“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant...”
Philippians 2:5-7a
Today, oh Lord, I cannot but help to feel my heart dull and distracted by so many secondary and lesser things, things of no eternal value. It seems such a battle this day – Oh Lord – help me this day to have this mind for myself, which is mine, in Christ Jesus, that I would be emptied of my selfish desires and in living for the flesh, but in humility I would count others more significant than myself.161 And does this not begin, continue and grow in intercessory prayer for the souls and needs of others? Oh yes! Make this the focus of my private life, one authentic, deep and true unto You. Although the trials they be many, is this not the very first lesson in my trials, that being conformity to Christ (being emptied) and good works (that for others above self)?
How then shall I come to You this day? Shall I not set my mind to praise You and seeking greater measures of You, regardless of my feelings, and then to pray for my fellow believers, family, friends, and especially those who are being terribly abused and unable to defend themselves? Should I not intercede for the children being used and tortured by pure evil? Oh Lord God, Oh Lord, how You know! Oh God, come and destroy this evil, destroy this wickedness that is so far deeper than most could ever perceive; even should some have a sort of outright knowledge of this wickedness, it still is one hundred thousand times worse in Your eyes and omniscience.
And here too I find, like so many, the distracting temptation to think and ask wrongly of Your character and actions. There are so many who want to know: “How could a good and loving God allow such wickedness to continue?” However, this is not only the wrong question, but You have made this but so very plain in Your word.162 The problem with mankind and myself, of course resulting of the sinful fall, is that we refuse to ask the greater question and believe what You have already said. The question I must never forget, that being far greater that the former, is this: “How is it that I, a vile wretch whose best works are nothing more than a dirty rag,163 should see any good, any love, any grace, any mercy from You God?” And does not Your word clearly state, over and over again, and also testified by Your Holy Spirit to my spirit, that I am far worse off, far more wicked, far more wretched and far more sin natured than I can even comprehend? Oh Yes! The question above always is a great help which causes me to respond to You in genuine humility164 and with a broken and contrite heart.165
Lord, today in this dullness of mine, help me to pray and help me to sense the deep need now. How true it is and how thankful I am:
“…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”166
Praise You my God, for not only does Your Spirit intercede for me according to Your will, so does Your dear precious Son.167 And what amazing promises You have given to me, that even when I feel so in adequate in prayer, and unknowing of how or what to pray, or even simply undesiring, You even give Your grace to help me here. Further yet, You promise:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”168
If Your love be so binding and Your strength so powerful and mighty, then what shall I fear when the trials come? Oh shall I not praise You for the affliction which purifies my soul? More than that, but the afflictions that ought to cause me to be “broken bread and poured out wine”169 for the sake of others.
Having been reminded of these truths again today, Lord, I desire to authentically say, and even more so to be deeply marked in truth, by what the Apostle Paul said:
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”170
For how true it is that if I am to be a legitimate child of Yours, shall I not also suffer with Him in order that I may also be glorified with Him?171 Lord let me not ask the easy and soft questions, rather deepen a resolve in me to put away the mindset of ease and of easy offenses. For when I think of the true church over history, the disciples, early Anabaptists, Scottish Covenanters, Presbyterians, and many more, and how greatly they suffered, I must ask myself if I am willing to go to such the same places. When I think about the believers today being raped, tortured and mangled for the faith – that in trusting, in resting and in following Christ’s path – I cannot help but to ask Your forgiveness for complaining against and running too soon away from such lesser trials. Forgive me, Lord, when I act and respond so wrongly and contrary to Your will. And although they are still trials, regardless of severity, let me take it deadly serious that I submit to Your strong and everlasting arm, for the arm of my flesh and my strength pales in comparison, and in all reality is not a comparison to You at all!
The problem so often with me is that I think too highly of my own strength, my own abilities and my own wisdom,172 then what comes? Is it not my downfall, failure and sin? And why would I not fall, for pride is opposed to humility, and without humility I am against You and in opposition to Your grace.173 For “the wise will merit honor, but fools get disgrace.”174Lord, how foolish it is of me to entertain any thoughts where I think I can war “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” when I am not prepared to take up the sword of the Spirit. If I am not reading and studying, nor praying and pondering, nor applying the wisdom of Your word, I have not a weapon to wield.
And if my heart should say to me, “Oh son, take it easy, do not fret, the Lord knows that you believe His word. It’s ok that you hardly ever read or study it; for after all, you don’t understand it all too well anyway and its not nearly as entertaining as television, technology, media or even some other book, so relax. He knows you mean well and have faith, so fret not that your Bible sits mostly closed.” Oh what cursed thoughts of the evil one! What dark thoughts of my old nature! Oh Lord, crucify these! For to be without Your word is surly to be defenseless, defeated and in much darkness.
Lord, shall I not be emptied, and shown to be empty, in order that You would fill me?175 You gave me a new heart,176 and this for Your namesake, for You have written the law on my heart and remembered my sins no more.177 I remember the very moment that Your powerful saving grace flooded my life and how using a dear brother and pastor, You confronted me with Your word; for you had to show me what would be my eternal end should I continue living as I was.178 Not only this, what damage I was doing to that soon to be daughter of Yours as well. Praise You for Your convicting and lifegiving Spirit! Oh, how the praises of my mouth are so far inadequate and so far short of the worship and praise You deserve! You showed me that my works, my very best religious works179 (not that I had any) were of absolutely no help in the rescuing and resuscitation of my dead heart. For truly, it was not by might, nor by power, but by Your Spirit180 that I was brought to awakening, repentance and faith in Your dear Son, Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior. Praise You almighty God!
And is this not how the path of my Lord was laid before me? Although He came to earth sinless and lived sinless,181 yet He paved the path of suffering182 trials and temptations,183 was cruelly treated, bore the wrath for my sin I deserved and poured out His precious blood upon the tree.184 If He was afflicted and mistreated, should I not embrace the same? For truly the suffering is nothing close to comparing with the precious glories of Christ. What is there in my past that compares to the joys, preciousness and experiential new heart of Christ’s redemption and justification? Nothing can even begin to tip the scales in comparison to Your love! For it was Your will to crush185 Your Son, on my behalf. Oh, what sacrificial love! He was the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets,186 so He was, and is, the only One who could become the propitiation for my sins.187 Oh what grace, mercy and great love, amazing love that laid down His life and satisfied Your justice and wrath against my sin. Never, never, never let me forget that I was brought up from the dung heap,188 lost and wayward, and yet the bruised reed You will not break and a smoldering wick You will not extinguish,189 so what boasting can I have in myself? None, no, never! And never let me forget that I must love as You have loved me, that I may be quick to give grace and offer up mercy to the one who comes down my path.
Should not these things be what stamp the mindset, the preparation, the being ‘shut-up’ unto God, and when the trials of this life seem to be all too much? And should my trials get worse, should it be that I see days as dark as Habakkuk, shall I not respond to Your reality:
“But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.”190
Will I respond to You waiting quietly191 and will I rejoice in You and take joy?192 Will You be my strength?193 And if I personally should experience the wicked persecution and violent personal attacks like that of Alan Cameron, how shall I respond?
“Before the hangman set head and hands on the bloodstained Netherbow Port, the fingers pointing grimly upwards on either side of the head, a hero saint laying in prison was shown them. He was Alan Cameron, Covenanter. The cruel question was asked him. ‘Do you know them?’ His son’s head and hands were very fair, being a man of fair complexion like himself. He kissed them saying, ‘I know them, I know them. They are my son’s, my own dear son’s. It is the Lord. Good is the will of the Lord, who cannot wrong me nor mine, but has made goodness and mercy to follow us all our days.’ A prisoner, head of a broken home, the father of martyred sons and daughter! It is the answer of the more-than-conqueror, the sufferer in Christ, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost; and having the heart full of the power and music of the Good Shepherd Psalm: ‘Goodness and mercy all my life shall surely follow me; and in God’s house for evermore my dwelling place shall be.’”194
Oh Lord, You know what kind of strength, power and humility You would cloth me with on such a day should Your will be the same for me. I never want to be like those who shrink back,195 nor of those who endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately falls.196 Should I not be so prepared in walking with You now? Should I not continue to be transformed and conformed in humility, with a mindset to be emptied of myself? Oh Yes! However, let this not be in some deceiving legalism or moralistic mindset that enslaves, rather would it be powerfully real and in devoted worship and in genuine service and abiding sacrificial love. Oh, that reality and resolve would find their home here.