the Door and the Way

Yesterday I spent the morning at Gone Wired Cafe with a big cup of coffee. I finished the book (mentioned earlier in the July archive) by Roy Hession "We Would See Jesus".

Written in 1958, this book reads with grammer and terminology that do not readily connect with 2006 (it will never be a bestseller). But I have to say that I did not so much read it, as chew, ponder and digest it.

His main point is that we so often get wrapped up in the things of God, the ways of God, the teachings of God and the expecations of Christianity...that we miss the true source of our connection with God himself: the person of Jesus.

We think, "I feel distant from God. I need to pray more, read the Bible more, and do more in ministry. I need a time of refreshing and revival. I need Jesus to do a new work in my life. I need to experience a new touch from the Spirit. I remember the good days when I used to be so close to God, back when I was more spiritually connected."

Hession says, "Now what has gone wrong here? In that time of revival we were in a crisis experience, a DOOR experience. The Spirit was convicting us, and we saw Jesus as the One who would bring us into peace and victory if we would repent. But we did not see the steps of consenting to conviction (brokenness and repentance, which we were taking) were not only the DOOR but also the WAY which we were to travel ever after. We certainly saw that those humbling steps were necessary to bring us into the state of peace and fellowship with God which we needed, but we did not expect to have to repeat them very often."

Following Christ is a continual process of each and every day saying, "Jesus, I humble myself before You. Jesus, I am Your servant and I love You. Jesus, use me to accomplish Your plan in the world. Not my will but Yours be done."

But instead of seeking Jesus, we seek the blessings and results that we expect from Jesus. Hession says, "Oh God,' the intensely earnest soul will pray, 'I will pay any cost to have revival, to enjoy Your power on my ministry.' But in the shadows often lurk subtle motives of self-interest and self-glory. Little wonder, then, that in spite of our agonizings in prayer, God has not allowed us to reach those ends. Even if our motives are quite free from self-interest, those things are not to be ends or reasons for which we get right with the Lord. Our END is to be the Lord Jesus Himself. The reason for getting right should not be that we might have revival, or power, or be used of God, or have this or that blessing, BUT THAT WE MIGHT HAVE HIM."

Prayer:

God, forgive me for the times that I have been more concerned about results than relationship. I confess my need for You. I give You each moment. Each breath, may it be of Your Spirit. Each word, may it be from Your tongue. Each thought, may it be surrendered to You. Each day is another opportunity to bring worship and honor to You.

And anything that I try to do for You, may it be void of any self-interest. I want to be the branch that is simply baring fruit from your True Vine.