Living For Jesus

Why?  The question that pierces almost everything I do.  The inner longing for certainty, that unquenchable desire to have purpose and a reason to live. The question haunts me on those dark,quiet nights when all I can do is think and pray.  It rises to the surface of every troubling circumstance. It stares me in the face every time I question my ability to do the work that God has given me to do..."Lord, why am I here?  Why am I doing THIS?  Why should I be faithful?  Why do I keep pressing on when I am tempted to feel it is not worth it? Why did you choose me?  Why do I matter to to You?"


Ninety-six years ago, an American minister and writer, Thomas Chisholm, captured the answer to these questions and expressed it through poetry.  


Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.


Living for Jesus Who died in my place,
Bearing on Calv’ry my sin and disgrace;
Such love constrains me to answer His call,
Follow His leading and give Him my all.


Living for Jesus, wherever I am,
Doing each duty in His holy Name;
Willing to suffer affliction and loss,
Deeming each trial a part of my cross.


Living for Jesus through earth’s little while,
My dearest treasure, the light of His smile;
Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem,
Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.


O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.


- Living for Jesus by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1917


The answer is that it is about Jesus, and not about me, my abilities, my weakness, my failings or achievements.  It is about Him....His strength, His love and sacrifice, His purpose and will for me.  Yes, there are still days when I must go forward without answers to some of my questions....but this I know: I am living for Jesus.  He has given all for me and that is enough to keep me following Him every step of the way.

Spiritual Splints

Although I have never broken any of my own bones, I have witnessed several people who have.  I know that healing in such cases is a long and sometimes painful process. The broken bone is usually put in a cast or splint to aid the healing process by holding the bone in its proper place.

I was honestly surprised at the spiritual parallels I found, specifically how God heals us from our brokenness.  But, spiritual splints? God knows as we never can, the extent of our brokenness. He knows that our efforts to heal ourselves can only result in greater injury to ourselves. He knows that we need a 'reset.'  Our own impatience and restlessness can make of none effect His healing power. The only answer is a realization of our complete helplessness and a complete dependence on His power... Simple, right? The problem is we don't like it. We want instant healing... We don't want to be restricted...we don't like the painful waiting! We want to see the healing happening, instead of having to trust that it is happening.

Have you ever found yourself hedged in by circumstances that don't make sense? Does it seem like every time you try to move, you hit a brick wall? Are you in a situation where you just cannot be useful? Might it be a spiritual splint?

It has happened before: Moses as a shepherd in Midian, John the Baptist, Paul in Arabia. Are we to proud to admit that we are also in need of such preparation? It may come at the time we least expect. Like Peter, we may cry, "Thou shalt never wash my feet. " (John 13:8) and the All-knowing Savior answers, "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter." (John 13:7)