“The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love.”
Henry Scougal (The Life of God in the Soul of Man), quoted by John Piper in The Pleasures of God
When I read this quote, the chorus of the song Torn Between Two Lovers (by Peter Yarrow) came to mind:
Torn between two lovers, feelin’ like a fool
Lovin’ both of you is breakin’ all the rules
Torn between two lovers, feelin’ like a fool
Lovin’ you both is breakin’ all the rules
I know! Corny, oh so corny but for me, those words truly reflect my life here on earth. My constant battle to be in the world but not of the world. The constant battle of the old man and the new man fighting it out for control. The constant battle of Christ having first place in my life or listening to Satan’s easy way out.
The following verse really does a nice job of showing where my focus is sometimes:
“Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity (futility) and chasing after the wind and there was no profit under the sun.” Ecc. 2:11
That verse is so ME, ME, ME oriented. That is what happens when I hold the steering wheel! Futility, chasing after the wind and no profit whatsoever; not a very worthy or excellent soul.
But, when I have the right focus, when the object of my love is Christ and his wonderous work that all changes:
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
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Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Where is my focus? That is a daily question! May it be on Christ my Savior! It’s ALL ABOUT JESUS! Blessings on you all today. For more In Other Words, visit Laurel Wreath and be encouraged.
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction Eugene Peterson
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“Whenever we say no to one way of life that we have long been used to, there is pain. But when the way of life is in fact a way of death, a way of war, the quicker we leave it the better. There is a condition that sometimes develops in our bodies called adhesions – parts of our internal organs become attached to other parts. The condition has to be corrected by a surgical procedure – a decisive intervention. The procedure hurts, but the results are healthy. Renunciation – the piercing virtue.
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(“I surrender I lie down and I give up!”)
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Any hurt is worth it that puts us on the path of peace for the pursuit, in Christ, of eternal life. It is the action that follows the realization that history is not a blind alley, guilt not an abyss. It is the discovery that there is always a way that leads out of distress – a way that begins in repentance, or turning to God. It is Christian immigration. It sets us on the way to traveling in the light. It is rejection that is also acceptance, a leaving that develops into an arriving, a no to the world that is a yes to God.”
Have you ever had one of those Southwest commercial moments where you make a mistake and you just want to get away? Yikes! Have you ever felt like work is just a tad too stressful, life too overwhelming? Listen. Can you hear Him? The Saviour is calling to you…
“Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.”
Song of Solomon 2:10
Lo, I hear the voice of my Beloved! He speaks to me! Fair weather is smiling upon the face of the earth, and he would not have me spiritually asleep while nature is all around me awaking from her winter’s rest. He bids me “Rise up,” and well he may, for I have long enough been lying among the pots of worldliness. He is risen, I am risen in him, why then should I cleave unto the dust? From lower loves, desires, pursuits, and aspirations, I would rise towards him. He calls me by the sweet title of “My love,” and counts me fair; this is a good argument for my rising.
He bids me “Come away.” Further and further from everything selfish, grovelling, worldly, sinful, he calls me; yea, from the outwardly religious world which knows him not, and has no sympathy with the mystery of the higher life, he calls me. “Come away” has no harsh sound in it to my ear, for what is there to hold me in this wilderness of vanity and sin?
O my Lord, would that I could come away, but I am taken among the thorns, and cannot escape from them as I would. I would, if it were possible, have neither eyes, nor ears, nor heart for sin. Thou callest me to thyself by saying “Come away,” and this is a melodious call indeed. To come to thee is to come home from exile, to come to land out of the raging storm, to come to rest after long labour, to come to the goal of my desires and the summit of my wishes.
But Lord, how can a stone rise, how can a lump of clay come away from the horrible pit? O raise me, draw me. Thy grace can do it. Send forth thy Holy Spirit to kindle sacred flames of love in my heart, and I will continue to rise until I leave life and time behind me, and indeed come away.
I know this is going to seem a little strange to have a Norah Jones song relate to a Charles Spurgeon devotional, but hey, that is how my mind works sometimes! Here are the words to her song Come Away – do you hear the “melodious call”?
Come away with me in the night
Come away with me
And I will write you a song
Come away with me on a bus
Come away where they can’t tempt us
With their lies
I want to walk with you
On a cloudy day
In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high
So won’t you try to come
Come away with me and we’ll kiss
On a mountaintop
Come away with me
And I’ll never stop loving you
And I want to wake up with the rain
Falling on a tin roof
While I’m safe there in your arms
So all I ask is for you
To come away with me in the night
Come away with me
Above the Clouds 