I'm not sure if you created the former, or if it was Murray, but I sure love it.
ReplyDelete