Time to Drop Everything!
All the greats we talked about on Monday, upon seeing God, immediately dropped their security blanket as did Linus whom we discussed yesterday.
Isaiah dropped all notion that he might be a righteous man, a “cut above” man for having been chosen by God to serve as prophet. Against the pure spotlight of God’s holiness Isaiah saw he was himself covered in filth. As the New Living Translation has it, he cried, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” (Isa. 6:5, NLT). He dropped all security in personal righteousness.
The shepherds and stargazers all dropped plans and responsibilities to run to the Christ child. Sheep in a Jerusalem pasture bleated through that night, temporarily bereft of shepherd. King Herod waited and stewed but no wise men returned to bring him recon. God had said ‘Move on’ and they obeyed. Any security in good relations with Herod were dropped for the Messiah.
John dropped literally, to his already well-worn knees, at the sight of the Saviour. “I fell at his feet as though dead,” he writes (Rev. 1:17). Was this the same Jesus whose breast he had leaned upon in absolute repose years earlier at the supper? Indeed it was, but now, out of human costume, He stood in full glory. He stood as He is and will be when we too will one day face Him. We too must drop all pretense.
On that day we will drop all preconceptions. We will, as John earlier wrote, “see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). Or as Paul penned, “we shall see face to face” (1 Cor. 13:5).
On that day we will all drop all these things: security in personal righteousness, personal plans, and past preconceptions. We will know we must play by His Rules and those Rules say “No entry on personal merit.” “No plan B.” ”No other Saviour.”
We will also learn – either much to our relief or much to our horror – that the “game” has already been played.
So with Paul the Apostle we urge you, “We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:2). “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2).
Drop whatever you must and grasp His waiting Hand… Today.
Press on…
To hear Pastor Andrew’s complete message, go to the Lincoln Baptist Church website and look under ‘Sermons Online’ for the Dec. 1 message.
thebrokenrunner 
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