Längtar hem...
Hälsade
Den senaste tiden har Herren verkligen talat till min trötta ande. Under min dagliga vandrig har jag fått känslan av total hjälplöshet och mitt mod har vikit ifrån mig. Allt omkring mig verkade så otroligt meningslöst. Allt är bara så tröttsamt, den ständiga frestelsen, fiendens brinnande pilar som alltjämt regnar från alla håll, den ständiga striden, kampen mot köttet och jaget. För att inte tala om striden med och mot alla andra människor i världen. Alltjämt måste man vakna till en dag av strid och blodutgjutelse. Till en dag fylld av synd och avfall, tårar och förtvivlan. Till och med vänner, bekanta, släkt och familj kan man plötsligt finna sig i strid med. Vart är Herren den rättfärdiga som skippar rätt?! Vart är den levande Guden som dömer och bringar rättvisa?! Vart är Gud, min styrkas borg, vart är Herren Han som strider för Sitt folk?!
Ibland reser sig alla fiendens hinder likt berg och stora kullar inför mig och styrkan viker från mig. Tänk om man bara kunde få sluta ögonen och bara vilja, vilja i Herren. Men än finns det verk att göra för dem som älskar Gud.
"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." - 1Ti 6:12
Se på korset
"Look at the cross of Calvary. It is a standing pledge of the boundless love, the measureless mercy, of the heavenly Father. O that all might repent and do their first works. When the churches do this, they will love God supremely and their neighbors as themselves. Ephraim will not envy Judah, and Judah will not vex Ephraim. Divisions will then be healed, the harsh sounds of strife will no more be heard in the borders of Israel. Through the grace freely given them of God, all will seek to answer the prayer of Christ, that His disciples should be one, even as He and the Father are one. Peace, love, mercy, and benevolence will be the abiding principles of the soul. The love of Christ will be the theme of every tongue, and it will no more be said by the True Witness, "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love" (Rev. 2:4). The people of God will be abiding in Christ, the love of Jesus will be revealed, and one Spirit will animate all hearts, regenerating and renewing all in the image of Christ, fashioning all hearts alike. As living branches of the True Vine, all will be united to Christ, the living head. Christ will abide in every heart, guiding, comforting, sanctifying, and presenting to the world the unity of the followers of Jesus, thus bearing testimony that the heavenly credentials are supplied to the remnant church. In the oneness of Christ's church it will be proved that God sent His only-begotten Son into the world." - {1SM 385.1}
Vilken enighet vi skulle ha om hela Israel gjorde kärleken till Gud deras första och främsta prioritering! Stridigheterna skulle åtminstone upphöra inom Guds folk och vi skulle reflektera Guds kärlek på ett mycket heligare sätt. Vilken tröst det skulle vara om hela Israel stod enade i kärlek, hopp och sanning.
Himlen väntar
Kyrkan skall vara en försmak av himlen. Vår kärleksgemenskap i Kristus skall vara de som skiljer oss från de hedniska nationerna omkring oss. Men kyrkan är uppbyggd av människor och människor är inte alltid vad de borde vara. Är det kärleken till Gud som bringar oss samman och till samförstånd och enighet? Eller sätter vi upp våra egna normer och stadgar, låter vi våra brustna jag vara vår enighet?
När man fått en glimt av himlen och den kärlek som Kristus visar oss och vill att vi visar mot varandra tynar denna världens alla rikedomar bort. Här finns inget som håller mig kvar. Denna jord har inget att ge mig. Den ständiga striden kämpar jag för Herren, för Hans stora namns skull. För Hans rättfärdighets skull. Det kommer vara min lön, att se och höra Herren förklaras rättfärdig och sann av alla skapade varelser. Det och den nya jorden, ovillkorlig kärlek, lydnad, perfekt harmoni och Kristus rättfärdighet skinande som solen från alla de frälstas klädnad.
"The wonderful things I there saw I cannot describe. Oh, that I could talk in the language of Canaan, then could I tell a little of the glory of the better world. I saw there tables of stone in which the names of the 144,000 were engraved in letters of gold. After we beheld the glory of the temple, we went out, and Jesus left us and went to the city. Soon we heard His lovely voice again, saying, "Come, My people, you have come out of great tribulation, and done My will; suffered for Me; come in to supper, for I will gird Myself, and serve you." We shouted, "Alleluia! glory!" and entered into the city. And I saw a table of pure silver; it was many miles in length, yet our eyes could extend over it. I saw the fruit of the tree of life, the manna, almonds, figs, pomegranates, grapes, and many other kinds of fruit. I asked Jesus to let me eat of the fruit. He said, "Not now. Those who eat of the fruit of this land go back to earth no more. But in a little while, if faithful, you shall both eat of the fruit of the tree of life and drink of the water of the fountain." And He said, "You must go back to the earth again and relate to others what I have revealed to you." Then an angel bore me gently down to this dark world. Sometimes I think I can stay here no longer; all things of earth look so dreary. I feel very lonely here, for I have seen a better land. Oh, that I had wings like a dove, then would I fly away and be at rest!" - {EW 19.1}
Vi kan stå ut, trots vår upplevda ensamhet, trots denna världs mörker och smärta.
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." - Mat 28:20
"<A Psalm of David.> Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him? False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me. Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long." - Psa 35
"I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper." - Psa 30:8-10
Amen
