“I obtained my highest wishes, but was surprised to find that I had grasped a shadow”, said young Henry Martyn, an English prodigy born late in the 18th century. Is this not the testimony of many? Either you are still striving to obtain your highest wishes, or you have obtained your highest wishes, and yet you are surprised to find that you have grasped a shadow—a reflection of something resembling the real thing yet without substance. Many people are chasing the shadow of a bowl with little round domes rising up out of it, thinking it is a bowl of ice cream, only to discover it is a bowl of turnips. What a surprise and what a disappointment! But there is hope because shadows are a reflection of something. If you follow the shadow of your highest wishes you will find its origin in God who will become for you the satisfaction you could not find in the shadow itself. Moses confronted the nation of Israel many millenniums ago with the statement, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death. Therefore choose life that both you and your descendants may live, that you may love the Lord your God, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days.” (Dt.30:19-20a) To put it very simply, Moses was saying to Israel to choose God over the shadows of fleeting pleasure that surrounded them. “He is your life and the length of your days.” He is your Creator and Sustainer. Might you pray to God with young Henry Martyn today, “Stir up my soul to lay hold of Thee, and remove from me the cloud of ignorance and sin that hides from me the glory of Jehovah; the excellency of my God.”
4 comments:
My problem with the whole God thing is having to choose one. There are so many Gods out there and so many theories as to what the REAL truth is. I grew up as a Christian, but the more I study that faith, the less I believe it holds any resemblence to truth. I will keep searching though. My friend has picked a tree to be her God. I find that odd, but she has the same comfort in that tree that a Christian has in Jesus.
Thanks for the cool blog!
Tim
Hi Darren,
Unlike Tim I didn't grow up as a Christian...I was raised as a non-Christian. I didn't worship trees but I made use of them often [house,chairs,paper,etc]. Then one day the grace of God opened my eyes to see the beauty and glory of Jesus...and everything else became very dim in comparison.
If I have the choice of worshiping a tree or the One who made the tree...I will worship the Creator instead of the creature.
Everyone says that they want to know or find truth...by saying this they are admitting that they don't really know what truth looks like. How will they find something that they have no clue of what it is?
I am glad that the Truth found me.
Hi, Darren. Glad to see I`m finally reading some more of your work. Not since "Sojourners in a Strange Land" have I enjoyed seeing your thoughts in print.It has taken me 3 years to catch up with you, turns out all I had to do was google your name.......who knew? If we can talk further, let me know through your blog.
Hey Gary, great to hear from you. I have been emailing you stuff since I arrived in Honduras...apparently I have been sending it into cyberspace, and I do not have your right email address. Email me at unionhonduras@yahoo.com and I will give you my personal email address from there. You can directly link to that email on the homepage of my church's website www.unionchurchhonduras.com I look forward to hearing more from you. God keep you for His glory by His grace!
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