Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Stepping into following

Leaving the Stanford celebrations: From the sumptuous receptions at night by the fountains, the enormous and extravagant Commencement ceremony, the small and intimate department awards, quiet conversations in shady groves,.... and heading back to my job with the County. What a study in contrasts! From the highly motivated and youthfully optimistic in the California sun to the basement of the Courthouse pulling staples. As I asked the Lord how to accomplish this transition gracefully, I received the following.

“Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
Mark 1:17
  • “If you will give God your right to yourself (Rom 12:1), He will make a Holy experiment out of you. God's experiments always succeed.”

  • “It is God who engineers circumstances, consequently there is no whine but a reckless abandon to Jesus.” (Excerpts from My Utmost for His Highest, June 13)

God is not asking me to give Him my gifts; God is asking me to commit wholly to Him where He has placed me, to follow His Son.

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:4
Posted by at

2 comments:

Emmett said...

As I was growing up, all that I craved was to have my earthly father tell me that he was proud of me and delighted in me. Instead, all I heard as a younger brother, was that I was not as good as him in what I strived to be like him and that I should have quit sooner.

That was a devestating blow to me and my heart. Please remember to delight in your other son in this time. He is very proud of his brother and loves him deeply, but may not feel that you feel the same about him.

In the past few weeks I have found that as I have persued the hearts of those around me, from Jana to friends and family, I have felt the delight of my Father in Heaven in me.

Jana came to visit me one day at work, and when I got home she apologized to me to have to be in such a job as very few that really know me could imagine me in. I love it because it is a field ripe for the picking, and I am a minimum wage worker loving every minute under the Son!

9:42:00 AM
Mark Polhamus said...

Emmett,

You are absolutely right about celebrating Ben. He is in a tough spot for a number of reasons. I make a conscious choice to not applaud Aaron around Ben, and to focus on the good things unique to Ben. Recently we through Ben a 'going away party' as he left for Alaska - it was wonderful to gather 12 other men who could affirm him, and then, the next night, to send him off with hugs and a father's blessing.

Thanks for asking - I have certainly failed in this area in the past.

3:38:00 PM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)