Hello friends! Happy 3rd day of Advent. We had out first advent service tonight. Christmas decorations are appearing on cabin doors and in the lounge areas around the ship. I am starting to get very excited about Christmas--such a special time to celebrate the incredible gift of grace. I was thinking today how beautiful it is that we can live in a constant state of anticipation. Anticipation of our heavenly home, anticipation of wholeness and anticpation of perfect fellowship with our Creator...
I have been spending a lot of time with Corrie Ten Boom lately. She was a dutch woman who lived during World War II. Her family hid Jews when the Germans invaded Holland. She is one of my heros, author of the book "Hiding Place" and many more. I feel like I know her even though she died in 1983 the year I was born. If there were 3 people I could meet who are already dead she would be one of them--the other two would probably be Mother Teresa and maybe Hudson Taylor (I just finished reading one of his books so his story is still fresh in mind). But back to Corrie...she said this while in coversation with a college student "It is only when we are crucified with Christ that we can enter into the joy of His resurrection...do awaken to the reality of this truth. Give up your life for Christ's sake, and you will save it. Sanctification is not a burden, but a blessed release." Those last few words struck me as I realized I have come to think of life as a struggle and this Christian life as a constant battle--against my flesh, against the world, and against the powers of darkness. And I have come to think of this process of sanctification as wearisome...but, is it in fact, a blessed release from the weakness of our human condition? Not a striving for righteousness but a resting in the only One who is righteous?? Praise God for His patience and Mercy towards us!
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2 comments:
Amen Nic!
Amen my sister.
Oh what refreshing hopeful words and reality that I hope to even begin to understand, the place we have in the family of God..our striving after righteousness, our perseverance in the process of sanctification, and our ultimate trust and reliance in the beautifully sovereign Almighty. Learning to rest, my friend, that is a part of the sactification process, I do believe, is a sacrifice of surrender and as dear Corrie put it, "a blessed release." In everything, even in the battle and struggle, to God be the glory.
~eliz
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