A colleague and Christian brother of mine (who also happens to be one of my very best friends, behind Victoria) just sent me this quote from J. I. Packer's "Knowing God" (one of my top-ten books that I read many years ago). It hit me so powerfully that I just had to post it here:
"A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives or dies, whether he has health or sickness, whether he is rich or poor, whether he pleases man or gives offense, whether he is thought wise or foolish, whether he gets blame or praise, whether he gets honor or shame--for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God's glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it--he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal."
May we all be consumed by this one thing, to please the One who is the One.
Burning,
"A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives or dies, whether he has health or sickness, whether he is rich or poor, whether he pleases man or gives offense, whether he is thought wise or foolish, whether he gets blame or praise, whether he gets honor or shame--for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God's glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it--he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal."May we all be consumed by this one thing, to please the One who is the One.
Burning,
2 comments:
Wow, that's a really great quote. I needed to hear that today, THANKS!!
You said it so well; " be consumed" to please Him. What an awesome example you and Victoria have been through this process.
Thanks for your faithfulness to writing daily and inspiring us here back home.
The Fate's
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