Just At The Point of Interesting

Good morning! We might adjust that saying to 'just at the point where we are about to bear fruit'. What we are looking for today is that point that comes right after we want to give it up and tell God what a failure we are. I read in a photography magazine a couple of years ago that most aspiring photographers give up just at the point their photographs become interesting. In Christ, we have a similar point, the point just before we are going to bear some serious fruit for our Lord. It is at that point that most of us want to give up. We have seen no fruit borne in our efforts, we may be poor in the way of the world, and the enjoyment that we expected doing Christ's work seems far off.

The training period God places on our little shoulders may last for years. Patience may be exhausted as the effort goes on and on with little reward or sign of fruit-bearing. Prayer in this area appears to go up in the air and we may be fully convinced that God is off taking in someone else's prayer incense. Whatever the reason, the prayer, the toil, the learning, and our little bit of faith seems wasted. The little flame of our mission is about to go out forever. Maybe, just maybe we were on the wrong path to begin with and God is not blessing our mission because this one ain't it. That little creeping doubt begins to take hold and strangle our faith. But, and there is always a moment of time when the Spirit gets His say.

Isaiah, whom we call the prince of prophets, had this to say, "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoking flax He will not quench." in speaking of our Lord and Savior. That last tiny flicker of flame on the end of your flax will not be quenched by Christ. We can snuff it out through giving up, but let us not give up on our mission before Christ gives up on us. You may identify wholly with the bruised reed, but Jesus will not break you, little reed. Trust in God, bring your concerns - okay, maybe they are more than concerns at this point - bring your pleading and crying to the Lord. Let Him know all about your feeling of doubt and your desire to give it all up. Remind Jesus that the darkness threatens to overwhelm your soul. Come in prayer to our Lord and tell Him that your patience and faith seems to be at the point of the bruised reed and smoking flax. Then, listen! The Word of the Lord will come to you through the Bible, a voice in your spirit, a statement made by a brother in Christ, in some way the Lord will make Himself known to you in your moment of despair. The spirit in you that is redeemed by Christ will hold communion with the Spirit of God whom Jesus gave to those who believe in Him, and you will know and I will know that God has spoken. Then, "He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the Earth." (Isaiah 42:3-4)

Trust in God, and be ready to hear His voice,
Bucky