A servant of God must stand so very much alone that he never realizes he is alone. In the early stages of the Christian life, disappointments will come— people who used to be lights will flicker out, and those who used to stand with us will turn away. We have to get so used to it that we will not even realize we are standing alone. Paul said, “. . . no one stood with me, but all forsook me . . . . But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me . . .” (2 Timothy 4:16-17 ). We must build our faith not on fading lights but on the Light that never fails. When “important” individuals go away we are sad, until we see that they are meant to go, so that only one thing is left for us to do— to look into the face of God for ourselves.
Allow nothing to keep you from looking with strong determination into the face of God regarding yourself and your doctrine. And every time you preach make sure you look God in the face about the message first, then the glory will remain through all of it. A Christian servant is one who perpetually looks into the face of God and then goes forth to talk to others. The ministry of Christ is characterized by an abiding glory of which the servant is totally unaware— “. . . Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him” ( Exodus 34:29 ).
We are never called on to display our doubts openly or to express the hidden joys and delights of our life with God. The secret of the servant’s life is that he stays in tune with God all the time.
Andrew,
Thank you very much for this thoughtful and inspiring reflection. I appreciate deeply your encouragement to remain focused completely on God. Change is hard on me as well, and sometimes it is very easy to lapse into nostalgia and wish for the way things were, especially when it involves people we love. However, your determination to focus primarily on God must always remain of utmost importance.
Thanks for the reminder!
Andrés . . .
Yes, thank you for the reminder. Looking to Him with everything in us IS all that really matters. Many times we find ourselves wading through very deep waters . . . but we’re just trying to get Home.
It’s going to be worth it – not just graduating, getting a job, doing ministry . . . but seeing Jesus “cara a cara.” May our focus be ever and always clear and our love for Him burn deeply.
Te quiero y te aprecio mucho.
(Just a few more days . . . )