The Perfect Act

Interesting title, yes? I just finished reading a book yesterday, which is called "The Garden at the Edge of Beyond" by Michael Phillips. It's very thought-provoking, a fictional story of a man's supernatural near-death experience and what he learns about life on earth and eternal life with God. Although the story itself is fictional, the teachings in the book are inspired and enlightening because they align with the truths of God's eternal Word.

Phillips drew from the writings of C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald in the writing of this book, and he devotes two chapters to expounding on the meaning of Matthew 5:48 -- "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (NASB)

I don't know about you, but I have always thought that although this is a command Jesus gave, that is was unattainable -- because I was thinking about my behavior and circumstances. How am I supposed to be perfect in this life, living in this sinful world? The insights I read in this little book were enlightening...

I'm going to try and summarize what he said in the book, but I will include a few quotes too, because I just can't say it as well as he did.

The character in the story is trying to understand what Jesus meant when He said, "Be perfect," and his guide in the garden tells him this:

"The Lord spoke neither naive nor idealistic injunctions. He gave only possible commands.

He expects us to become creatures that can and will obey Him in everything..

"Our Lord spoke not of sinlessness, but of the perfect act...not of perfection in the face of sin,

but of yielded abandonment of rule..

it was the yielded abandonment of self-rule that the Master modeled for us on the cross."

Jesus is our example -- we know this from Scripture -- and what He did in yielding His own will to the Father is something any man or woman can do as well. When we do this, give up our right to rule our own lives and live the way we want to, we allow our Heavenly Father's perfection to begin living in us. We begin to allow Him to shape us into what He wants us to be.

"God gave each of us a will, and that will becomes fully our own only when we offer it in loving sacrifice back to Him."

We will not be perfect in the endeavor to live selflessly, to surrender our will to God, and although this abandonment or yielding of our free will is what Phillips calls 'the perfect act,' on this earth it will never be a one-time event. We must continually, daily, moment by moment, surrender ourselves and our wills to God. And every time we do, we enter the realm of obedience to Jesus' seemingly impossible command.

Jesus Christ modeled this self-abandonment perfectly in Himself in order that we might be able to follow His example. And He has sent us the Holy Spirit, to live within us and help us beyond what our finite humanity is capable of doing. I like this quote from the book:

"The labor of the Son of God within the heart of every man and woman is for one purpose, to enable them to die as He died...to the rule of self."

God gave us the gift of being able to choose and think for ourselves, with a will that no one else can control unless we surrender it. But the most amazing thing about this gift is that we have the opportunity to yield this freedom, without force or manipulation, back into the hands of God and when we do, we find that He accomplishes greater things in and through us than we could ever have done if we fought to maintain control and power over our own lives!

Heavenly Father, once again I give You all that I am.

I surrender this day into Your hands, with all my desires, my plans, my hopes, my thoughts and my fears. I give You my will and choose to let You control my steps and guide me in the way that is pleasing to You.

Holy Spirit, please remind me that I am not my own when I am tempted to do things my way.

Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me the way and for making it possible - through Your death and resurrection - for me to be made perfect like You.

I long for the day when that perfection is realized, but in the meantime, please help me to remember that I have the choice and responsibility every day to yield myself to You and allow You to do the work You desire to complete in me.

In Your name, to the glory and praise of God, amen.

SWEET HAPPINESS

I believe that true happiness only comes from giving freely of ourselves to others in love. I think this is partly what the Apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote in Philippians 2:

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.

Jesus Himself also said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

Over the last few days, I have had the opportunity to give of my time, my energies and myself to others, and I have discovered that it has made me so happy to give just because I want them to know they are loved and cared for. I have been happier doing things for others than just pleasing myself, and so what began as a desire to bless someone else also became a blessing to me.

This reminds me of a passage from Hannah Hurnard's book 'Hinds' Feet on High Places:'

The Water Song

Come, oh come! Let us away –

Lower and lower every day.

From the heights we leap and flow

To the valleys down below.

Always answering to the call,

To the lowest place of all.

“I don’t understand,” said Much-Afraid after she had listened for awhile. “The water seems to be singing so gladly because it is hurrying to go down into the Valley, and yet You are calling me to the High Places. What does it mean?”

“The High Places,” answered the Shepherd, “are the starting place. It is only up on the High Places of Love that anyone can receive the power to pour himself out and give to others.”

Much-Afraid still didn’t really understand, but now as she listened she heard the wild flowers singing the same sort of song.

This is the law by which we live –

It is so sweet to give and give.

After that it seemed to Much-Afraid that all the little birds were singing the same kind of song.

This is the joy of all winged life above –

Happy it is to be able to love.

I also believe that it is because I have tasted the goodness of the Lord and been with Him that I have been enabled to give and give joyfully and happily, and I pray that this desire and passion continues to grow. How much our world would be transformed if the family of God lived this out day by day!

MEDITATIONS ON THE PSALMS - Psalm 20

The psalmist David is reminding the readers that Yahweh is the One in whom they trust for salvation.

Three times in this chapter, it references "the name of the Lord." This is significant, because we know that there is power in the name of God.

Psalm 124:8 says that "our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."
Proverbs 18:10 says that "the name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."

John 3:18 says that "whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
John 20:31 says: "But these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name."

In Acts 4:10, after the lame man was healed, Peter declared that "it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed."

In Philippians 2:10-11 it says that "at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

God's name is so precious to us as believers because we know the strength and faithfulness of our God. The psalmist says 3 things about the name of the Lord in this chapter:

"May the name of the God of Jacob defend you" ~ God's name is a defense for us against evil and wickedness and trouble.

"In the name of our God we will set up our banners" ~ We should rejoice in the name of God and proclaim it to those around us.

"Remember the name of the Lord our God" ~ Our trust is in God and we need to remember this - AND remember who He is and what He has done for us, how He has proved Himself - especially when we are tempted to believe otherwise.

I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh praise the greatness of our God! ~ Deuteronomy 32:3