A Quest Worthy

Good morning! In our new life in Christ, we want to do something. We don't feel that free grace ought to do it, so we labor at religion. Some skip right to the religion part and are led away from Jesus and salvation. If earning salvation is not possible, then what can we do for the kingdom? A kingdom brings to mind a knight and his quest. Will God be so kind as to give any of us a quest worthy of the kingdom of God? Yes, I believe there is at least one. Make it your quest to live trusting in God every moment of every day without fear and without doubt. In a time of calm, without a serious trial in your life, you will think this quest too easy. However, God will make sure the quest is worthy, I can assure you of that. Everyone who has given his or her life to Christ will at some point face a serious trial. Not a small trial like losing an assignment at school or work and getting a bad grade or a chewing out. No, this is the serious trial. You and God will decide just what that is. Some examples will work for one Christian, but not another. I'll just leave it to God decide what it takes to really get your attention.

Your quest will lead you through that valley David named in his great psalm. At the very bottom of that valley, when the only light shining is in the Shepherd beside you, you are going to feel like one terrified sheep. Your bleating may shake the walls of the mountains above. Jesus will calm your heart and bear you up. In that valley, when you think you have hit bottom, you may discover another gully, this one without bridge or footpath. Jesus does not leave your side. In fact, like the poem He may carry you over that gully. Yes, with your little sheep mouth bleating its terror for all to hear. The thoughts of fear and doubt will be thrown at you as though being at the bottom of a dreadful valley is not enough in this life. The Adversary loves to catch us when our spirits are down in our boot soles. Look around, Jesus has not left you alone in your terror. From the bottom of the valley, firmly in the hand of the Savior, stop the bleating. Ask Him for strength to not doubt and for the power to overcome fear. If God has made promises, seize on them; remind Him of those promises, and trust Him to fulfill them. Stay the course, don't try to leap out of your Savior's arms in a time of fear. Run to His word. Your arms aren't full of frightened sheep, read verses, passages, even entire books aloud if necessary to calm your fears. The Word of God is powerful. The promises of God sure and certain. The love of God never stops. Read Romans 8, ask what can separate you from the love of God, and enjoy the answer - NOTHING!

Take up your quest Christian knight, You will lose your fear in it.

Bucky