The Set-Up for the Night
On March 25th we had the unique privilege of having a night of worship and advocacy, and many from Charlottesville, VA and the surrounding area came to join our hearts and voices to God in both an attitude of surrender to Him, as well as a desire to reorder our lives in order to more fully carry out God’s proclamations from the Word. As could be expected, Satan was active that week leading up to the night itself, distracting, discouraging, and doing his best to take away from any good that might occur then, or in the future. But, true to God’s economy, that only fed the fire of need and desire to worship as a community that night. Many Scriptures were read, and spoken from memory, hymns and worship songs were sung together, led by Alex Mejias, and his terrific cohorts Ben, Davis and Harrison. Folks of all ages came, and God’s Word was exalted. Thank you to those of you who came to be a part, and for those of you who missed it, we have a list of Scriptures we can send you that you can pray through on your own.
Now, let me share some Scripture and words from the missionary to India, Amy Carmichael, who seems never to be swayed by people’s discouraging words, or Satan’s darts, even though we know this can’t be completely true.., but she doesn’t seem to give that away.
Jesus…cried in a loud voice, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me- who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on me- as the Scripture has said, ‘Out from his innermost being springs of living water shall continuously flow.’” John 7:37-38 Amplified
What does it mean to say, God’s true emissary is a ‘Nazirite’? A Nazirite was one who made a special vow- the vow of one who is willing to be separated from worldly pursuits and snares- to separate himself totally so he may be put to service by the Lord. The special vow meant total abstinence, even from certain things which were not wrong in themselves and which, to other people, might actually be beneficial. “As long as he is a Nazirite, he must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins” (Numbers 6:4) Not even the seeds or skins? How often have we, as Christians, heard other Christians ask- in reference to certain books, or pursuits, or recreations- “What’s the harm in it? And really the question is, “What’s the harm in it- even if it is unprofitable?”
“Surely there is no harm in recreation?” I have often heard this question asked, in a tone of reproach or surprise or disgust, depending on the frame of mind of the questioner. To this, I must answer: “No, there is no harm in recreation-if by that you mean a pastime that will re-equip you for future work, and will not cause a leakage of spiritual power.” We must have a fresh in-flooding of life for soul and body too, or we will dry up and be like deserts in a desert. The real question, however, is this: Where are we to find our fresh springs of life?
“Glorious things are said of you, O city of God…All my springs of joy are in you!” Psalm 87:3,7
Can you or I say the same thing, truthfully? Or is it not a fact that, quite without our realizing it, certain forms of “recreation” have taken hold of us and hinder rather than help?
On this point, I must remember that I am not dealing with the question of what is right or wrong for another- any other- but whether, as God’s emissary, I have something to learn from the special vow of separation taken by the Nazirites. The essence of that vow, remember, is to abstain from things that, in themselves, were lawful and permissible but were not expedient. Even raisins were contraband. Surely there is no harm in raisins!
Those of us who are God’s emissaries are to treat the world (not just its corruptions, but its legitimate joys, its privileges and blessings also), as a thing to be touched at a distance. We must be aware at all times that, if we are caught by its spirit, or fed by its meat, we will lose our sensitivity to the very breath of the Highest and will no longer receive the manna that falls from heaven to feed our souls.
It is not that He forbids us this or that indulgence or comfort; not that He is stern, calling us to a life of harsh asceticism, as if that would make Him more pleased with us. No, it is that we who love our Lord, and we whose affections are set on the things that are heaven for us today, will voluntarily and gladly lay aside things that charm the world, so that we may be charmed and ravished with the things of heaven. Then our whole being may be poured forth in constant and unreserved devotion in serving our Lord, who died to save us.
Therefore, we may bind ourselves to God with the kind of vow that commits us to this: to look upon the world, in all its delights and attractions, suspecting that traps are set there for us, reserving ourselves for a higher way. The world is not for us.
We are called to live daily in a higher Kingdom where we are touched and our souls
drink from the Spirit of God.
My Father, so often I feel restless. Unsatisfied. Wanting something more. I try to satisfy my inner thirst for life in ways that don’t satisfy- that only leave me thirstier still. Maybe underneath, I don’t really believe you are what you say you are: Life itself, pure-flowing. Today, Father, help me to “cleave” to you-to embrace you fully with my trust. To see the things that draw me for the mirage they are. And to drink more deeply from your spring of living water.
by Amy Carmichael, in God’s Missionary, pages 4-5
As I think back to Open Your Mouth, our Night of Worship and Advocacy, I pray more deeply for us, and for you, our reader, that you would drink more deeply from your spring of Living Water, to ‘cleave’ to God, and trust Him more and more fully this day. That we would truly believe You are who You say You are, Life Itself. With Amy Carmichael, may we look for the traps the world tries to trap us with, and reserve ourselves for a higher way. Your way, O God.
