For Such a Time as This

For Such a Time as This

By David Brenneman

The world loves to try to spread it's lies and deceit that it's millions of years old, that it's been time through chance that things happen.  What you may or may not know is this has only gained a footing in society in the last few hundred years.  Most scientists in the great early Universities and Colleges were Christians. Many of those same institutions were not just schools of higher learning, but schools where Christian Theology were taught.

In today's Universities and Colleges it's close to committing a crime to stand up for Christian values in those same said institutions.  

The book of Esther to me really stands out as one that can show a possible average life in writing. One where God is involved.  One where we see some of the behind the scenes of God working out the salvation of His people.

In today's world much of the Middle East is technically at war with Israel.  Trying to find some way to gain a footing to remove it from the face of the Earth.  But, just as it was in the days of Esther, God does not allow it to happen.

There's still some significant prophecies left to take place, and I've no doubt they will transpire much like what we read of happening in Esther.  Out of some obscure corner of the world an event or person will arise and things will unfold just as the Bible says is coming.  Just as has always happened.  Read it for yourself...Job 42:2. Job acknowledges that fact for all of us to read today.

Two paths are always in front of us. What the Spirit wants of us to be doing and what we want to be doing.  I've wrestled with this thought for some time.  The dreams and desires of my heart and mind and that of what I'm called to be doing in Christ Jesus.  There's times those two paths overlap.  There's times when they certainly do not.  The Prodigal Son, up to a point, before his journey away from his Father's house and that life was aligned with his Father's wishes.   Then he departed and lived his own way only to realize that it wasn't the right way.  He returns to his Father to ask forgiveness but his Father's desire was always for his good.  He restores his place in the family.  He's been forgiven. The son returns to a life he was meant to live for his Father.

We too who are in Christ have a life to be lived for our Father in Heaven.  To be honest, what that is and what I've desired in my life will always be in conflict because my selfishness will always try to usurp Jesus from being on the Throne of my heart. 

Jesus taught His Disciples, and by extension teaches US, to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus.  Read in Timothy and you never find Paul teaching Timothy to follow his dreams.  You never read of Paul or Peter or whomever wrote Hebrews, or John teaching people to follow their dreams. The teaching is to become like Christ in word, in thought and in deeds.

I know some may not agree with this but this is what prayer and contemplation have brought about in my mind today.  We indeed may be given things in our lives that are what we've dreamed about.  But I look at the 4 Gospels...the teaching to the Disciples was to let go of the personal wants and to follow and do what Jesus wanted.  We've a calling in Christ Jesus.  We've a specific place in the body of Christ in this here, in this now.  We've got a job to be doing in that body of Christ.  If we're doing that job in Christ then we're not doing something else.  

Letting go of self isn't easy.  We live in that time forewarned about in the New Testament where people would be lovers of themselves.   Selfish people who live for self and want no responsibilities.  In Christ we do have responsibilities.  We have been sent into His fields.  We aren't to return empty handed.  Consider that in your day today.  Offerings are to be the first-fruits of our lives.  From money to what we do.  The firsts belong to God.

Selfish people alienate people.  You inevitably push people away when selfishness takes root.  

In such a time as this you were born. 

In such a time as this you have a purpose in Christ Jesus.

In such a time as this you are uniquely you in the body of Christ.

The world does not want what God wants.  The world rejects the idea that sin exists and has consequences.  Every-single-person who has died has had their theology on that point corrected.

Every-single-person in Hell is either enraged that their way wasn't acknowledged as valid or are dumfounded that their way wasn't ok with God and everything in between.  Those who reject Jesus as the only way to be saved always find themselves in Hell after dying.  They are all in painful torment paying for their sins in Hell.  

In such a time as this we are to be lights in this world to show people a still better way.  To be found doing what we were sent into His fields to be doing.   

You likely will not get a "Well done!" from Christ Jesus by sitting on the bench or sitting on the sidelines.  You won't get it by not doing what you were sent out to be doing in this life given to you to live.

Mordachi told Esther as much: You keep silent then God will go through someone else.  The job will be done.  God's Will WILL be done.  

My intense contemplation of that idea of seeking to live out my dreams vs denying myself, taking up my own cross and following Jesus has brought me to this: My dreams are not even a vapor in the history of this world.  I have eternity to see if what I had dreams about would have been possible.  To be honest, to pursue my dreams would be financially improbable.  Indeed I would invite many an enemy in this world by doing so.  My dreams are on that grand of a scale.  Things that would indeed change the world and it's evident to me that God's saying "No, that's not for you.".

For such a time as this, I know, that God's got work for me to be doing. He's got work for you to be doing.  Seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.  My focus is to be on that.  Do that and life does fall into place.  Funny how that happens.