Greatness...

The world aspires to greatness, to be someone, to stand out, to exercise power, or attain a position. John and James did it long ago and today little has changed. Why? Because greatness is a diamond to the lust of the eyes, and of the flesh and the pride of life.

I recently read a short book by C.J. Mahaney called Humility: True Greatness with some friends. The humble man is the great man to God. The humble man captures His special attention: "But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word" (Isa. 66:2). He loves to look on the humble man, to hear his accurate prayers, to see His trust in Him, to watch as he regards others more important than himself and thinks little of what he can do but thinks much of what God can do through him. We were considering Philippians 2:1-11 at a college Bible study during Wednesday lunch this week. It is shocking that we Christians would strive for greatness by any unbiblical means. First, since even this pursuit is doomed to failure ("I will not share My glory with another"). Second, because it is so empty and a proven deceit. Greatness is manifested by Jesus' life. And the Christian is told to strive toward His likeness. An understanding of Christ's great exaltation is only appreciated by an understanding that we will never fully achieve in our greatest earthly exaltation likeness to the One who took upon HImself the greatness humiliation the world has ever known.

So tomorrow (and tonight), admist all the pomp and circumstance of a graduation ceremony, I am prepared to think accurately about myself. There are many fools with letters after their names. With a humble mindset, the believer should remember some other letters after his name (even without a degreee). Maybe s-a-v-e-d, or c-h-o-s-e-n, or b-o-u-g-h-t, or m-a-d-e a-l-i-v-e.

No believer can be conceited when treasuring the gospel of his salvation.

Aaahhhhhh.....

Every student knows the feeling of relief after finishing a big paper or test. This Thursday, I turned in the first draft of a thesis paper for the master's degree I am completing this semester--what a relief to meet this goal! I was at Kinkos as they bound my paper and feeling this feeling this sense of relief. I was thanking the LORD for His faithfulness, how He brought me through, sustained me, supplied strength, brought encouragement through others, their calls and prayers, how He gave me an interest in the particular focused subject from His word (increasingly as I studied and saw His mind in Holy Scripture). But this feeling of relief, I believe, has a purpose. And it is intentionally temporary. This sense of relief should bring the Christian to thanksgiving to a good God. It can come after facing temptation and enduring it to see the LORD's faithfulness to provide a way of escape so that the believer may be able to bare it. This sense of relief should engage the believer to pursue new challenges (with the challenge of holiness being primary, "discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" 1 Tim. 4:7) and ambitions to accomplish great things for God, in making Him known and giving Him glory. This sense of relief should lead to the believer's praising the LORD to others. "God brought me through... He is amazing. I would have quit but He strengthened me." This sense of relief should cause the believer to proclaim the gospel. "This peace I am experiencing makes me recall the peace that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Do you think a person can have peace in this world when God will bring every act to a judgment in which one sin will merit eternal torment. Would you like to know how you can know this peace..." This sense of relief should lead the believer to encourage another who is in the midst of hardship. "God brought me through and He can bring you through too. Nothing is too difficult for Him. No one is like Him" (2 Cor. 1). This sense of relief for the believer is a glimpse into a heavenly reality and should lead him to think about life in the New Jerusalem, in the presence of the glory of God and reflecting that glory without the presence of sin.

I thought I would attach a small portion from this paper, to capture an interest in its topic.

Imagine that I could transport you to the last day of your life. It is the early morning and this evening you will come to die. Where do your thoughts turn? The future of your life on earth is now minute and the few short hours that remain cannot drastically change the course of your life. It has already been lived and you may now look back at it; observe it objectively. What do you see? Is it pleasant? What do you wish you could have seen? Do you have regrets?

Such thoughts are sobering. These are the reflections of a 19-year-old pastor. He wrote, “I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live if they were to live their lives over again. Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age.” How do you wish you will have lived when you come to die? Do you desire a life that has been filled with pleasure; a life that has brought fame, fortune, and luxury; or a life of comfort in which there were no difficulties?

Does holiness come to mind, when thinking of the life you wish you will have lived? Imagine again this transportation, the living of your final day. What does this day mean for you as a believer? At the end of this day, you will leave this earth and enter the presence of your Savior, the One who is called the “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS”, the One who is called a “lamb” and described as “spotless and unblemished.” What will a faithful, obedient life, set apart to the LORD be worth to you on that day? What will it be worth to you to anticipate the welcome, “Well done, good slave?” Will it not be worth all that you have, everything you can borrow, and the largest loan you could take? Would it not be worth your greatest sacrifice? Would you not thoughtfully plan your days past with a consistent drawing near to the LORD, His Word, and His grace; or dream of listening to those who, in your lifetime, sought to direct you away from sin; or wish you had turned to obedience after experiencing correction, or learned spiritual lessons from trials?

God has a design for bringing the believer to this final day; it is through His discipline. Your pursuit of and response to His discipline will determine how you come to this final day. Edwards, again, wrote, “Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.” And he understood that happiness would be found in holiness.