For the Lord has need of it
I just finished a long drive-8 hours to visit my sister and family in Ohio. I am beginning to love long drives. They give me time to think and be and pray and just enjoy the Lord and His presence. Well, on this particular drive, I had checked out a long audio book to listen to, thinking I could give some time to it, but the Lord made it clear that I was to re-listen to The Pursuit of God by A.W. Towzer. Last summer I had read this book and I knew that it was one I would need to come back to again and again. Such timeless truths and things I need reminding of are penned on those pages. I'm grateful to Librivox, a free app of audio books, because I was able to listen to the book during part of my drive.
As is common with deep, rich theological books, different parts convicted me and encouraged me on this reading than the first go round with this book. In particular, the last chapter, The Sacrament of Living, dealt with there being no separation between the sacred and the secular for the Christian. We are totally sacred and everything we do, think, desire, needs to be under that sacred title in our lives. There is no distinction. We are either all Christ's or we are not. He doesn't give us the option to be "a little bit His". While Towzer was making this argument, he deals with our motives and reminds us that it is not what a man does that makes him holy, but why he does it. If he is able to do all to the glory of God and sanctify the Lord in his heart, then all that He does will be an act of worship. He uses an illustration to make this point-the colt that Jesus sat on for His Triumphal Entry-"The Lord has need of it". (Luke 19:28-31)
But, this was just a colt. A colt tied up like any other colt. A colt. How in the world can a colt be special? Even more puzzling-why in the world would the King of Kings choose to ride in on something so plain? A colt is ordinary, common and used by people of all walks of life. There is nothing super special about a colt. And yet....the Lord had need of it.
That right there has been wrecking me. Why? Because, I realize more than ever before that I am nothing more than that colt tied up, waiting for the Lord to do what He desires with me. I'm pretty plain, pretty boring, a wife, a mom, nothing super distinguishable about me. Honestly, I go through my days trying to walk in obedience and also trying to find the glimmer of excitement in the lowliness. Really, I am pretty bland and ordinary. Nothing more exciting than a colt.
So how can I bring the sacred into this secular life I am plodding through?
Well, what can we learn from this feeble creature?
Am I willing to wait for him?
Am I willing to remain tied up somewhere until His timing is right?
Am I willing to bear Him up and simply be used by Him, to be nothing exciting in myself?
In my flesh, I LOVE attention and glory. I want people to see me, not my Master who I bear. Really though, I am just a simple colt, ordinary, plain, unspecial. It is the fact that the Lord desires to use me, and that He has redeemed me and calls me to good works that He has ordained beforehand that makes anything I do worthy. It begins and ends with His desire and His glory, and I am simply a lowly beast that He chooses to use.
May the Lord give me the strength to crucify my flesh and its desire for glory. May the Holy Spirit send His fire on my life and burn up the dross, the junk, the self that is so deeply rooted in me and make me desire to simply be the vessel that is useful to my King.
The Lord has need of it. May we be ready and willing.
As is common with deep, rich theological books, different parts convicted me and encouraged me on this reading than the first go round with this book. In particular, the last chapter, The Sacrament of Living, dealt with there being no separation between the sacred and the secular for the Christian. We are totally sacred and everything we do, think, desire, needs to be under that sacred title in our lives. There is no distinction. We are either all Christ's or we are not. He doesn't give us the option to be "a little bit His". While Towzer was making this argument, he deals with our motives and reminds us that it is not what a man does that makes him holy, but why he does it. If he is able to do all to the glory of God and sanctify the Lord in his heart, then all that He does will be an act of worship. He uses an illustration to make this point-the colt that Jesus sat on for His Triumphal Entry-"The Lord has need of it". (Luke 19:28-31)
But, this was just a colt. A colt tied up like any other colt. A colt. How in the world can a colt be special? Even more puzzling-why in the world would the King of Kings choose to ride in on something so plain? A colt is ordinary, common and used by people of all walks of life. There is nothing super special about a colt. And yet....the Lord had need of it.
That right there has been wrecking me. Why? Because, I realize more than ever before that I am nothing more than that colt tied up, waiting for the Lord to do what He desires with me. I'm pretty plain, pretty boring, a wife, a mom, nothing super distinguishable about me. Honestly, I go through my days trying to walk in obedience and also trying to find the glimmer of excitement in the lowliness. Really, I am pretty bland and ordinary. Nothing more exciting than a colt.
So how can I bring the sacred into this secular life I am plodding through?
Well, what can we learn from this feeble creature?
Am I willing to wait for him?
Am I willing to remain tied up somewhere until His timing is right?
Am I willing to bear Him up and simply be used by Him, to be nothing exciting in myself?
In my flesh, I LOVE attention and glory. I want people to see me, not my Master who I bear. Really though, I am just a simple colt, ordinary, plain, unspecial. It is the fact that the Lord desires to use me, and that He has redeemed me and calls me to good works that He has ordained beforehand that makes anything I do worthy. It begins and ends with His desire and His glory, and I am simply a lowly beast that He chooses to use.
May the Lord give me the strength to crucify my flesh and its desire for glory. May the Holy Spirit send His fire on my life and burn up the dross, the junk, the self that is so deeply rooted in me and make me desire to simply be the vessel that is useful to my King.
The Lord has need of it. May we be ready and willing.