Thursday, September 27, 2007

Rejoicing Yet Burdened

I rejoice in the Lord, for He has rescued me. I was saved (justified), I am saved (sanctification) and I will be saved (glorification). All of this salvation is from Him, and to Him goes all the praise and glory. I am a wretched sinner, deserving only judgement and hell forever. Yet, even while an enemy, He loved me and bore my punishment, paid my debt to a holy and righteous and just God, and reconciled me to Himself. In these things I rejoice. Now, by His infinite mercy and grace, I enjoy God and delight in Him. He is my Savior, my Lord and King, but He is also my Father, my Papa as Paul writes. I rejoice in HIM.
At the same time I am burdened. I have a burden for my brothers and sisters. I have a burden for my lost neighbors. Many of my brothers and sisters in Christ seemingly allow the enemy to steal their joy and their delight. I wonder where they are when the people of God gather to pray for one another? I wonder where they are when the messenger that God has sent to them brings a message, yet they will not come to hear. I am burdened because many have given up meeting together. When this happens blessings are missed, the enemy wins, we remain stagnant or atrophy in our Christian growth, lives become fruitless and weak. Churches become fruitless and weak. Oh how I long that my dear brothers and sisters in Christ will so love and treasure their Savior, their Father, Who has so blessed and loves them, that they will not be able to contain themselves and cannot wait to come and rejoice in the Lord and grow in the grace and knowledge of Him. Heaven will be thus.

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