The Discipline of Dismay Mark 10:32 (Mar_10:32) At the - TopicsExpress



          

The Discipline of Dismay Mark 10:32 (Mar_10:32) At the beginning of our life with Jesus Christ, we were sure we knew all there was to know about following Him. It was a delight to forsake everything else and to throw ourselves before Him in a fearless statement of love. But now we are not quite so sure. Jesus is far ahead of us and is beginning to seem different and unfamiliar --- Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed (Mar_10:32). There is an aspect of Jesus that chills even a disciples heart to its depth and makes his entire spiritual life gasp for air. This unusual Person with His face set like a flint (Isa_50:7) is walking with great determination ahead of me, and He strikes terror right through me. He no longer seems to be my Counselor and Friend and has a point of view about which I know nothing. All I can do is stand and stare at Him in amazement. At first I was confident that I understood Him, but now I am not so sure. I begin to realize that there is a distance between Jesus and me and I can no longer be intimate with Him. I have no idea where He is going, and the goal has become strangely distant. Jesus Christ had to understand fully every sin and sorrow that human beings could experience, and that is what makes Him seem unfamiliar. When we see this aspect of Him, we realize we really dont know Him. We dont recognize even one characteristic of His life, and we dont know how to begin to follow Him. He is far ahead of us, a Leader who seems totally unfamiliar, and we have no friendship with Him. The discipline of dismay is an essential lesson which a disciple must learn. The danger is that we tend to look back on our times of obedience and on our past sacrifices to God in an effort to keep our enthusiasm for Him strong (Isa_50:10-11). But when the darkness of dismay comes, endure until it is over, because out of it will come the ability to follow Jesus truly, which brings inexpressibly wonderful joy. Oswald Chambers.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 07:25:22 +0000

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