Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
My friend had given me a little book that he hoped would find a treasured spot in my library. It had the price sticker still on it—97 cents. It was entitled “Seeking the Savior.”
The author was faithful to his title: the book went on to tell the many things I must do in order to find Jesus. The basic idea of the book is that the Savior of the world is hiding somewhere, and one must diligently search Him out.
My friend meant well; he wanted to help me. Thanks to him. And thanks to the author of the book who sincerely wanted to help his reader. I appreciated all the good intentions.
But the idea of Jesus hiding and waiting for us to find Him through diligent search is an Old Covenant idea, and Old Covenant thinking “genders to bondage” (Gal. 4:24).
The faith of Jesus is not another shop set up alongside Buddhism, Islam, Shintoism, etc. where you come to buy salvation. Jesus has given Himself to us; the Father “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,” that whoever believes in Him should not go on perishing within himself (the original has this idea). But may have (now, present tense) eternal life.
The Bible idea is just what hungry, lonely hearts yearn to understand:
The Father is infinite, which means that He gives His full attention to every person on earth. He faithfully, meticulously watched over you when you were an embryo in your mother’s womb. “You have formed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother’s womb. ... My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth [that is, the secret realities beyond our knowledge]. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me [that includes today!], when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16, NKJV).
Kneel before Him, and let each word penetrate; you’ve come to where you need to “enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matt. 6:6, KJV). Just wait, wait; let Him say to you what He yearns for you to receive in your heart. The Lord Jesus is your Savior, He has given Himself to you. It’s not your job to go and dig Him out somehow, somewhere.
It’s your job to let the Holy Spirit melt your hard, worldly heart with the truth of His nearness.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 15, 2008.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
------------------------------
Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
My friend had given me a little book that he hoped would find a treasured spot in my library. It had the price sticker still on it—97 cents. It was entitled “Seeking the Savior.”
The author was faithful to his title: the book went on to tell the many things I must do in order to find Jesus. The basic idea of the book is that the Savior of the world is hiding somewhere, and one must diligently search Him out.
My friend meant well; he wanted to help me. Thanks to him. And thanks to the author of the book who sincerely wanted to help his reader. I appreciated all the good intentions.
But the idea of Jesus hiding and waiting for us to find Him through diligent search is an Old Covenant idea, and Old Covenant thinking “genders to bondage” (Gal. 4:24).
The faith of Jesus is not another shop set up alongside Buddhism, Islam, Shintoism, etc. where you come to buy salvation. Jesus has given Himself to us; the Father “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,” that whoever believes in Him should not go on perishing within himself (the original has this idea). But may have (now, present tense) eternal life.
The Bible idea is just what hungry, lonely hearts yearn to understand:
The Father is infinite, which means that He gives His full attention to every person on earth. He faithfully, meticulously watched over you when you were an embryo in your mother’s womb. “You have formed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother’s womb. ... My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth [that is, the secret realities beyond our knowledge]. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me [that includes today!], when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16, NKJV).
Kneel before Him, and let each word penetrate; you’ve come to where you need to “enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matt. 6:6, KJV). Just wait, wait; let Him say to you what He yearns for you to receive in your heart. The Lord Jesus is your Savior, He has given Himself to you. It’s not your job to go and dig Him out somehow, somewhere.
It’s your job to let the Holy Spirit melt your hard, worldly heart with the truth of His nearness.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 15, 2008.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
------------------------------
Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
