Wednesday, September 2
brokenness. repentance. courage.
from the book, "Jacob. The fools God chooses." by David Roper.-----
I asked the Lord that I may grow
in faith and love and every grace.
Might more of His salvation know,
and seek more earnestly His face.
Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
and He I trust has answered prayer,
But it has been in such a way
as almost drove me to despair.
I thought that in some favored hour,
at once He'd answer my request,
And by His love's transforming power,
subdue my sins and give me rest.
Instead of that He made me feel
the hidden evils of my heart,
And bade the angry powers of hell
assault my soul in every part.
"Lord, why this?" I trembling cried.
"Wilt Thou pursue this worm to death?"
"This the way," the Lord replied,
"I answer prayer for grace and faith.
These inward trials I employ
from sin and self to set thee free,
And cross thy schemes of earthly joy
that thou might find thy all in Me."
-John Newton
and so, if of late you have begun to glimpse "the hidden evils of [your] heart," if you have discovered yourself capable of sins you never thought possible, if you have begun to loathe yourself, take heart. God is dealing with you, exposing the sham-person you are so He can begin to make you into the real person He has envisioned from eternity. He has begun a work that He will not abandon until you are presented faultless before His presence with exceeding joy (jude 24).
-----
take heart.
"on the road to Calvary" - it was painful. reading it. it pierced.
i guess that's how it is when God wants to deal with the sins of His children.
break me.
help me to trust.