Pushing Ahead vs. Drawing Near
Men just want to keep busy. They want to have their hands on things, manipulating, fixing, improving, making things work. In the spiritual realm no less than the physical, men want to have a job to do. They love Paul's talk of pressing on, of physical training, of fighting the good fight. They're quite comfortable with the idea of perseverance and discipline. They like markers, measurable progress, gold stars. Give them something to shoot for, to earn, and they're happy as pigs in mud. Back when I was venting my dissatisfaction with Rick Warren's Purpose-Driven Life, wherein Warren speaks of doing things on earth in order to get "promotions" in heaven, one friend of mine (who strongly disagreed with my negative assessment of PDL) said, "At least now I finally know there's something I can do!"
Oh how we yearn to earn! And it does seem such a relief to be told that, yes, if you work hard enough, great things will come your way. On the other hand, as Rob at Miscellanies on the Gospel makes clear (here and here), we can't work out anything that God has not first worked in. I am convinced that the great need today is not for still more activity, not that we "get it in gear," "hop to it," "look lively," or "push ahead," but that we draw near. Not that we run hard, but that we be still. What say you?
posted by Bob Spencer | 6/22/2005
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10 Comments:
Thanks Bob for the recommendations. The insights there came only after getting it wrong so very often. Why are we so hard-headed?
Amen! We need to rest in the arms of God, outside of Him we can do nothing, no matter how hard we try.
Good word Bob.
Bob,
I say amen. And to that end, we must not put any confidence in the flesh, we must look into our own hearts to seach for and bring before Christ those things we struggle with, and most importantly we must cast ourselves upon His grace and mercy for healing - a stern lesson, I am now learning.
Bob,
I see this as a balance of fellowship and workmanship. Jesus with-drew even in times of great harvest to fellowship with the Father. Both are nessasary, faith without works is dead, and works without faith is just as dead.
Be Blessed,
Pete
It is not that we have to work for the kingdom, it is that we get to. Like a son shadowing his father at work, we too want to be about the Father's business. Not for gain, but in companionship.
I like the way you put that, Frosty. It's just that it seems that for many it's all-too-hard to talk about the joy of serving the Father, but easy to give locker room "climb every mountain" pep talks instead. I'm fairly certain that our power to serve will be greatly enhanced by slowing down, drawing near, spending time with God, rather than amping up our dutiful busy-ness.
Yes, it does relate. This is a broad issue, applicable to so many walks of life. What proportion of our working, I wonder, even of our working for the Kingdom, is motivated by insecurity, guilt, or perhaps ambition, rather than the working out of what God has already worked in? Thanks for stopping by, Bonnie. You've added a valuable reminder!
"perseverance and discipline."
Well said. God is lonsuffering toward us and through us. Thanks for this post Bob.
I agree, Bob. Thanks for the reminder.
"My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too, am working...I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what e sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does." (John 5:17, 19-20). God initiates what we do--not us. We just have to join Him in what He is already doing.
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