Night is coming, when no one can work !: Christian life is a race

Monday, November 22, 2010

Christian life is a race

Christian life is a race, full of hurdles and hindrances, ups and downs, thorns and bruises, sufferings and shame. What encourages us is the honours and prizes that await us at the end of the race. Hebrews Chapter 12 discloses them-
1. We will see the Lamb of God, even the Lord Jesus, face to face, as the Finisher of our faith at the finishing point! (v2). He started the race for us and now He will be there to receive us with hands open.
2. We will enter the joy of the Lord (v2). The end of the race is eternal bliss. No more tears, sorrow or death. It's joy, joy and only joy-never ending!
3. Jesus "sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God" (v2). So shall we sit with Him on His Throne! (Rev 3:21). Our eternal occupation will be worship. No prayer, no preaching, but only praise!
4. Our sanctification will be complete-we will partake of God's holiness in all fullness (v10). We shall be transformed and be just like Him. We will enjoy the deliverance from the very presence of sin.
5. We will see the invisible God (v14). God who dwells in unapproachable light will then dwell with us literally. We shall be His people and He will be our God in every sense (Rev 21:3).
6. We shall fully enjoy "the blessing" of blessings, even our birthright as the children of God (vv16,17). "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit" (1 Cor 2:9,10). What is revealed now will be fully realised then!
7. Finally, we shall be serving God as kings and priests in His unshakable Kingdom forever and ever (v28). In all earthly races, people receive a cup or cash. But in the Christian race we will be receiving a Crown- "a Kingdom!" Unlike the races in sportsfield, the faith race is not a competition but completion! All can make it-not just one or two!
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Malachi 3:3

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"

He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it." If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them. And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.