As I alluded to in my last post,
"What kind of racer are you? ..., as Christians, we constantly need to examine how we're running the race set before us, and in order to run effectively, we need to look unto and to consider Jesus:
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Jesus Himself is our primary and ultimate example, but not only our example – for Jesus Himself provides us with the supernatural power to run the race, through the gift of His Holy Spirit who dwells in believers to work in us to will and to do God's good pleasure (Phil. 2:12-18).
However, in addition to looking to Jesus, we're also commanded to look to the great cloud of witnesses God has set before us. That's emphasized in the preceding chapter of Hebrews, and these men and women are also referenced in the first verse of chapter 12. (We're also to take heed to the negative examples in Scripture ~ e.g. - see Hebrews 3-4, I Cor. 10, and please see my previous post for more about that.) In other words, as he arrives at chapter 12, the author of Hebrews is exhorting his readers, those Jewish converts who were on the verge of become sluggish in the race set before them: "Yes, look to these men and women who have gone before you as examples – but now, here's your ultimate and highest example: the Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate, the God-man who lived a life of holiness by the power of God at work in Him." God has set before us not only the Lord Jesus but also such men and women of faith who were commended, as examples for us. Now, to be clear about it: these men and women are not be worshiped, yet such burning and shining lamps are to be followed, as they follow Christ... much like the apostle Paul wrote:
I Corinthians 11:1: Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
It's true that any and all writings outside and apart from the Bible are not God-breathed and not inspired like the Bible and are not on a par with the Bible, so we must be judicious as we chose what to read, and we must be extra cautious as we read, for we are commanded to test all things because the devil is a liar and a deceiver, and he is prowling, looking for a way to get a foothold and to distract or hinder us in the race set before us. However, keeping in mind those cautions, studying Church history and reading Christian biography remain two wonderful means of grace God has provided for us to run the race set before us so we obtain the glorious prize.
For over two weeks many of our eyes were glued to our television screens to watch the 2012 London Olympics.
Now that the Olympics are past ...
Consider how much time, energy, and effort we put forth to follow and to watch our favorite athletes and competitions over the 17 days of the Olympics...
And now, in contrast, consider how much time, energy, and effort we put forth over the course of 17 average days to consider Jesus and the great cloud of witnesses...
May God give each of us grace to consider our ways!
I'd encourage you to open your Bible to Hebrews 11, and ask God to put it in your heart to study the life of one of those men or women listed there (or another Bible figure), so you might grow in your desire and love for Christ and His Kingdom, and be spurred on and fortified to run the race set before you, to see that we are just like those men and women, that we too are strangers and exiles on this fallen earth, dwelling in our fleshly, sinful tents, batting against the temptations of the world and the wiles of the devil, and we are looking to and longing for that heavenly country. And, all the while, just like those saints, we're called to fight the good fight of faith and to run with perseverance and joy in our pilgrimage here so we might obtain the glorious prize that is set before us, and not become sluggish or slothful – or, as David Brainerd prayed:
"O that I may feel this continual hunger, and not be retarded, but rather animated by every cluster from Canaan, to reach forward in the narrow way, for the full enjoyment and possession of the heavenly inheritance! O that I may never loiter in my heavenly journey!"
If you come back to me and tell me, "Karen, you are nuts? Do you live in the real world? I simply don't have that much time to study the Bible!" – then I'll ask you how you managed to find hour upon hour to watch the Olympic competitions and to read about your favorite athletes and to watch the replays of their performances over those 17 days... (Or – if you weren't watching the Olympics, consider how much time you spend in leisure activities, including surfing the web, playing online games, checking facebook, shopping, etc., etc. over the period of a couple weeks...)
In addition to that challenge, I'd like to put before you an excerpt from the life of one of the great cloud of witnesses from Church history, a woman from Rhode Island – Miss Susanna Anthony (1726-1791). I first became acquainted with Susanna Anthony through a single diary entry of Edward Griffin (from "Memoir of the Rev. Edward D. Griffin, D.D., Compiled Chiefly from His Own Writings" by Edward D. Griffin & William Buell Sprague (New York: Taylor & Dodd, 1839), reprinted in 1987 by Banner of Truth Trust, 30. HT for the text: http://books.google.com/books?id=JbAEAAAAYAAJ)
Wednesday, Oct. 4 [1797]. In consequence of reading the prayers of Miss Anthony, and discovering her intense desire to obtain more clear and transforming views of God, I have been led to reflect on the great difference between her prayers and mine. I have been, for the most part, asking for particular exercises of divine power, to produce effects in regard to me, my friends, my people, and Zion at large. And in prayer my mind has been more on the desired effects, than on that fulness and glorious sufficiency of wisdom, power, goodness, majesty, condescension, patience, faithfulness and truth, which there is in God. Thus I have stopped at the threshold, without getting into the temple. Had I in prayer been more intent to gaze into God, and had I exercised myself more in adoration and praise, I believe my acquaintance with God would have been vastly greater, and my mind more transformed into his likeness. Let it in future be the burden of my prayer, "Lord, show me thy glory."
As way of brief introduction, suffice it to say – Miss Anthony was a Christian hedonist long, long before John Piper was born!
The sure fire way to make war against the flesh, to mortify sin, and to combat any and all passions, desires, and love for all that is worldly and fleshly is to ask the Holy Spirit to infuse into us a greater passion, desire, and love for Christ, i.e. - to come to know Jesus Christ experientially as THE LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING (as Charles Wesley wrote).Writing here at age 17, Miss Anthony sets the bar very, very high for us. It's evident that she'd begun tasting Canaan's clusters here on earth. But, let us remember, it is God Himself who made Susanna Anthony willing in the day of His power, and it is God who can do the same in any of His children. The God of the 21st century is the same today as He was 18th century Rhode Island! Just as the leopard cannot change its spots, neither can we change our spiritual tastebuds or our appetites – however, God Himself can! Has our Heavenly Father not promised to pour out His Holy Spirit on those who ask?
May the Holy Spirit increase your love and passion and desire for God and for His Kingdom, and draw you into His courts as you read and consider the example of Susanna Anthony.
* * *
From: "The Life and Character of Miss Susanna Anthony. Who Died, in Newport, (R I.) June 23, 1791, in the 65th year of her age. Consisting Chiefly in Extracts from Her Writings, with Some Brief Observations on Them." Complied by Samuel Hopkins, Second Edition. (Portland, Maine: Lyman, Hall & Co. 1810), 49-51. (HT for the text: http://books.google.com/books?id=YO0QAAAAYAAJ)
Containing extracts from her Diary, of different dates.
THE following paper is transcribed and inserted here, as it was written in her youth, when she was but seventeen years old, and expresses the views and exercises which she then had; and affords admonition and instruction, especially to those young persons who shall read it.
Oct. 25, 1743. I am just now entering into the eighteenth year of my age. And does the tempter tell me, that I chose religion when I was a child, and knew no better; when I knew nothing of the pleasures of this world: and that it may be, when these enjoyments and pleasures appear delightful, I shall forsake strict and solid religion, and run with the young, giddy multitude, into the excesses of vanity? Then, O my soul, sit down again, and make another deliberate choice; even now I am entering the prime of all my days: and let me picture the world with its brightest side outmost; and religion in a solitary dress; and then choose my portion. If my former choice has not been free and noble enough; come now, my soul, and make one. Let there be nothing in it mean and low; but let it be great, noble and free.
As to religion: can I sacrifice my name, and all that the world calls delightful, now in the prime of my age; and be accounted a fool and mad, by the wise, rich, and polite world? Can I withstand a thousand temptations to mirth and pleasure; and be a despised outcast among men? Now, if I conform to the world, I shall be a pleasing object to many, and a delight to them, who now despise me. What pleasure that the world can afford shall be withheld from me, if I once give myself up to sensual pleasure, and the gratification of my whole inclination; allowing myself all that mirth and jollity, that my youthful age will now admit of? If I now give a loose to my youthful appetites, and satisfy my carnal desires; what can then deprive me of pleasure, now I am free from pain and the infirmities of old age, which might give a disgust to these pleasures. Now I have life, health and liberty. If I yield to these desires, and seek to satisfy them by a thousand new and fresh delights; take my swing in the world; cast away sorrow, and indulge self in ten thousand new pleasures: what then can cross me?
And, on the other hand, if I choose strict religion now, I may expect reproach, disdain and contempt, from the world, as not fit for common society, or scarce to live. I shall be accounted a poor, mean, ignorant, despicable creature, unworthy the notice of mortals: and, it, may be, despised by formal professors, as being religious overmuch: they watching for my halting, and rejoicing at my falls. And besides, I must expect many dark and doubting hours, filled with bitter sighs and groans; denying myself, and taking up my cross; plucking out a right eye, and cutting off a right hand; daily meeting with crosses, and losses, and afflictions; and it may be, with persecutions, imprisonment and death, with the utmost distress. While the sensual libertine lives in pleasure, flourishing like a green bay tree, and has no bands in his death.
What a wide difference is here, between the strictly religious, and the sensual worldling! Come, then, my soul, and view them both as far as death; and now make a solemn and deliberate choice, either religion, or carnal pleasure. Come, my soul, and choose for eternity.
Soul. Upon considering the nature and properties of each, I am brought to a free and full choice. I see nothing in this pleasure that can satisfy an immortal soul; nothing worthy my notice; nothing but an empty sound. Nor can it have any part in my affections, for a portion. They are but mean trifles, unfit to attract and busy an immortal soul. But religion, though it have its troubles with it; yet it hath a sacred sweetness in all. I feel an inward pleasure and satisfaction, which gives a relish, as it were, to this kind of religious pain and sorrow.
Objector. Come, Soul, lay aside prejudice. What! nothing in all this pleasure, to delight thee. Search a little deeper. Or what can be in this melancholy religion, to allure thee to choose its ways?
Soul. I have found what it is. For in all these pleasures, the soul has no God, and no happiness, suited to its immortal nature; without which, all is but a sickening trifle. Wherefore, the soul which hath God for its portion, attended with ever so much sorrow, is unspeakably more happy.
Objector. But if you indulge yourself in pleasures, and strive to divert your company with mirth and jollity, you will gain the esteem of many, and they will greatly prize you, and seek your company.
Soul. I value the approbation of the most high God, before all the esteem of poor mortals; and deliberately make choice of him, and his way of strict religion, for my portion, pleasure and happiness.
I do now, with my whole soul and all my powers, choose God for my portion; taking his cross as well as his crown; esteeming the sorrows of religion greater riches than the pleasures of sin; looking on it a pleasure to be crucified with Christ. I despise every worldly enjoyment, compared with one smile from the lovely Jesus. I do, with my whole heart and soul, choose God and religion, though it may be through a sea of sorrow and distress, rather than the world in all its pomp and splendor, with ten thousand enjoyments. O most great and gracious God, I now choose thee as my sufficient, and every way suitable portion. I solemnly take God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for my all, in life, death and eternity; and resign myself, soul and body, into thy hands. And I take all the holy angels in heaven; and even the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth, himself, to witness that I DO.
And now, Lord, I am thine. Do with me as thou wilt. I am thy clay, feeble, helpless, and hopeless. I throw myself, soul and body, life and health, liberty and pleasure, on thee, the boundless, infinite fulness of heaven, the immutable God. Lord, God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I this day and minute subscribe with my heart and hand, to be the Lord's. Even, so, Lord Jesus, Amen and Amen.
SUSANNA ANTHONY.
* * *
Miss Anthony was one of the great cloud of witnesses who was an extravagant lover of the Lord Jesus Christ because she had begun to taste and see and know the breadth, length, height and depth of the love of God. Therefore, she remained jealous and zealous for her soul, and she was adamant and would not permit mean, worldly trifles to come between the Lover of her soul and herself. Her soul's appetite was transformed. She hungered and thirsted for righteousness. She had tasted and seen the goodness and glory of God, and accordingly, she rejected and cast off all earthly treasures, and embraced Christ and held onto Him and onto Zion, for she had come to know Christ as the pearl of great price and her exceeding Joy. She knew that all other lovers were dung, for they were intent on stealing, killing, and destroying, and she knew all earthly lovers would lead her away from the life and life abundantly that Christ alone could give her.
Miss Anthony had learned experientially that "religion never was designed to make our pleasures less!" She thought on the bliss to come, plus she was graced to sup of that bliss here on earthly ground. While on this earth, she had begun to taste the celestial fruit and sacred sweets of which Isaac Watts wrote in 1707.
"We're Marching to Zion"
Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
Join in a song with sweet accord
And thus surround the throne,
And thus surround the throne.
Refrain
We’re marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We’re marching upward to Zion,
The beautiful city of God.
The sorrows of the mind
Be banished from the place;
Religion never was designed
Religion never was designed,
To make our pleasures less,
To make our pleasures less.
Refrain
Let those refuse to sing,
Who never knew our God;
But favorites of the heavenly King,
But favorites of the heavenly King
May speak their joys abroad,
May speak their joys abroad.
Refrain
The God that rules on high,
And thunders when He please,
Who rides upon the stormy sky,
Who rides upon the stormy sky,
And manages the seas,
And manages the seas.
Refrain
This awful God is ours,
Our Father and our Love;
He will send down his heav’nly powers,
He will send down his heav’nly powers,
To carry us above,
To carry us above.
Refrain
There we shall see His face,
And never, never sin!
There, from the rivers of His grace,
There, from the rivers of His grace,
Drink endless pleasures in,
Drink endless pleasures in.
Refrain
Yea, and before we rise,
To that immortal state,
The thoughts of such amazing bliss,
The thoughts of such amazing bliss,
Should constant joys create,
Should constant joys create.
Refrain
The men of grace have found,
Glory begun below.
Celestial fruits on earthly ground
Celestial fruits on earthly ground
From faith and hope may grow,
From faith and hope may grow.
Refrain
The hill of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Or walk the golden streets,
Or walk the golden streets.
Refrain
Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
To fairer worlds on high,
To fairer worlds on high.
Refrain
Heavenly Father, have mercy upon us. You know our frames. We are dust, and we are prone to wander. Our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked. We are prone to hunger and thirst for the worldly and fleshly, and all the while You have so much more for us: the unsearchable and all-surpassing riches of Jesus Christ – the True Bread and the Living Water! O! Open the eyes of our understanding, make us single-eyed for Christ alone by giving us a vision of the grace and glory and goodness of Christ. Use the witness of Miss Anthony to spur us on, so we might press on to know You, so we might not become lukewarm and loiter in our heavenly journey. Lead us to Your fount so we might increasingly glimpse and taste of Your beauty and life and riches, so we might see the emptiness and vanity and poverty of the world in contrast, and refuse and spurn all that is worldly and fleshly, knowing that Your fullness and all-satisfying joy and riches await to fill our cups to overflowing. You are our perfect portion and reward! Who is like unto You! Like Susanna Anthony, grant us an unrelenting passion for and pursuit of You and an increasing appetite for Jesus Christ, so when we are lured and tempted by earthly lovers, we might be able to consider all else as dung in comparison, and exult in You and sing out with full assurance of faith, "This is my Beloved – and He is indeed greater and sweeter and purer and lovelier and fairer than any and all other loves the world has to offer me! He satisfies my soul! I have supped with Him and know Him to be THE LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING!"
Merciful God, be gracious to us, for we are Yours in Christ Jesus, we are the sheep of Your pasture redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb. According to Your good pleasure, tap the barrels of Your grace and grant us tastes of celestial fruits and sacred sweets here on earthly ground, so we might glorify You by enjoying You, and we might readily testify of You and Your goodness to all the nations throughout this fallen world, where men in darkness and bondage are crying out in despair, "Who shall show us any good?" O! As we know that our highest and greatest good is to draw near to our God through the Lord Jesus Christ, we will proclaim that good news to all the peoples, so they might be glad along with us! O! Let all the peoples praise You! Shine Your face upon us and revive Your Church so we might enjoy You and rejoice in You, and all the nations might likewise! Hallelujah! May the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ extend to the ends of the earth!
Related posts:
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
Finding pleasure in Him
Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from Jonathan Edwards
Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from George Whitefield
How's your spiritual appetite? (Jonathan Edwards)
Second Sunday after Christmas: Is your religion true religion? (Henry Scougal)
this earthly manna ~ the Christian hedonist's plea
Happy Birthday, John Piper ~ reflections on year-ends, aging, fruit bearing & Christian hedonism
Songs about "What *I* Want," part 5: If the Curly Fry Doesn't "Satisfy," What Does?
Letter 25 on assurance and fighting for joy (a strong craving ≠ His joy)
My love affair . . . whose trumpet, whose glory & incomplete joy
the lover's inquiry | letter 114 on fighting for joy
Dearest idol, how can I find rest
In the midst of my temptations fierce ~ O, Jesus Christ, my Treasure first
Things To Look for in a Church, 9: "Pearl Freaks" (a.k.a. a Kingdom-Obsessed People)
Why read Christian biography? To help us examine our love for God.
"Who wants candles when he has the sun?" ~ Edward Payson | letter 124 on assurance & joy
a little child set in our midst leads us into the New Year
Phebe Bartlet – a child put in our midst ~ "Do you love Me?"
What kind of racer are you? So run that you may obtain! (I Corinthians 9:24-27)
Considering Jesus: (1) Making time to consider Jesus
Considering Jesus: (2) Why do we do quiet time anyhow?
take to heart ALL the words (more on quiet time)
Get gnawing, put your nose down in the Book to feed the white-hot flame of God's gift
Linger, linger, linger – so you might know God's love
"Bread of Heav'n on Thee I Feed"
"The inestimable Benefits of Christ's Death, inferred from the excellency of his Person"
postcards from England: are we excited over a dead fish and a car wreck?
update w/ excerpt: Lloyd-Jones' sermons on the role of experience in Christianity
The flags unfurled ... Christ's eternal banner | Lloyd-Jones ~ a third type of assurance
The Father's Inheritance (Eleven days' journey ~ A lamentation & an exhortation)
Is your ambition holy? / What are you living for? (Louis Paul Lehman) / The Christian's Aim
Regarding Christian biography: Please see my tags marked bio. Also, if you're not sure where to start in regard to Christian biography, I'd suggest your checking out John Piper's biographical messages found at http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/biographies/by-title. Some of these are now available in PDF as well as ebook format; please check here: http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/books/by-title.
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.
Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:London_Bridge_with_Olympic_rings_2012.JPG / CC BY-SA 3.0
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