Formality
Heart-religion is too holy to be popular. It will not leave natural man alone. It interferes with his worldliness and his sins. It requires of him things that he loathes and abominates, - conversation, faith, repentance, spiritual-mindedness, Bible-reading, prayer. It bids him give up many things that he loves and clings to, and connot make up his mind to lay aside. It would be strange indeed if he liked it. It crosses his path as a kill-joy and a mar-plot, and it is absurd to expect that he will be pleased.
Heart-religion isn’t popular because it takes the focus off man and what we’re capable of doing - whether good or bad. We are no longer the god of our lives, we are no longer our own savior, we are helpless and desperately in need of grace. That doesn’t sit well with us. We want to be in control, we want to call the shots, we want to think we’re perfect…or, even if we screw up, we want to fix the problem ourselves - not surrender our lives and give up everything we have to follow Christ.
God approves and honours heart-religion in the life that now is. He looks down from heaven, and reads the hearts of all the children of men. Wherever He sees heart-repentance for sin, - heart-faith in Christ, - heart-holiness of life, - heart-love to His Son, His law, His will, and His Word, - wherever God sees these things He is well pleased. He writes a book of remembrance for that man, however poor and unlearned he may be. He gives His angels special charge over Him. He maintains in him the work of grace, and gives Him daily supplies of peace, hope, and strength. He regards him as a member of His own dear Son, as one who is witnessing for the truth, as His Son did. Weak as the man’s heart may seem to himself, it is the living sacrifice which God loves, and the heart which He has solemnly declared He will not despise. Such praise is worth more than the praise of man!
Incredible - to think that God of the universe actually takes notice of us and Loves us. Not for who we are, but because of what Christ has done on our behalf.
Look forward, finally, and hope for the coming of the Lord. Your best things are yet to come. The second coming of Christ will soon be here. The time of temptation will soon be past and gone. The judgment and reward of the saints shall soon make amends for all. Rest in the hope of that day. Work, watch, and look forward. - One thing, at any rate, that day will make abundantly clear. It will show that there was never an hour in our lives in which we gave our hearts too thoroughly to Christ.
I love this. “Work, watch, and look forward”. I often find myself day-dreaming throughout the day and week looking for “that next thing” - something to satisfy. Yes, Christ is with us here and now, He has conquered death, but the bad taste of sin still resides in our mouths. How I long for a renewed heaven and earth. How I long to be in His presence - for Him to be my light. I feel young in heart…but already feel exhausted in spirit.
(Source: jesusiscreator.org)
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