His Question

Posted by Susan Mucklow on Nov 13, 2011 in 8 Most Recent | 2 comments

‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Matthew 25:23

 

 Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand… Job 38:2-4  

 

 Then Job answered the Lord and said, “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; even twice, and I will add nothing more.”  Job 40:3-5

Silence is golden, especially when the questions stirring come from waters tainted by the flesh. The Lord will eliminate questions that originate in the flesh so that I can hear His question – the only question I ever need to answer.  Oh, how often I try to answer questions that He is not asking!  I can ask and sift for answers – but if they are not His questions then the reply will be from a shallow and untrustworthy source.  The Lord never looks at the weak and unwilling flesh as a mirror image of the heart or its intention. His questions ignore the surface frailty to reinforce the strength and reality of life in Christ.

When the flesh slanders the heart I must quickly run to Him.  His “well done, good and faithful servant” is my refuge from false/self accusations. To live for an audience of One is to walk in peace with myself and others.  He bestows unique talents and thresholds, thus His “well done, good and faithful servant” is equally unique.  As I look to Him and no other He becomes due north and true fellowship.

Fellowship may come through one person or through many; either way, He is what occurs between us.  As the All in all, He is fellowship in its every form.  He comes to be alone in my heart or as the companionship of others.  At times I am like the mainland, other times I am an island that He has separated for Himself.  It is His choosing; He is the rock on either ground.

What would contest such an exclusive relationship?  There are but two voices – flesh and spirit. One causes me to doubt my relationship with the Lord, the other will affirm it.  His spirit declares that my every submission, obedience, and bearing of fruit is in response to His voice.  He sees the parts of me that I reject and He shows compassion.  He ‘woos’ what I ‘refuse’ because He knows that ‘all of me’ will eventually know ‘all of Him’.  When I see Him, I shall be like Him.

If I can remain loved in the midst of unlovely displays, then I will see even those jagged edges, barren landscapes, and momentary lapses come into the full awareness of His love. He loves the whole package and the whole package loves Him in return. This is His saving grace and redeeming work in me.  I am both saved and being saved; born again and being born again; finished and being finished.  As a new creature, I walk out the walk that has already been walked. He is at rest with me; it is foolish not to enter His rest.  I pull out the thorn that festers the urge to conform to His image in another.  I feel His pleasure with me when I am free to be with me, for me, and on my side.

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:2-3 (NASB)