September 01, 2010
Let Me Recommend
A notice about an upcoming event promoted and endorsed the speaker by recalling his past presentations and then stating, “I’m sure he will not disappoint.” When I put on my evangelist hat, I sometimes search for a way to introduce Jesus to those who may not know Him. I might throw out snippets of what Jesus can do, how He can give or why He does what He does. Maybe a better introduction for me to use might be to recommend Jesus by simply saying, 'I know He will not disappoint.'
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Gail;
-----I loose focus on what Christ can do for a person. I think it is because I believe He can do anything for anyone, but what He actually does is more for some and less for others. I know that to me He has given very good health. But I see so many of my brothers and sisters struggling with illness and infirmities. Many have died, and others are dying. He has kept me very well fed, but many of His others around the world must work all day for half of what they need to eat. He has given me a home comfortable enough to enjoy, but which is much less than some enjoy, and much more than what others must endure. He has placed me in a society where I can know Him, speak of Him, and worship Him with more dignity and security than elsewhere, but less than at other times. And I know that most of these things depend upon a person’s own responsibility and obedience as well as His choice of circumstances. So, how can I assure someone that Jesus won’t disappoint?
-----All I can say is that when the measure of my life is laid beside the measure of His, it becomes obvious that I deserve nothing that I have enjoyed. What I deserve is being starved like a bad cancer, or being squashed like an obnoxious bug. My smoldering life, bruised from its head to its toe by the idiot stunts and misdeeds I have perpetuated is not the kind of tarnish allowable in His righteous home, let alone in the kingdom He brings into this world. Yet, a smoldering wick He will not put out, and a bruised reed He will not break.
------Jesus Christ will certainly not disappoint. He allows me to peer into the truth of what I am and the truth of what He is without being burned away like a tissue in a furnace. He allows me to discover, learn, and know truth even before I have become true. And He makes me true a piece at a time even though I am mostly false. So when I am ill, and dying, or hungry and languishing, or sleeping in box under the bridge, or dodging rocks thrown by atheists, I do not have to despair as if none of it should happen to me, like I shouldn‘t deserve it. The hardship I get I deserve. The joy I get I don’t. And He gives as much of that in this broken world as one is willing to receive.
-----Moreover, He gives to me an end to this difficult life, which is at worst a beginning to a care-free life without any of the falsehood that I now am, and that will not end. Of all the things that should not be in life, it can be said they will end. And they will. Of all the things that should be in life, it can be said that they will begin and not end. And they will. Today, things may be wrong. But He will get them right. It really isn’t sad that Jesus does not do everything for us before we get there, because once we do get there, we will never again have an opportunity to stand for Him in the face of deceit and difficulty. That is how He does not disappoint us today, or tomorrow.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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