The problem has always been the same.
Too much of my world revolves around me. And I venture to say the same is true of you.
I see it in all sorts of obvious ways. I get impatient with the person driving too slowly in front of me. I’ve ordered something online and it’s late in coming. I’m fed up with being held up by government restrictions in the never-ending lockdown that passes for Canada these days.
But it comes in more subtle ways. For instance, what if I wind up singing songs that describe my feelings about God more than about who God actually is? What if I decide to edit bits out of the Bible I don’t like to allow the Bible to reflect my truth rather than God’s truth? What if I put far too much value on expanding my ministry rather than serving someone else’s?
A spiritual father once told me the story of how he had gone to great efforts one day to reschedule his whole family’s activities in order to make everything run more efficiently. Then his wife told him bluntly all he had done was re-craft everyone else’s day around his own. Ouch! I am sure I have never been guilty of that, though wait till Elaine reads this and we’ll see.
Jesus told us if we only prayed in line with God’s will, we could see mountains moved. In context, he was talking about mountains as obstacles to the will of God. The only mountains we can pray and see successfully moved are those which are truly obstacles to what God wants to do so that his kingdom can advance. For any of us who have might think the world revolves around us, that can be a rude awakening. Name it and claim it! You can have anything you want if you pray and believe hard enough. But it doesn’t work that way.
James and John sent their mom to Jesus to ask for the best places at the table. Jesus said it was easy — all they had to do was drink his cup. “Wow! That’s an offer we can’t turn down.” Then he let them in on the fine print. I think he knew their heart, in spite of their immaturity. They just had to adjust from a world revolving around them having the best seats at the table, to a world in which they might be the first to die. James did in the end, but John lived on a very long time. Long enough to write to us from Patmos that we are partners with him “in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus.”
A world revolving around us is a world which will perish, and we will perish with it.
A world revolving around Jesus will last for ever, and us with him.
With pretty good seats at that table.
CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH DAVID & ELAINE CAMPBELL IN HELPING TO SUSTAIN THEIR ACTIVE MINISTRY.
AWAKENING MINISTRIES // FOUNDATION of FAITH Project
Foundation of Faith Project is strengthening generations in faith and bringing beautiful changes to the communities around them. Through teaching, mentoring and coaching, many are finding out who they are and who they are destined to be. They are bringing more to their world. David Campbell is the key leader in this initiative and you can support him financially directly through Awakening Ministries.
When making a donation, please follow these steps:
1. Click the donate button below
2. Enter the amount you wish to donate and choose "Paypal" or "Credit Card"
3. On the next page, in the "Add a note" field, please mark the donation for "Foundation of Faith"
For those in the UK, you may also support us through Emmanuel Church Durham, which receives and passes on any financial gifts designated to us. You are welcome to contact Jenny, the church treasurer, at finance@emmanuel.org.uk, and she will be glad to let you know how you can support us on a once-off basis or by standing order.