Lawrence wong

Thank you Michael for your wonderful appraisal of the role of suffering in a disciple's life.

We in the "Western affluent nations" struggle with the idea that if we want to live a holy life that it is accompanied with unimaginable suffering of the cross, as iEsou endured to save each one of us.

We read of the sufferings of Muslims and others who have a Saul like confrontation with our living Saviour, and suddenly they are more than willing to give their lives to Him who suffered, knowing that it may well cost them their lives.

What a privilege it is to walk along Calvary Road knowing that it matters not when we get called home to ABBA.

What counts is the quality of the life we live in Christ and how much we glorify Him as we share His agape love with others.

The affluent world we live in is the greatest enemy for each one of us. May each one of us never forget what our Heavenly Father did for each one of us - He gave His only Son to die for each one of us, so that we might have life, eternal life. That in turn we can give our lives fully in service to Him until the day we are called home!

We may not be famous evangelists, nor teachers. We may be very ordinary people with ordinary jobs. But we are called to an extraordinary mission to be our Father's Ambassadors of His heavenly kingdom in this world (2 Cor 5:20).

We can have no greater calling! He will strengthen each one of us! Let this mind of Christ be in us as it was in Paul:

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. But indeed, I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ iEsou my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ." (Phil 3: 7-8)

Lawrence NZ

August 17 2017 • Report