Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Holistic Imperatives for Life

UV 2885/10000 Holistic Imperatives for Life

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Romans 12 v 12

The Lord delights in building people of character in the mould of Jesus who are meant not only to enjoy good times but for all seasons. Three phrases stringed together as life imperatives in this uni-verse sums up how a person who trusts in Jesus can be fruitful in all seasons of his life: in normal times, in times of affliction, persecution and hardship and in times of fear, doubt and challenges. Very often all these three circumstances come together at different times of the same day. Our hope in Jesus not our pleasant or unpleasant circumstances are the cause and source of our strength and joy. Christ in us is the hope of the glorious and eternal life both now and in forever land. It makes the blessings that we enjoy on earth something lasting and not mere fleeting illusions. It is the cause for constant gladness and thanksgiving.

In a season of good news and comfort, we should rejoice and praise the Lord. In a season of afflictions and suffering, we should be patient and endure it with the hope that it will soon cease. In all seasons, we ought to pray with thanksgiving, making known our requests to the Lord. In seasons of suffering, we should wait for the Lord and seek Him. We should wait with hope and patience. We should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord to be manifested in that situation from which we seek relief. He will surely comfort us in every way. He will counsel us and give us the peace that is beyond the comprehension of our minds. The assurance or confidence that the Lord will save us in any situation and from every affliction fills us with both hope and joy.

The power of the Holy Spirit which anoints us or covers us fills us with overflowing joy and peace that bubbles forth from our hearts like living streams of water. Through the whole process of life –through both enjoyment and suffering, through happiness and suffering, He builds the character of Jesus- the patience of the Lord in us. Christ endured extreme suffering on the cross and in the events preceding it and yet He was resurrected to take a seat of glory in heaven next to the Father. Hence, our suffering too is not in vain. It will lead to us sharing in the glorious inheritance with Christ.

Like Joseph fled from the adulterous woman, we should flee from the sinful pleasures and temptations of this adulterous world and prefer to suffer the accusations and repercussions of our so fleeing from the world and pursuing righteousness, goodness and godliness. We should not expect instant gratification of our desires. Rather, every instant we should be praying in the spirit, communing with the Lord, remembering the word the Holy Spirit places in our mind to meditate on. Scriptures build the patience of character in us even as our faith is tested in the crucible of suffering in this world. Like a farmer waits patiently over many months to see and rejoice in the fruit of his labour of ploughing, sowing, watering, tending and reaping, we too should wait for the seed of the promise of the Lord to grow before we are able to reap or obtain the promise. Like the farmer continues to toil all through the year with hope of a good harvest, we too should continue our labour of love with hope.

Prateep V Philip

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