Read and pray: "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe" (Prov 29:25)
The way of consecration is a way of suffering, of sacrifice, in which everything that belongs to us is shipwrecked. Some consecrate themselves in order to gain the compassion of others and thus reduce their own suffering. These believers have lost their consecration. It is shameful to seek help from others in order to lessen our suffering.
Those who are truly consecrated need to learn not to seek help from others. We prefer to suffer before the Lord than to seek help from others, and we would rather go hungry for three days in a row than let others know of our need. However, this is not our current reality. Some, when suffering very little, already desire to be noticed by others and receive help from them. This indicates that their consecration is not as strong as it once was.
The first group of servants among us did not seek help from others. They even told people that they would not choose the way of receiving help from others. They had the ability to make money in the world, but for love of the Lord, they did not go to the world to obtain it. Such was the situation and character of those who served at the very beginning.
Unfortunately, some among us now fear not being able to get help. It seems that shame for us now is not receiving help. But it is a glory that others do not care for us, because we serve the Lord full-time. It is not glorious to seek help and compassion from others; on the contrary, it is shameful.
We will become deplorable parasites if we always expect help from others. As a result, some may rebuke us, claiming that we are parasites of society, since we depend on others for our sustenance. This indicates that our consecration is not firm. However, this does not mean that the saints should not love and care for the servants of the Lord.
For many years, the older co-workers upheld the principle that we do not enjoy nor feel grateful for the help we directly receive from others. We do not want to receive any contribution directly from the hands of men.
Those who feel responsible for our care should offer through the offering box. We want to receive our supply directly from the hands of God. One person once asked a brother, who served full-time, how much in offering he had received that week. This type of question is an insult to those who serve full-time. We should look straight into the eyes of the one asking and tell them that this is none of their business. Their question does not reflect love for those who serve the Lord; on the contrary, it is an offense. A person who is genuinely interested should contribute by placing the offering in the proper box without asking how much a servant of the Lord receives. These are inappropriate questions.
The wife of a brother who serves once said that her husband received only a few dollars per week. This led others to feel that they should help him find a job. This is shameful. Since this couple was willing to follow this path, they should not complain. Those who serve the Lord should not act this way. Those who choose to follow this path must know that it is a path of suffering and poverty. They should not expect to have a prosperous life. The Lord never said that those who choose this path will have food to eat and a good life. Instead, He said that we must leave everything to follow Him. We must even lose our lives. This is the way of consecration.
It is glorious when we can live by faith for an entire year without anyone showing concern for us. However, there are situations where those who serve ask for help from others. When we are in this condition, we can do the work of institutionalized Christianity, but not the work of building up the church. When we build up the church, our fame, reputation, being, and family will be shipwrecked. Our reputation, what we are, and what we have need to be buried. The apostle Paul suffered shipwreck for the Lord; and the Lord gained his everything.
The Lord Jesus can lead people to shipwreck. Many lives have already been shipwrecked because of Him. This is a matter of consecration, of paying the price; this is what it means to say: "I fill up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body, which is the church" (Col 1:24).
We need to consider the matter of consecration and the price we must pay. Those in institutionalized Christianity do not follow this way. We need to be ready to be shipwrecked for Christ. We should not evaluate things according to our natural thoughts. We should not consider our profession, marriage, family, or studies according to natural thinking.
The situation of the first apostles, of the Christians who took part in the life of the early church, and of those who have followed the Lord through the centuries certainly cannot be considered normal. We can only be considered normal if we do not consecrate ourselves and do not walk the way of consecration. All the ways of consecration are certainly abnormal.
For example, the parents of Sister Dora Yu sent her to England to study medicine. However, when the ship she was on arrived at the port of Marseille, France, she told the captain that she needed to return to China to preach the gospel. This is abnormal. We cannot walk a normal path in our human life. If we follow a normal path, we will not be able to walk the way of consecration. Let us all see that the way of serving the Lord is the way of consecration. There is nothing normal about this way; on the contrary, everything in it is abnormal.
Enjoy more: Hymn 213
No comments:
Post a Comment