Chambers/Utmost/3-28
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3月28日
Classic: Isn’t There Some Misunderstanding?
Let us go into Judea again. His disciples say unto Him…Goest Thou thither again? — John 11:7-8
I may not understand what Jesus Christ says, but it is dangerous to say that therefore He was mistaken in what He said. It is never right to think that my obedience to a word of God will bring dishonour to Jesus. The only thing that will bring dishonour is not obeying Him. To put my view of His honour in place of what He is plainly impelling me to do is never right, although it may arise from a real desire to prevent Him being put to open shame. I know when the proposition comes from God because of its quiet persistence. When I have to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate come in, I am bringing in an element that is not of God, and I come to the conclusion that the suggestion was not a right one. Many of us are loyal to our notions of Jesus Christ, but how many of us are loyal to Him? Loyalty to Jesus means I have to step out where I do not see anything (cf. Matt. 14:29); loyalty to my notions means that I clear the ground first by my intelligence. Faith is not intelligent understanding, faith is deliberate commitment to a Person where I see no way.
Are you debating whether to take a step in faith in Jesus or to wait until you can see how to do the thing yourself? Obey Him with glad reckless joy. When He says something and you begin to debate, it is because you have a conception of His honour which is not His honour. Are you loyal to Jesus or loyal to your notion of Him? Are you loyal to what He says, or are you trying to compromise with conceptions which never came from Him? “Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.”
Updated: Isn’t There Some Misunderstanding?
"Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to Him, "…are You going there again?" — John 11:7-8
Just because I don’t understand what Jesus Christ says, I have no right to determine that He must be mistaken in what He says. That is a dangerous view, and it is never right to think that my obedience to God’s directive will bring dishonor to Jesus. The only thing that will bring dishonor is not obeying Him. To put my view of His honor ahead of what He is plainly guiding me to do is never right, even though it may come from a real desire to prevent Him from being put to an open shame. I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence. But when I begin to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate enter into my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God. This will only result in my concluding that His instructions to me were not right. Many of us are faithful to our ideas about Jesus Christ, but how many of us are faithful to Jesus Himself? Faithfulness to Jesus means that I must step out even when and where I can’t see anything (see Matthew 14:29). But faithfulness to my own ideas means that I first clear the way mentally. Faith, however, is not intellectual understanding; faith is a deliberate commitment to the Person of Jesus Christ, even when I can’t see the way ahead.
Are you debating whether you should take a step of faith in Jesus, or whether you should wait until you can clearly see how to do what He has asked? Simply obey Him with unrestrained joy. When He tells you something and you begin to debate, it is because you have a misunderstanding of what honors Him and what doesn’t. Are you faithful to Jesus, or faithful to your ideas about Him? Are you faithful to what He says, or are you trying to compromise His words with thoughts that never came from Him? “Whatever He says to you, do it” (John 2:5).
한글: 주님의 갑작스러운 방문
눅 12:40 - 이러므로 너희도 예비하고 있으라
그리스도의 사역자에게 가장 필요한 것은 언제나 어디서나 주님을 뵐 준비를 하는 것입니다. 우리의 신앙 체험이 어떠하든 상관없이 이러한 자세를 취하는 것은 쉽지 않습니다. 우리의 싸움은 죄와 어려움과 여러 상황들과 하는 것이 아니라 일에 너무 빠져서 주님을 만나 뵐 준비를 하지 못하는 내 자신과 싸워야 합니다. 사실 우리에게 가장 필요한 것은 내 믿음, 내 신조, 나의 유용성이 아니라 오직 주님을 만나 뵙는 것입니다.
예수님께서는 우리가 기대할 때 오시는 일이 거의 없습니다. 그 분은 우리가 가장 기대치 않을 때 나타나십니다. 그리고 우리 입장에서 논리적으로 볼 때는 그 분이 오실 때가 전혀 아닌 때에 오십니다. 따라서 주님을 향하여 언제나 충성스런 사역자가 될 수 있는 유일한 비결은 언제나 주님의 갑작스런 방문을 예비하는 있는 것입니다. 예비를 한다는 것은 특별한 봉사를 하는 차원이 아니라 주님이 언제라도 오실지 모른다는 기대 속에서 영적으로 실제로 주님을 집중적으로 기다리는 것입니다. 이러한 마음 자세는 우리의 인생을 어린아이 같은 기대로 가득차게 합니다. 하나님께서는 이러한 자세를 기뻐하십니다. 우리가 예수 그리스도의 오심을 예비하려면 고상한 문화로 여겨지는 “종교 생활”을 버리고 영적으로 실제적인 사람이 되어야 합니다.
만일 당신이 유행을 좇는 종교의 부름을 피하면서 예수님을 바라보고 당신의 마음을 오직 주님께서 원하시는데 두고 그분을 따라 생각한다면, 당신은 비현실적이요 꿈만 꾸는 사람이라고 조롱을 받게 될 것입니다. 그러나 분주하고 바쁜 이 시대의 어느 날 주님이 나타나실 때 당신만이 주님을 기다리며 준비되어 있는 유일한 사람이 될 것입니다. 아무도 믿지 마십시오. 심지어 이 땅에서 존재하였던 아주 고상한 성인마저도 만일 그가 예수 그리스도를 바라보는 것을 방해한다면 무시하십시오.