"The apostle tells
us that surrender to God's afflicting hand exhibits a son's spirit within:
"If ye endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons" (Hebrews
12:6). Notice that He did not say "if you are
chastened" but "if you endure chastening." Naked suffering never
proves one’s sonship. But to endure it with a full supply of courage, with the
shoulder ready to carry it patiently, and with the expectation of future
reward-- these things show a childlike spirit. And the assurance, which comes
is especially soothing when the landlord of hell tries hard to use the saint's
affliction as evidence to disprove his sonship. Here is the answer to stop the
lies of this accuser's mouth: "Satan, if I am not God's child, why do I so
readily yield myself to His family discipline?"
Freedom is bought
with a price. Birds would rather fly among the trees of the wood, even in the
cold, lean seasons, than live in a golden cage with an abundance of pampering.
Some men are so attached to their lifestyle on earth that they soon let it
order them about and dictate standards of happiness. Before long they become
enslaved to materialism-- "Their heart goes after their covetousness"
(Ezekiel 33:31); and because
money is their master, their hearts wait for it like a dog at his owner's feet.
Others bow to
their own reputation; they cannot enjoy anything unless they capture the place
of honor everywhere they go. Haman was like this-- he was the court favorite
who got the king's ring to seal a decree for massacring thousands of innocent
persons merely to satisfy his ambition. And it so upset his proud heart to see
one poor Jew refuse to bow that his other achievements did not seem to matter.
"Yet all this avails me nothing," Haman said, "so long as I see
Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate" (Esther
5:13).
”
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete
Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.
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