Earth´s Shadow

Thursday December 11, 2014

When I see the moon at its thinnest stage, I sometimes think of a passage I read in Flannery O' Conner A Prayer Journal. The writer composed these poetic words for God : "You are the slim crescent of a moon... and my self is the earth´s shadow that keeps me from seeing all the moon... I do not know you God, because I am in the way. Please help me to push myself aside."

As I consider these thoughts, I have to admit that there´s a part of me that feels entitled to have comfort in this world while still enjoying a deep closeness with Christ. Jesus said, however, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways" (Mark 8:34). For me, this means not stomping my feet when God tells me "no", not pouting when God says "wait" and not grumbling when God gives me a new task.

Like all people, I was born with an inner devotion to myself. Fortunately, Jesus has made me aware of it, and has offered to help me curb it with commandments such as, "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Luke 10:27). This is His kind and gentle way of showing me that my love of myself is truly automatic. He didn´t need to teach me to pursue my personal comfort or to seek self-preservation - I´m a natural in these areas! Sadly, it´s true.

Thankfully, Jesus also said, "If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake... you will save it" (Mark 8:35). Deepening our devotion to Christ means moving from a "me-centred" life to a "God-centred" life. And as we turn away from our self-serving desires, God will give us new desires (Galatians 5:24). He´ll also give us a better view of His glory as we remain in His shadow. - Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Read
Mark 8:31-38
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killend and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said : "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father´s glory with the holy angels."

Nehemiah 5:14-18
Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year -- twelve years -- neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors -- those preceding me -- placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did nto acquire any land.
Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.

Acts 5:1-5
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife´s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.
Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn´t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn´t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heart what had happened.

Question to Ponder
What´s the relationship between love and selfishness? 
What changes, if any, is God asking you to make in order to increase your devotion to Him?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue