September 2, 2012
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"Your works I know, your toil, your pain" (Labor Day reflections) | letter 146 on fighting for joy
Luke 10:38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Revelation 2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
Your works I know, your toil, your painYour works I know, your toil, your pain
Your works I know, you've not grown faintYour works, O Martha, to and fro you scurry
Cumbered, burdened, missing the one thing necessaryYour works I know, your patient endurance
Yet you've forgotten to rejoice in the danceDowncast soul, your feet have slipped
Abandoned the joy of true fellowshipYour love I seek, your adoration
My praises lifted, gladsome celebrationMartha, Martha, cease your madness
Serve the Lord with joy and gladnessRemember your espousals, from whence you fell
Repent, My love, buy the truth, do not sellReturn, O sister, do the works you did at first
Blessed is the soul who hungers and thirstsCome to Me, taste and see, drink and savor
Feast on My sovereign goodness and favorLike heavenly dew come to wilderness place
My Spirit refreshes, pours grace upon graceHearts made willing in the day of My power
A sweet aroma, no longer bitter and sourThe Christian who murmurs and whines and moans
Brings reproach to My Name and My Holy ThroneIn your pilgrimage, through every trial and blight
Sup with Jesus: Sustenance for ecstatic flightThough daily spring up thistles, thorns and weeds
Trust My promise to supply all your needsJoy unspeakable bubbling in driest drought
Come you thirsty soul! Come, My love! Do not doubtMy love – do you know it? My toil, My pain
Full atonement for sinners, your ransom paidMy love – do you know it? I won't grow faint
I ever live to intercede, your soul to sustainUntil you seek Me, you will never find
Supplies excelling every earthly kindGrace abounding for every God-ordained task
Come to our Father, be importunate and askHe delights to give His children from His treasure store
Ask for His Spirit, He loves to hear your cries for more and moreTo the throne of grace, with boldness draw near
Drink of the River of Life in the valley of tearsMartha, look to Mary, and choose the best
Labor to enter My Sabbath RestTake up My yoke, take up and sing
Hallelujahs to the Victor, the King of kingsUpon your high places with eagles' wings take flight
Your cup overflowing with greatest delightForetastes of glory, the paradise of God
Through Baca's Valley, this fallen sodCome to the waters, be fully satisfied
How beautiful your love, My sister, My bride!Your love I seek, your adoration
My praises lifted, gladsome celebrationLuke 11:5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”Psalm 110
3 Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day of your power,
in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours.
4 The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.”Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Ephesians 5
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
2 And walk in love,
as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us,
a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."... for your progress and JOY in the faith..." (Philippians 1:25)
~ Karen ~
Related:My other letters on assurance & fighting for joy including:
the laborer's lamentation and affirmation (the precursor to my posts on assurance and joy)
Letter 1 on assurance and fighting for joy
Letter 11 on assurance and fighting for joy (the Lord is at hand! - Philippians 4)
Letter 13 on assurance and fighting for joy (strengthened for endurance and patience with joy)
Letter 15 on assurance and fighting for joy (Joy is a gift of God, more than a feeling)
Letter 16 on assurance and fighting for joy (our prayers, His wise denials and joy)
John 3:36a Whoever believes in the Son HAS eternal life (letter 64 on assurance & joy)
"give me also springs of water" - Will you be an Achsah? (letter 66 on assurance & fighting for joy)
You whine and complain (Letter 70 on assurance & fighting for joy)
Will you finish your course with joy? (Acts 20:24) - letter 71 on assurance & joy
a conversation with Jesus about misplaced joy ("do not rejoice in this" - letter 73 on joy)
Doubting one, do you know Me as a rewarder? | letter 78 on assurance & fighting for joy
Are you a radiant Christian or a drunken old woman? (letter 82 on assurance & fighting for joy)
Where do you go when the world is unlovely? (Psalm 84 & the theology of Biblical counseling)
dreams grasped, dreams released | letter 104 on assurance & fighting for joy
the poor & needy & joy ~ Psalm 35:9-10 | letter 105 on assurance & fighting for joy
the pilgrim's Assurance ~ His Sovereign pouring | letter 110 on assurance & fighting for joy
Can there be more? | letter 113 on assurance & fighting for joy
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest (Hebrews 3:7-4:13) ~ Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion (letter 128)Why not pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
birthday reflection: "the great & glorious possibilities" ~ "Now therefore, give me this mountain"
♥ Valentine's Day Posts ♥ (Series Links)
Embittered, pricked in heart? Go into the sanctuary of God (Psalm 73)
Christian, don't waste your life whining
don't waste your new year ~ teach us, satisfy us, make us glad (Psalm 90:12-15)
Advent #1 WHY HAS JESUS COME? that we might have life & life more abundantly
Advent # 5 WHY HAS JESUS COME? So we might draw near to God | Even a Vapor
Advent # 7 WHY HAS JESUS COME? So we might be satisfied with HimScripture 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.
Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Otto_van_Veen.jpg / CC BY-SA 3.0 / {{PD-old-100}}
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Comments (10)
Funny that both Mary and Martha complained about their brother dying because Jesus was not there. He gave Martha the great 'I am the resurrection' statement and she believed. She was not too shabby. Lol
I think we find Mary more spiritually attractive, but the Martha's of the church world get things done. 80% of the work and giving in church come from 20% of the conregation--in most churches.
Whining Christians are so unattractive, and this old guy does too much of it.
Loved your post!!
Amen!!
Reminds me a little of those who gave excuses for not responding to the Lord's call because of "things they had to do first." Seek His Kingdom first, and His righteousness, He says. Then all other things will come as He directs.
If we are too busy to seek His face, we are much busier than He ever asks us to be.
@ANVRSADDAY - Whining Christians are unattractive. For years, I kept trying to excuse myself, I kept trying to justify that I couldn't be joyful because of my temperament, but then I began to see that I was limiting God as I read the Scriptures, for God's joy is different than joy that comes naturally to certain people due to their personality, and I began to understand that joy was a gift I could ask for (e.g. - Psalm 86:4).
God does want each of us to serve (faith without works is dead, and there are good works ordained for each of us), but we're to serve with joyful hearts. As we take that position of Mary first, as we take time to cultivate our relationship with Christ, that undergirds us and sets the table for us to serve with joy and gladness rather than out of stark and bare obligation, i.e. - instead of saying, "I have to serve," and resenting our service, we're able to say, "I get to serve," and to do so out of love for Christ and a profound appreciation for God's love for us. The problem is that Christianity has too long neglected the nurturing of the soul. We push people out to service, rather than understanding that our first service is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to grow in the knowledge of His love for us (~ end of Eph. 3), and from that relationship overflows love for our neighbor.
@Tempguestbrief - Thanks for stopping by and reading and for your comment. It's a continuing battle for us to rejoice in the Lord, but the things that are impossible with us, are possible with Him! For those who are in Christ, God's commandments are not burdensome (~ I John 5:1-5).
@quest4god@revelife - "If we are too busy to seek His face, we are much busier than He ever asks us to be." - Yes, indeed! It's far too easy for us to begin to elevate our service for God above our fellowship with God (though the two are related, as I commented to Frank above). "... But rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
@naphtali_deer - Thanks for your reply! I was watching a program the other night which I had ceased watching due to it's liberal "theology." And as I was deciding to change the channel, I realized that something is different about it. The message was truly gospel-centered and the songs were also ("In Christ Alone," etc.)
Anyway, the speaker used the term "we get to serve Him" and I thought that was a wonderful way of putting it. We are truly privileged in being chosen as His ambassadors.
@quest4god@revelife - Related to that are Paul's words in II Cor. 5:14 "For the love of Christ constrains us..." Several years ago I was out of town and attended a BSF class, and while I was sitting in the discussion group, that verse began to captivate me. I don't think I'd ever really noticed it previously. Apart from that constraining love, our service will remain duty rather than delight –– and what kind of witness is that, and what kind of expression of love is that to God who loved us while we were yet sinners and willingly delivered up His Son for us? Psalm 116: What shall I render...? Our model is Christ ~ Psalm 40:8: "I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (The KJV & NKJV translate it "delight.") Under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit writes God's law on our hearts, so we might be filled with that same holy compulsion Christ Himself had ~ Romans 6... We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Regrettably, too many churches have neglected teaching about this aspect of the Christian life. There's little to no preaching about the power God makes available for us to live the Christian life. Tozer once said: “If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95% of what we do would go on & no one would know the difference."
Yep--we make all kinds of excuses but it boils down to what is a priority. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" is one of our martial arts verses to learn--it applies to fighting for joy as well.
Lovely Labor Day post.
@naphtali_deer -your mention of Psalm 116 - that particular verse has come up twice besides "hearing" it from you! The pastor used it in connection with communion - I think I had told you once that that Psalm is particular favorite of mine, dating back to my first encounter with the Lord Jesus.
@stephensmustang - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" is one of our martial arts verses to learn--it applies to fighting for joy as well. - Yes, exactly! But so often we don't see it in that light; I know it took me years to begin to see that truth.
Psalm 119:17-18 Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
@quest4god@revelife - I know you'd mentioned that to me previously. There was a time when I found myself reading and praying Psalm 116 quite often, and in retrospect, I have to confess that during much of that time I was trying to make myself be a servant, for I had begun to see that I didn't have the attitude I ought to have. However, there came a point when God began to give me a desire to serve Him, as opposed to my trying to work up such a desire through my own flesh. Earlier this morning, I remembered a quotation from M'Cheyne (I'd also recently read something else similar elsewhere, but I can't remember who it was), who said: "Whatever you need, ask Him immediately." What a simple concept, and yet so often we continue to get it wrong, don't we?!