DUDE, IT DOESN’T WORK LIKE THAT. LOL by William Keckler. REBLOG IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO KEEP YOUR TOES. I FOLLOW BACK LIKE A LONELY PUPPY ON PROZAC.
A willing heart adds feather to the heel
Joanna Baillie
thefigjig
Worship is Willing //
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God?s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather you together as a father protects his children, yet you aren’t willing to let Me.” - Matthew 23:37
Throughout?our walk in this life, one thing becomes more?apparent?than all else. We need Christ. We need a loving Father who will carry us when we are weak, we need a Steadfast God who will protect us from the Flaming Arrows like a mighty tower, we need a Redeemer to heal our pains. But in order to receive Him in, we must first open our hearts and surrender to Him. We need to stop trying to live this life on our own; the strongest we ever are is when we are on our knees, intimately pursuing God. “And you are not willing?to come to Me?so that you may have life…?I am the good shepherd.?The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 5:40, 10:11)”
One of the most touching parts of Jesus’ ministry was early on, when He first entered Galilee. Imagine the scene; a dusty and sunny day in the streets of Galilee. Shop signs sway in the gentle, yet scarce breeze. Merchants barter and shout their wares. People, streaming in and out of the many?capillaries?that compose the city entrances. A beggar, afflicted with leprosy is sitting near the gate, hoping to gather enough to coin to garner him an overpriced meal that night. You see, no one came near him: he was considered the walking dead. The Pharisees walk by with their noses upturned, the rich pretend he doesn’t exist. Then, a commotion erupts. The beggar looks up and sees a crowd approaching, shouting the name of Jesus. He has heard this name before, and he believes in the power that he?possesses. As quickly as he could he,?”came and knelt in front of Jesus,”?forcing his way through the crowd,?”begging to be healed.”?He looked up into Jesus’ eyes, curious and compassionate, and said,??If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.?
“Moved with compassion,?Jesus reached out and touched him.??I am willing,??he said.??Be made clean!”“
Hold on. Jesus touched the leper. Can you imagine how significant that is? The poor beggar has been mistreated and ignored ever since he caught the disease. No one showed him love, or compassion. Pity, but not mercy. Jesus touched this man, this representation of living death and completely restored him.
Because He was willing.
The beggar was willing in faith to believe that Jesus could heal him, but he was willing to keep enduring if the answer was no. He would glorify God either way.
In the same way, we are the walking dead before we turn to Christ. Sin?separates?us from God, hides us from His loving gaze. Be willing to surrender to Christ, regardless of the circumstance or trial. Be willing to persevere, to be patient. God will honor you for it. Be willing to follow God every step of the way.
We must be willing to let go of the life we planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. ~ Joseph Campbell
