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A season for dung
by Adam Bennett Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest. (Proverbs 14:4 NLT) Many of us hope life will be simple, clean and free from dung (feel free to insert your own descriptor). But, this wise and earthy proverb, reminds us that a fruitful life - the Christian life - is not characterised by clean inactivity. Another wise man, the writer of Ecclesiastes, knew life consists of all sorts of experiences. He wrote the famous words, "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven," (3:1 NLT) and then proceeded to paint a series of opposing scenarios, all of which fall within the scope of God's plan and normal human experience. There is a season for dung... because the only way life can be completely clean is if we are dead. Instead of a clean but stagnant 'life' God wants us to grow and bear fruit. Paul was glad to see the growth in the Thessalonians and wrote, "we can't help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing." (2 Thessalonians 1:3 NLT). Similarly, Peter wrote, "if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:8 ESV) Paul fully expected life to be difficult for Christians. He wrote, "we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know." (1 Thessalonians 3:4 ESV) Paul explained himself by saying, "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves." (2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT) On this subject Spurgeon preached, "One of the best ways of climbing to heaven is on our hands and knees... Let your lowliness of heart, your sense of utter nothingness, instead of disqualifying you, be a sweet medium for leading you to receive more of Christ... the more I feel my sickness, the more shall I adore and bless him when he makes me while." Copyright Adam Bennett 2009. More articles are available at http://godward-thoughts.blogspot.com/ Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |