Such Cowards

There is much emphasis today on empathizing with others’ feelings, and on the candid confession or expression of those feelings.  Jesus was “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb 4:15).  He was not a high priest, “unable to sympathize with our weaknesses” (Heb 4:15).  But we need to be reminded of what His responses were to people’s feelings.  For example, when the disciples panicked because a storm was sending waves right over the boat they were in, Jesus’ first response to their desperate, “Save us, Lord, we’re sinking!” was, “Why are you such cowards?”  Cowardliness reveals faithlessness.  “Why is it that you have no faith?” was Jesus’ next question.

Medical science has discovered many connections between psychological stress and physical maladies.  Fear is perhaps one of the most destructive emotions.  The knowledge that Jesus is in the boat with us ought to put us at rest – even if waves are breaking right over us.  Let’s not be such cowards!  Let’s trust Him.  He’s got the whole world and even the wind, even the waves, even my problems –in His hand!

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

Strength For Anything

Paul writes to the Christians in Philippi about his prison experience, but without any descriptive detail.  He might have dwelt on how dreadful the place was and how uncomfortable to be in stocks or chained to two guards.  His letter is filled with joy, with loving concern, with gratitude.  He cheers those who were probably trying to think of ways to cheer him.  He has been “very thoroughly initiated into the human lot with all its ups and downs” (Phil 4:12), and assures his friends, “I have strength for anything through him who gives me power” (v.13). 

Think of those words!  Strength for anything.  They are for us today.  Something, perhaps, looms ominously in our imagination.  “I’ll never be able to do that,”  “What will we do if….,”  “She won’t be able to stand it if…,”  “I can’t take it.”   For any such threat, remember who it was who gave Paul strength.  He stood by him in his cell.  He stands by you today.  He will give you strength for anything ---if you ask Him for it.  Don’t be afraid.  It is always possible to do God’s will.

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

Something Much Smaller

Has it ever happened with you that you have asked God to show you what He wants done about a certain matter, and His answer seems to be, “I am concerned now with something much smaller”?  He sometimes shows me that the thing that looms large in importance to me is not nearly so important to God just now.  He would rather I please Him in some “minor” thing.  This is the thing that matters at the moment.

A husband or wife may be thinking of some special occasion when he or she can demonstrate love, but what the other longs for is something much smaller----some word or touch or look of tenderness.  The big occasion, the expensive gift, may appear empty of meaning unless the love is evident in little ways day by day. 

 

The life of Christ, if it is not be lived daily, is lived out in love.  This love will manifest in our desire to offer up every least thing to Him, to do the smallest task faithfully, confess the “little” sins quickly, be strict with our minutes as well as our hours.

 

          “Do your love me?”  Jesus asks.

          “Why, of course, Lord ---look what I did for you last Sunday at church!”

          “But child ---I am looking for something much smaller.”

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

So High and So Low

We are prone to consider ourselves too busy (with important things, of course), too qualified (we have gifts, training, experience, responsibilities that few others have), too intelligent, to bother with small things.  We exercise ourselves in matters too high for us, thus missing some of the “low”” things God would teach us.  Who are we, anyway?  What is this pride of ours?  Consider Him, “Who sets his throne so high but deigns to look down so low”  (Ps. 113:6).

           
This is what Love does.  It never considers its own greatness or another’s weakness.  Forgetting itself, it gives freely, and gives and gives and gives again. 

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot 

Small Change

We have promised the Lord our loyalty and lifelong obedience, “at any cost.”  We imagine perhaps having to pay the high price of death itself ---losing our loved ones, or losing our own lives in the line of service.  We are not prepared for the “low” costs of the spiritual life, the petty sacrifices we must make daily (according to the wish of another in some simple thing, saying no to ourselves about a piece of cake, for example), if we are to follow faithfully.  We keep the small change in our pockets, as it were, instead of gladly turning it over to Him who can multiply even a widow’s “mite” for blessing.  She who gives is blessed as well as ---no, even more than ---the ones who receive. 

           
Lord, if I overlook the “pennies” You give me to give back to You, You will never be able to ask me to give You the dollars.  Make me faithful every hour of every day in that which looks trivial a the moment.

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

Sit Quietly

Of the two sisters whom Jesus visited often, it seems that Martha was the take-charge one.  Perhaps she was the older. She was the one who made Jesus welcome (Luke 10:38) and felt responsible for the meal, while Mary sat herself down to listen to Jesus.  Martha fretted and fussed.  This called forth a rebuke from Jesus.  Nobody needs to fret and fuss about anything. 

          

The Israelites were rebuked for “turmoil and tumult and all their restless ways” (Ezekiel 7:11).  It had caused all sorts of abominations--- insolence, injustice, violence.

           
Pascal once observed that most of man’s troubles resulted from his inability to sit quietly in his room.  It is worth thinking about.  Today’s turmoil and trouble may be seen in God’s perspective if we will take time, go into a room and shut the door, and be quiet before Him.  He is God.  He is in charge.  Be still and know that.

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

Recognition

The temptation comes at us daily in some form or other to stand on our so-called rights, to desire to be appreciated for what we think we are, and to be given our “proper” place.  This was what the mother of James and John was looking for---not for herself, but (for a mother this comes to almost the same thing) for her sons.  She asked Jesus to assign them seats in heaven (see Matt. 20).  Jesus answered that the privilege was not His to grant.  He used the incident to teach the lesson we need every day: don’t bother about making the weight of your “authority” felt.  Forget about “who you are.”  Don’t give a moment’s thought to rights if you are in earnest about following Me, for I am the one, remember, who came to serve and to give up---not only My position with the Father, not only all My “rights” and My very glory, but My life.  Do you feel you deserve to be first?   Be a servant.  Give up everything.  Together, then, we will enter into joy!

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot