Isaiah 41:25-29 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay. Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words. The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings. For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.
None but Jesus.
We desire to know truth, to speak truth, and to do what is right. I am sure of my desire, yet all that I know, speak and do falls short of my desire. It is vanity on my part to think I can be all that I desire.
I am in Christ and Christ is in me. While this is true, it does not remove me. I still exist. It is a truth that the Holy Spirit abides with me to be all that Christ said that He should be and do in me. Yet that does not remove me. I still exist.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
I continually have to renew my mind because I live in a world where I see and hear things which are not of God. The more time I spend in the world, the more time I need to spend in the Word of God to renew my mind and stop the unsound influences of this world.
It is vanity on my part to think that I can, by force of will, keep in perfect alignment with God’s Word. I use a flawed human brain to try and hold onto all that is right, true and good. I need help and that can only come from the One who is right, true and good.
Yet He trusts me enough to disciple others.
On the mount of transfiguration, after the voice they heard and after the cloud lifted, the disciples saw no other man, none but Jesus.
Thanks for this great reminder.
It IS vanity on my part to think I can be all that I desire. I stay in my own way most of the time. I stumble over road blocks I’ve put up. I am my own worst enemy at times. That old self, we gotta keep slaying it everyday.
I am intrigued with your statement “yet He trusts me enough to disciple others”. I wonder if maybe this is where the Holy Spirit comes in? I remember Gordon Hayhoe impressing on me this remark, “Ron, store the Scriptures in your memory, like a pantry shelf, so when the Spirit needs a Scripture, it’s there for Him.” I am ever grateful for the wisdom of my older brethren who mentored me. Thank You Lord Jesus.