...continued from review part 5
After ALL we can do
‘All’ is a lot. It is a scary word in this context - especially for those like me who like to be the compulsive overachievers. I start to think of the ten commandments, other commandments, visiting teaching commitments, family history, attending church and meetings, and callings, and faith repentance baptism holy ghost scripture study personal prayer family prayer help me please this list may not end. The words “just do your best” may start to feel like a discouraging challenge. Come on woman, you’ve been told what you need to be doing; you clearly must be able to find the time. You can do better. Your current all isn’t enough.
But Brad said something way better: Even if your offering is not acceptable (by our definition), God accepts it. He accepts it because God is more concerned with the offerer than the offering. He is more pleased with the efforts we do make, no matter how faltering. He is more interested in me offering something, anything, than what I offer and how much I offer. Remember the parable of the widow’s mite? In Mark chapter 12, we read that two mites was more in value that the offerings of the Pharisees, simply because it was her all. “…this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury…[she] did cast in al that she had, even all her living.” So you know what? Your best IS your all.
Wilcox then spoke about mediocrity. The word ‘mediocrity’ coming from a Latin word that literally means ‘halfway up the mountain’. Satan would have you believe that your effort is incomplete, that you are failing and can’t give it your all. But no – instead you are halfway up the mountain, you’re getting up there, and you sure ain’t refusing to try. So as long as mediocrity isn’t our objective, then we can recognise that it is a stage we must go through on our way up.
From now on, I’m not going to try and impress God and Christ with my sacrifices, but rather allow their sacrifices be more deeply impressed in me.
...more to come
Thank you for sharing these! I really enjoy reading them, especially because I would have loved to be there!
ReplyDeletei loved this talk and needed it... This particular scripture has always "bothered" me. How would you know when you have done ALL... and I knwe for sure I was not going to ever feel like I had done enough. I'd whip myself with that scripture almost. So getting to feel that I'd be deserving of grace during it all was balm to my tortured self :)
ReplyDeleteNice blog thanks for postingg
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