Salvation comes from the LORD
My body grows weaker but my faith grows stronger. My physical eyes become dimmer while my spiritual vision becomes sharper. Pride yields to pain; Humility and obedience bring personal joy unspeakable, glory to God, and hope to others.
I long to go Home. But there’s work to do. Paul says it better than I:
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain
If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
(Philippians 1:20-27a, NIV)
The messages of the OT prophets were, usually, not well received by people who were proud. The people were unwilling to listen because they were unwilling to submit. They thought highly of themselves, attempted to justify themselves, believed their own thoughts and feelings rather than what God was telling them through His chosen vessels.
We are all like those people.
God is speaking to us clearly right now. We don’t hear His word to us because we feel justified and righteous in ourselves.
Justified and righteous in His Strength and by His grace alone we would be humble and yielded to Him. Then we would hear Him and rejoice in His Word to us.
Sometimes I feel like Paul, torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far, but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
Other times I feel more like a reluctant prophet, wanting to flee to Tarshish lest my tongue be cut out.
But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.
(Jonah 2:9, NIV) (This prayer is from the most famous of the reluctant prophets.)
