May 14, 2011
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Is your ambition holy? / What are you living for? (Louis Paul Lehman) / The Christian's Aim
I know many of you out there are without direction and confused, you have been seeking – and you keep seeking – all in vain. You are searching for a purpose, an aim, an ambition in life, and you keep coming up empty and unfulfilled and unsatisfied time and time again. For a time you may find some fleeting happiness, but it is fleeting because it is rooted in the world and not in Jesus Christ, the one true God who is from everlasting to everlasting. How can we ever expect to have lasting and all-satisfying happiness and fulfillment in created things rather than the Creator – and yet don't we all go there time and again like dogs returning to their vomit?!I have been and am continuing to pray that God will give you ears to hear what His Spirit has to say to you, that His Holy Spirit would work in you an irresistible passion to follow hard after Him – and along with that, a holy ambition for your life. I say this with a great sense of urgency. I wandered in the wilderness of lukewarm Christianity for over twenty years. I was a walking carcass. I look out all around me and I see a lot of walking carcasses, and it grieves me. I don't want you to be a walking carcass!
I am praying God would be gracious to you, that the eyes of your understanding would be opened to begin to see the all-surpassing worth of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and, as you do so, have God's love in Christ so captivate and constrain you that like the apostle Paul, you will begin to count all things loss for the sake of knowing Christ and making Him known. I am praying that the things of earth will grow strangely dim and your life's ambition and purpose will be a holy – centered on Jesus Christ and seeking to bring glory to God. There is no true joy for us apart from having such an ambition.
Because the Christian is a citizen of heaven, the things of earth ought to be growing dimmer and dimmer for us each day, as we are given freedom by the Spirit of God to behold the glory of the Lord with unveiled face, and we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as the light shines brighter and brighter to the final day.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
(Helen H. Lemmel)
I am praying you might come to know the living Christ as your exceeding joy and drink deeper and deeper of His love and be filled with all the fullness of God, and serve Him here with joy and gladness in the holy ambition He writes on your heart.
~ Karen
The following is an excerpt from Louis Paul Lehman's "Tears of the Bible" (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1958, pages 11-13, boldface mine). Though these words were written over 50 years ago (the year I was born), as you read, I think you'll see that there is nothing new under the sun...Whistling in the dark is no substitute for good information. We want to know what's going on. A great deal of modern philosophy that passes in the name of religion, and even in the name of Christianity, is a tuneless pucker of the lips to blow meaningless breath into the darkness. "Believe" is a modern creed – but believe what?" is a relevant question.
We can go around with our chin up,looking up,
buying new hats,
thinking high-minded,
being our best,
happy with our hobbies,
bursting with vitamins,and trip right into hell over a gravestone.
We have grown too big for dolls and kiddie-cars, but we are not too big to be afraid. We need the Father's hand on ours to lead us through the shadows, and by the light of His Word to show us that our fears are groundless but that our faith in Him is well-founded. We wonder what hides behind the veils and drapes which are hung over the walls and windows of eternity. It may be in the plan of God for us to weep, but not to weep "as do the rest who have no hope." Sorrow may be our portion, but not the soul-agony and torture of those who have not the reality which is in Jesus.This study in tears will be an expedition into the foreboding parlor of human sorrow, that we may learn that a well-furnished world can do nothing but produce frenzy and frustration, as illustrated by the tragic stories of suicide and divorce and alcoholism and every other evil that blights mankind.
Two of my close friends, Ken Anderson and James Kaminga, in a 'round-the-world tour to survey the possibility of making Christian and gospel films in various countries, using native talent and local stories, have written some interesting reports that show the need for gospel ministry. Figures from Japan indicate that suicide is the number one cause of death in that land. Over 80% of those suicides are among young people fifteen to twenty-three years of age. Interviews conducted with missionaries and Japanese young people reveal that the Oriental young person lives for one thing – an education. The education, however, is desired for just one purpose: to obtain better employment. College entrance is hard. Out-of-school study for a college student averages five to seven hours a day, and the local saying is: "Five fail; four pass." This means, sleep more than five hours a night and you'll fail entrance exams. Sleep less than four, and with that much study, you should pass.
But when asked, "What do you live for?" the Japanese student replies, "We have nothing to live for. Only to get into college and get better pay. . . . We do not follow the way of the past. We do not know what way to follow in the future."
Pointless living, however, is not the peril of the Oriental alone. What are you living for? Multitudes of American young people do not even want an education, and those who do probably want only one profit from it – better pay. Some are bursting at every seam and pulling every string and using every trick to gain simply one thing – better pay.
The height of ambition for multitudes of even Christian young people is not to
glorify Christ,
win souls,
be efficient in prayer and skillful in the Word,but simply to get married,
have a family,
have a beautiful home and all the modern appliances – and then what?What are you really living for?
Any purpose less than Christ – "For me to live is Christ," said the Apostle –
any purpose self-centered or material-centered
will be frustrating and unsatisfactory, even though it may be moral.Nothing satisfies but Jesus,
Bread of Life to mortals given . . .
The Christian's AimThe Christian's aim
True disciple's desire
Can never be attained
By listening to the liarYour ambition cannot be holy
Your ambition cannot be true
Unless you look up to Christ's throne
And bow down to the Lamb who bought youThe Son's ambition was holy
Spotless and complete surrender
Sought His Father's will only
Burnt offering willingly tenderedYou are God's holy purchase
You are His, no longer your own
Jesus Christ must be your purpose
Take heed, do not lose your soulAs you look to your own flesh
The more you seek to self-gratify
As you allow the world to press
The less you will be satisfiedYour ambition cannot be holy
Your ambition cannot be true
Unless you look up to Christ's throne
And live by the Lamb who bought youChrist's perfect obedience
Your ransom and redemption
Bought with Lamb's blood precious
What will you offer to Him?You are God's holy purchase
Your bodies be presenting
O, souls, you can do no less
This is your spiritual worshipRomans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Related:(7) Kingdom-Obsessed People don't retire
"the aim in life is God's, not mine" (Oswald Chambers)
postcards from England: are we excited over a dead fish and a car wreck?
Resurrection Day: Don't Waste Your Life (Lecrae) | Whose Life is it anyhow?
"Call to Me and I will answer you" (thoughts on holy ambition)
"I make it my aim" - a short study
Don't Waste Your Singleness | Single one ... be single-eyed
wives, your husband is not your Husband | letter 77 on assurance & joy
Are You Working on the Wall? (redemption, spiritual gifts, the glory of God, joy & holy ambition)
Are you robbing God? Where is God telling you to "Rise and go!" for the joy of others?
a conversation with Jesus about misplaced joy ("do not rejoice in this" - letter 73 on joy) ~ identity & work
adopting God's purpose for the nations is for your joy & His glory (Letter 76 on joy)
dreams grasped, dreams released | letter 104 on assurance & fighting for joy
Are you wasting your life living like all the other nations? Ezekiel 25:8
Mercy wide and mercy deepLenten Reflections: His ear opened, Our ears stopped ~ Are you following the Servant? (Isaiah 50)
Lenten Reflections: the remembrance and the rendering (Luke 20:9-26)
Lent II.-God's calling: "As my Father hath sent Me, so send I you." | Oswald Chambers
Lent III.-Are you looking at the fields?
Lent V. - You follow me! (Are we steadfastly setting our faces to His will?)my holy ambition
Why I blog and the only kind of recommendation I should seek
dedication 2010 (reflections on God's Word & God's grace)Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Comments (8)
Hi Karen,
Most people are just living so they can pay the rent, have something to eat, and maybe drive a decent car. Some hope for true romantic love. Others enjoy excelling in interesting careers. The choices are without number.
I personally think that a relationship with the Father through faith in Jesus Christ makes everyday life meaningful. We still have to work. God made the apple tree, but we have to pick the fruit. The danger is thinking more about work than God. We have to pay rent or a mortgage loan, but only He can bring peace into the dwelling of choice. He created men and women to marry and bear children, but only God can lead a marriage through the many challenges.
It is true that God has to be everything and the things of this world diminish. I used to love new cars. However, I the car payments that lasted longer than my excitement over the new car. I think this diminishing of worldly interests takes time. None of the books that I read on success included a chapter on living successfully when you are old, health failing, and having to care for much older relatives.
For me, my relationship with God has been enhanced by the habit of reading the Bible at least once annually first thing in the morning. I also used to read on chapter of Proverbs daily to prepare me for the challenges of life and work. I sued to read the Be-Attitudes once a week to keep Christ's way of thinking fresh in my role as manager.
One day, earthly things will totally dissolve. That will be a good day. God said that we would know good and evil. That is true for sure.
Loved your post here and the Lehman's writing.
blessings,
frank
Loved this Karen... words I need to hear again and again. It's so easy to draw near to God one day and be enticed by some novelty the next. I have yet to embark steadily, consistently toward a holy ambition without looking back or second guessing, and usually finding that I've wandered off on some detour before long. I'll be reading this again.
Don ~
It is so wonderful to know Jesus! All of the other things we pursue are eventually proved to be empty - we wonder why we lusted after them. Even human love is self-seeking until it is given over to God.
I really like this whole post - and the comments from Frank and Don! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and those of Louis Paul Lehman. (I used to hear him regularly on the radio, but I forget the name of his program.) Also, I like the poem at the end....yours?
I'm not Japanese! =O Though, I may be surviving on 5 hours of sleep everyday for this week. This was refreshing to me, in many ways similar to what post I wrote, except looking at it at a different perspective.
@ANVRSADDAY - Thanks, Frank.
I really appreciate your observations since I know they come from your years of experience of God's faithfulness to you & Norma and your family.
I personally think that a relationship with
the Father through faith in Jesus Christ makes everyday life meaningful.
We still have to work.
Yes! Work was something given to us before the fall, though of course since that time we have to deal with the thorns and thistles, but, as you said, God can bring peace through all of that, to help us to be more than conquerors.
I agree that diminishing interest in worldly things does take time, and experience is often our best teacher, but as we make use of the means of grace, such as Bible reading (which I know you value), it may be quickened. God is sovereign, nevertheless He does work through means.
I also look forward to that day earthly things will be dissolved and we will see Him as He is! But in the meantime, I am seeking to keep my heart set on pilgrimage so I might be able to rejoice in the Lord always and reflect Christ to the word... Not that I have already attained, but I press on...
@A_Piano_Tuner - Thanks, Don. Oh, yes, we are so easily enticed by those novelties! And the devil knows just which novelties to dangle before us!
Keep asking and opening your heart to the Lord as you have been; He is always seeking men and women like you, humble souls who are after His own heart. Luke 11:1-13.
Psalm 119
33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes;
and I will keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of your commandments,
for I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to your testimonies,
and not to selfish gain!
37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in your ways.
@quest4god@revelife - Yes, all else is empty apart from Christ. But we are so blinded, we can't see it at the time.
These are things I've been burdened about and have been wanting to write on for a while now, but I really wasn't expecting to do so today. @llamalima's post today kind of spurred me on. I had unearthed the Lehman excerpt a couple weeks ago as I was doing some much-needed organizing. (@ANVRSADDAY - Frank, I forgot to mention this in my comment to you. Remember how I'd said I was sorting through papers?) I had read the book a few years ago (had it out on loan from a church library), and did a couple posts on it at the time, and then copied a few pages for future reference. I wasn't familiar w/ Lehman at all until I picked up this book.
And yes, I did write the poem over a couple sittings today.
@llamalima - Yes, yes, I know you are not Japanese!
Seriously, I am glad it was refreshing to you. I know this was very similar to what you posted today and previously. It's so wonderful how many different ways we can express the desires of God's heart – that's a foretaste of how much we'll have to praise Him for throughout eternity.
I will be praying the Lord would sustain you with Himself in the coming week.
Psalm 36
5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast you save, O LORD.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.
10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your righteousness to the upright of heart!