Reading Henry Scougal - thoughts on true religion

"forced and artificial religion is commonly heavy and languid, like the motion of a weight forced upward: it is cold and spiritless, like the uneasy compliance of a wife married against her will, who carries it dutifully toward the husband whom she doth not love, out of some sense of virtue or honor. Hence also this religion is scant and niggardly, especially in those duties which do greates violence to men's carnal inclinations, and those slavish spirits will be sure to do no more than is absolutely required ...they will ever be putting such glosses on it, as may leave themselves the greatest liberty: whereas the spirit of true reliegion is frank and liberal, far from such peevish and narrow reckoning; and he who hath given hiself entirely unto God, will never think he doth too much for him."

- from The Life of God in the Soul of Man by Rev. Henry Scougal (A book I bought from the book shop at Covenant Fellowship Church, where we visited two Sundays ago.)

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These thoughts exactly complimented the Scripture I read this morning, from Paul's letter to Philemon:

"I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord...Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say." - Philemon 1:14, 21 ESV

I want to be a person like that. It comes from having the love of God in me.

Surviving or Abounding?

In the past days as we've finished off all the details of leaving Guyana and are trying to tackle all the details of getting adjusted to life back in the states, I have found myself living with a survival mindset. Of course some of that is necessary, but merely surviving is not the fullness of life that God desires for His children - He wants us to look not only to our own interests but also to the interests of others. Or, as I've been reading in Titus, He wants His people to abound in good works

"Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works"

"Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us...to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."

"Remind them...to be ready for every good work"

"I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works"

Good works do not commend me to God or atone for my sins - as Titus 3 says: "he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy"- but good works are the occupation of the redeemed, the proof of the divine nature indwelling me, the pathway of joy and blessing.

So my desire in these days is to focus not so much on getting my needs taken care of, but on doing the delightful will of God for His glory and the good of my fellow man. Thank God that He is the one who works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure.

All Scriptures from English Standard Version

Moving

We are moving out. The house is jumbled and emptier by the hour. This picture was taken yesterday as we packed up all the kitchen stuff.

It was a tiring day after a late night New Year's Eve service. The thoughts from Robert Murray McCheyne, which are in my last post have come to mind many times over these past days, and I sing, "Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land... a shelter in the time of storm."

In a few hours, Lord-willing, the first installment of our family will be leaving to stay somewhere else until we fly on Friday. Strange days, tired days, busy days are just more days to take refuge in Jesus - the rock in a weary land, the shelter in the time of storm, the One who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

"The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint."

- Isaiah 40:28:31 ESV