I read through the first 4 chapters of Mark today, and there were a few things that I noticed. The ministry of John the Baptist was all about making the people ready for Jesus, setting Jesus up for effective ministry in hearts and lives that had been prepared for His coming. John didn't look for his own glory, but was constantly humbling himself and pointing to the one who would follow - Jesus - as the one worthy of greater honour. What a great template to follow in any ministry. It doesn't mean that the ministry is unimportant or ineffective, it means that we have a proper perspective of where we stand in relation to God, who has given us the grace to pursue the ministry, and who it is ultimately for.
Another thing that struck me has come from personal experience. I find that as soon as God begins something spiritual in my life, whether a personal revelation, heart reconstruction, preparation for doing something effective for His kingdom, or whatever it might be, that temptation is sure to follow. It has happened so often that even when I don't know what God is doing, if I start to feel temptation I try to look for what God is about to do in my life. Rather than give in to temptation, and allow it to make me ineffective and unproductive in my walk with God, my desire is to have it trigger a sort of godly stubbornness, though I suppose commitment or persistence might better define it. The thought that has gone through my mind, and that I want to nurture is, "Since God is about to do something amazing in or through my life, I don't want this to come in the way of that." I think this attitude will help me turn a temptation into yet another chance to strengthen my relationship with God, and my resolve to do His will. Is it any wonder then, as Jesus was about to begin His ministry, that He was guided into a place where He experienced intense temptation? That isn't to say that God tempted Him, but certainly going through that victorious was preparation that God used to set up the seriously effective ministry that He was to live out. I would still not seek out temptation in an attempt to be more godly, that doesn't make sense, but I can take heart in the fact that temptation doesn't necessarily mean that I am walking outside of God's will, His plan, or His protection. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." Looking at the connection between my experience and this verse today, I see it in a new light. Up to this point, every time I read this verse, I thought that the way out was some unknown thing to be revealed during the tempting, and maybe sometimes it can be, but I wonder if the attitude of godly persistence that He's been fostering in my life could be Him providing a way out in general - something I don't have to guess at, a way to be prepared, to counterattack the onslaught of temptation before it gains a hold on me. Thank God for showing me new things every day! He is the one building my life around Him, and when I have been prepared for the next thing, He will reveal it.
There is so much more packed into what I read today, from Jesus' power over sickness, evil spirits, and weather, to His focus on those who needed Him, to more instruction about the kingdom of heaven. I heartily recommend reading the Bible for yourself. There's no way I can tell you everything that there is to know about God, and the things He teaches you in a certain passage may have a different focus than the things He teaches me, simply because each journey toward Him is personal, and affected by who we are, and where we find ourselves. However, know that His truth never changes, He speaks truth because it is His nature, the things that He reveals are never by accident, nor should they be taken apart from what else He has said and shown. Seek His heart, and know Him for yourself.
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