The
beginning of a journey is usually the easy part by comparison to remaining on
track, continuing and completing it to the purposed destination. It is so with
our spiritual journey. Often the manner, spirit and desire with which the
things of God are received at conversion - the beginning of our new life and
walk in God - are not the evidences we find in the life of believers who have
continued on for a while. The early fire and effect of Jesus and His doctrine
seems somewhat spent; the joy and desire of prayer, learning and fellowship,
appears much diminished; the love for brethren and lost souls, becomes colder
with indifference; and the vision of heaven, eternity and life’s purpose, grows
dim and obstructed. This ought not to be the ‘normal’ state of true Christians!
We received Christ, His salvation and teaching in humility of heart, power,
thankfulness and simplicity. With love we embraced, bathed and rejoiced in all
the new found truth and life. The thrill of the Saviour in our souls, peace in
our hearts and joy of salvation, radiated to all around us, clearly
transmitting the message that we were new and Christ now reigned in us! No effort
was too much, sacrifice too great or instruction too rigorous, for us to follow
and obey, for when we received the Lord Jesus Christ, we received His ability
to love His Word and in genuine heartfelt gratitude, we did all without gripe
or complaint. Can we truly say that is still the condition of our heart and the
desire of our soul today? Have we continued to walk in that same simplicity,
joy and love that we first found in God? The same markers of love - for Jesus,
truth, spiritual things, conviction and others, set in our souls at our
conversion, should be evident signs in our lives today, as we continue to walk
in the Lord. They should remain present and strong till the end. Isn’t this the
kind of faithfulness Jesus is expecting to find in His church at His return?
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