Desk of Dennis Piller
2/22/2022
God does His best work in the places we least expect.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes, he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”- 2 Corinthians 8:9
One cannot even imagine what Christ gave up to clothe himself in flesh…for US. How often am I willing to take less so that someone else can have more? How often am I willing to give up the seat, to give up the right, to forego that item so money could be spent helping someone instead? How often am I willing to lay my life down in love for someone else? To have less so that others can have more?
He came to do the will of the Father. That meant leaving wealth, and peace indescribable to die the most horrible death imaginable… Why? because his love is so unfathomable. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” – John 6:38
Mary decided to obey God. Today we would call her a Christian but was stigmatized her whole life as having an unplanned baby, out of wedlock, that was pretty serious stuff back then. God blessed her but her life was anything but easy. You might be thinking that right now too. The path you are in is dire. Cancer, jobless, carless, marriage problems, … is this God’s will for my life? We also may be missing some of the comforts of home by doing the right thing before God.
How can we say, “It could never be God’s will for me to be sick”? If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son (Isaiah 53:10), why shouldn’t He bruise us?
Jesus was born in the stable of obedience and not the nursery of blessings. But Jesus changed the world in that stable. He chose the cross instead of heaven. Regardless of where you are today, he wants to draw you closer to himself.
His purpose? Be one with God himself.
I read this small piece and the prayer that followed that said so much.
WHAT CAUSES US TO LEAVE GOD'S RICHES BEHIND?
We may have as much of God as we will. Christ puts the key of the treasure-chamber into our hand, and bids us take all that we want. If a man is admitted into the bullion vault of a bank, and told to help himself, and comes out with one cent, whose fault is it that he is poor? Whose fault is it that Christian people generally have such scanty portions of the free riches of God?
–McLaren
God’s purpose is not to perfect us to make us a trophy in His showcase; "He is getting us to the place where He can use us. Let Him do what He wants.”– Oswald Chambers
God,
Remind me that love is always near, because You are never far.
When I feel unworthy of love, remind me that You have made me worthy. And when I feel incapable of showing love, help me to remember what You’ve sacrificed for me.
Remind me of how loved I am so I can remind others of how loved they are.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Casting Crowns One more song for you
