The Holy Spirit LIFE'S GREAT CRISIS
Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Luke 20:18.
What kind of crisis is the surrender of the will? On the basis of the experience of Bible characters, we are going to take the position that absolute surrender will be a big crisis for those who have failed in the little crises.
This principle is true of life in general. If a child fails to learn his multiplication tables, there is going to be a big crisis when he reaches college calculus. If a parachutist has never made any practice jumps, there is going to be a big crisis when he is 10,000 feet up in the air and the pilot says, "Jump!" Scuba diving can be a big crisis for someone who is afraid to get into the bathtub.
For the young person who finds ways to use a pay phone without putting in the money, or who helps himself to a candy bar from the local grocery store, the day may come when he is called into court to face a charge of grand larceny. No innocent baby goes from cradle to becoming a criminal in one big jump. One reason that Abraham finally found himself in the big crisis with Isaac on the mountaintop was because he had failed in a series of smaller ones. The reason why Peter, after denying Jesus, found himself grinding his face in the dirt in Gethsemane, wishing he could die, was because he had failed in smaller tests before that time. We are told inThe Desire of Ages, page 383, that if Peter had learned his lesson in some of the smaller tests, he would not have failed when the big test came upon him.
"Day by day God instructs His children. By the circumstances of the daily life He is preparing them to act their part upon the wider stage to which His providence has appointed them. It is the issue of the daily test that determines their victory or defeat in life's great crisis."--Ibid.
There are a series of little events, all based upon one issue: Am I going to trust God or myself? If I continue to fall and to fail the little tests, I can plan on a big wrestling with the angel some night by the brook Jabbok. If you are curious as to how you will fare in the big crisis, check to see how you are doing on the little ones day by day, and you will have your answer.
Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Luke 20:18.
What kind of crisis is the surrender of the will? On the basis of the experience of Bible characters, we are going to take the position that absolute surrender will be a big crisis for those who have failed in the little crises.
This principle is true of life in general. If a child fails to learn his multiplication tables, there is going to be a big crisis when he reaches college calculus. If a parachutist has never made any practice jumps, there is going to be a big crisis when he is 10,000 feet up in the air and the pilot says, "Jump!" Scuba diving can be a big crisis for someone who is afraid to get into the bathtub.
For the young person who finds ways to use a pay phone without putting in the money, or who helps himself to a candy bar from the local grocery store, the day may come when he is called into court to face a charge of grand larceny. No innocent baby goes from cradle to becoming a criminal in one big jump. One reason that Abraham finally found himself in the big crisis with Isaac on the mountaintop was because he had failed in a series of smaller ones. The reason why Peter, after denying Jesus, found himself grinding his face in the dirt in Gethsemane, wishing he could die, was because he had failed in smaller tests before that time. We are told inThe Desire of Ages, page 383, that if Peter had learned his lesson in some of the smaller tests, he would not have failed when the big test came upon him.
"Day by day God instructs His children. By the circumstances of the daily life He is preparing them to act their part upon the wider stage to which His providence has appointed them. It is the issue of the daily test that determines their victory or defeat in life's great crisis."--Ibid.
There are a series of little events, all based upon one issue: Am I going to trust God or myself? If I continue to fall and to fail the little tests, I can plan on a big wrestling with the angel some night by the brook Jabbok. If you are curious as to how you will fare in the big crisis, check to see how you are doing on the little ones day by day, and you will have your answer.
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