Steps to Christ THE LONG ROUTE TO GOD
As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Eze. 33:11.
There are many who refuse the short route of coming to God, the deliberate search and study into the life and character of Christ where God's love is revealed. Probably most of us take the long route. It's too bad, because it's not God's plan. But it's there. It's the route of trouble, ulcers, teetering on the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge. It's a long life of heartache and trouble, of pain and frustration.
It took the thief on the cross the marathon run all the way to the gallows before he was willing to listen. Then he heard the friendly words, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And there it was, in the presence of the love of God, at the moment of his extremity, that he finally came to the moment of truth.
Saul had resisted. He had tried to escape the memory of a dying man at whom they were throwing rocks, who had said, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Yet finally on the road to Damascus his heart was broken, and he faced the love he had been running away from.
Nicodemus waited for three years. It wasn't until the Friend he must have intended to get better acquainted with--someday--was crucified that he finally understood the love that had been offered to him, and he accepted the offer as he and Joseph removed the bruised body of Jesus from the cross.
"Oh," you may say, "if we have all these ways of escape, and the human heart is running from God, what are we going to do?" Just remember that God is running after us. His appeal to you today is to let Him find you, by faith, as the Bible says, not of yourselves. Even faith is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8). "His ear is open to the cry of the contrite soul. The very first reaching out of the heart after God is known to Him. Never a prayer is offered, however faltering, never a tear is shed, however secret, never a sincere desire after God is cherished, however feeble, but the Spirit of God goes forth to meet it. Even before the prayer is uttered or the yearning of the heart is made known, grace from Christ goes forth to meet the grace that is working upon the human soul."--Christ's Object Lessons, p. 206.
As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Eze. 33:11.
There are many who refuse the short route of coming to God, the deliberate search and study into the life and character of Christ where God's love is revealed. Probably most of us take the long route. It's too bad, because it's not God's plan. But it's there. It's the route of trouble, ulcers, teetering on the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge. It's a long life of heartache and trouble, of pain and frustration.
It took the thief on the cross the marathon run all the way to the gallows before he was willing to listen. Then he heard the friendly words, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And there it was, in the presence of the love of God, at the moment of his extremity, that he finally came to the moment of truth.
Saul had resisted. He had tried to escape the memory of a dying man at whom they were throwing rocks, who had said, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Yet finally on the road to Damascus his heart was broken, and he faced the love he had been running away from.
Nicodemus waited for three years. It wasn't until the Friend he must have intended to get better acquainted with--someday--was crucified that he finally understood the love that had been offered to him, and he accepted the offer as he and Joseph removed the bruised body of Jesus from the cross.
"Oh," you may say, "if we have all these ways of escape, and the human heart is running from God, what are we going to do?" Just remember that God is running after us. His appeal to you today is to let Him find you, by faith, as the Bible says, not of yourselves. Even faith is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8). "His ear is open to the cry of the contrite soul. The very first reaching out of the heart after God is known to Him. Never a prayer is offered, however faltering, never a tear is shed, however secret, never a sincere desire after God is cherished, however feeble, but the Spirit of God goes forth to meet it. Even before the prayer is uttered or the yearning of the heart is made known, grace from Christ goes forth to meet the grace that is working upon the human soul."--Christ's Object Lessons, p. 206.
RSS Feed
