Sometimes people say to me that they know all that there is to know about what the Bible has to say to so us, and that they would really rather that I didn’t keep banging on about how important personal Bible reading is, and the opening and preaching from God’s Word that is such an important part of our worship.
Of course, Jesus calls us to be his disciples, his followers. He calls us to a pattern of what in the modern idiom would be called life-long learning. Paul refers to this also in his letter when he refers to us pressing on towards the goal. “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Philippians 3.12
The truth that God always has more to teach us from his word was evident once again to me last week, as I was reflecting on that phrase that became the focus of my sermon: “Through many hardships we must enter the kingdom of God.” I was drawn to the story of Jacob, a story which I know very well having grown up in a Baptist church Sunday school, and then having attended churches which faithfully preach from the Bible throughout my teenaged years. This year marks twenty years since I myself first began preaching, and my very first sermon, appropriately enough, was on a text from Genesis.
Yet it is only in 2010 that God has shown me a deeper truth about Jacob. He wrestles all night with God because he desires God’s blessing. He knows that to be blessed by God is the most awesome thing in the universe. It is the thing to be most prized and desired. Yet the path to it may be intensely difficult. The Sunday School FlannelGraphTM (ask your parents, kids!) did not quite convey the impression of this beaten up, scruffy, crippled man, as he staggered away from Jabbok that morning. As he went to be reunited with his wives and children. As he went to be reconciled with his brother, whom he had not seen for years, he was a physical wreck!
Yet God had blessed him! It is a mighty thing to ask for God’s blessing, but we can be sure that God will always bless us for our good.
Not sure if I should sign this letter off with ‘God bless’!
Nik
Wednesday 23 June 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)