I recently talked with a young man who got himself into a great deal of trouble. He is resolved to never do it again. Reflecting on his prospects, he expressed his confidence and thankfulness that the Lord has important things for his life. He said that he thinks this is why the Lord allowed him to get into trouble and spared him.
A couple of thoughts immediately come to mind. First, I think of all the times I have said something very wrong and foolish in my ignorance. Things I believed at the time were true. But in most cases I was dead wrong. God’s word and time have proved me wrong. Second, I remember, to my comfort, how many times Peter spoke out of ignorance. Remember Matt. 17:1-ff? Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James and John. He appeared in His glory. “His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light” (Matt. 17:2). Elijah and Moses appeared with Jesus at that time. They spoke to Him of His decease, which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). The sight was overwhelming. Peter spoke, as if he had to say something, but he spoke ill-advisedly. He said, “Let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias” (Matt. 17:4). By so saying, Peter put Christ, Moses and Elijah on equal footing. He blurted it out, intending to contribute something spiritual and meaningful, but it was blasphemy. As soon as he said it, immediately, a cloud overshadowed them. A voice spoke from the cloud saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matt. 17:5)! It was God the Father who spoke! He spoke to correct Peter. He indirectly corrects us of similarly misguided thoughts and words. Scripture says that when the disciples heard God thus speak, they fell on their faces and were sore afraid. No wonder! They heard the voice of God the Father correct their foolish, ignorant thoughts and words. How many numberless times have I thought and said so many more foolish things than this! Yet hear what the Lord Jesus, our great Mediator did. “He came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid” (Matt. 17:7).
When the young man with whom I spoke told me he was confident God had important things for him to do in his life, I thought of all the times in my youth that I thought similar things. Now, I look back at the mess of my life, and wonder that the Lord saved me at all! I am beginning to see that if the Lord has something important for me, it will be that I am an object of His saving grace (John 17:1-4)! He will give me faith to see that Christ is all. If He thus has compassion on me, and gives me eyes to see that with Christ alone, God is well-pleased, that I am to hear Him only, and that in believing Him I give glory to God, then my eyes are open (1 Cor. 1:30-31; John 6:29). The Lord Jesus Christ will receive all of the glory in our lives and our salvation. I must hear Him. I must see Him, and I must see and hear Him only. “If thine eye is single, thy whole body shall be full of light" (Luke 11:43) “I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity (the only way, truth, and life) that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3, Acts 4:12; Col. 2:9-10). Faith establishes the law because faith sees that Christ fulfilled it and pleased God by His obedience unto death (Rom. 3:31; Philippians 2:6-8). Will God do great things with me? If He does, He will bring me down and bring me to Christ. He will put me in the dust, and teach me that I am nothing and that Christ is all. He will cause me to see beauty and greatness in Him alone, and increasingly loathe myself. The Son of God is great. He has done great things for us. God the Father is pleased with Him. God does great things when He raises dead sinners to life, and gives them eyes to see Christ, and a tongue to tell of His greatness. When He does, it is in spite of our evil, ignorant, arrogant, foolish thoughts and words. I need the Lord Jesus Christ to come to me, to touch me and to tell me to “Arise, be not afraid.” Then I see that He is great. God’s grace is made perfect in weakness. There is no greater strength than knowing I am nothing and Christ is all (2 Cor. 12:9-10).
A couple of thoughts immediately come to mind. First, I think of all the times I have said something very wrong and foolish in my ignorance. Things I believed at the time were true. But in most cases I was dead wrong. God’s word and time have proved me wrong. Second, I remember, to my comfort, how many times Peter spoke out of ignorance. Remember Matt. 17:1-ff? Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James and John. He appeared in His glory. “His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light” (Matt. 17:2). Elijah and Moses appeared with Jesus at that time. They spoke to Him of His decease, which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). The sight was overwhelming. Peter spoke, as if he had to say something, but he spoke ill-advisedly. He said, “Let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias” (Matt. 17:4). By so saying, Peter put Christ, Moses and Elijah on equal footing. He blurted it out, intending to contribute something spiritual and meaningful, but it was blasphemy. As soon as he said it, immediately, a cloud overshadowed them. A voice spoke from the cloud saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matt. 17:5)! It was God the Father who spoke! He spoke to correct Peter. He indirectly corrects us of similarly misguided thoughts and words. Scripture says that when the disciples heard God thus speak, they fell on their faces and were sore afraid. No wonder! They heard the voice of God the Father correct their foolish, ignorant thoughts and words. How many numberless times have I thought and said so many more foolish things than this! Yet hear what the Lord Jesus, our great Mediator did. “He came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid” (Matt. 17:7).
When the young man with whom I spoke told me he was confident God had important things for him to do in his life, I thought of all the times in my youth that I thought similar things. Now, I look back at the mess of my life, and wonder that the Lord saved me at all! I am beginning to see that if the Lord has something important for me, it will be that I am an object of His saving grace (John 17:1-4)! He will give me faith to see that Christ is all. If He thus has compassion on me, and gives me eyes to see that with Christ alone, God is well-pleased, that I am to hear Him only, and that in believing Him I give glory to God, then my eyes are open (1 Cor. 1:30-31; John 6:29). The Lord Jesus Christ will receive all of the glory in our lives and our salvation. I must hear Him. I must see Him, and I must see and hear Him only. “If thine eye is single, thy whole body shall be full of light" (Luke 11:43) “I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity (the only way, truth, and life) that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3, Acts 4:12; Col. 2:9-10). Faith establishes the law because faith sees that Christ fulfilled it and pleased God by His obedience unto death (Rom. 3:31; Philippians 2:6-8). Will God do great things with me? If He does, He will bring me down and bring me to Christ. He will put me in the dust, and teach me that I am nothing and that Christ is all. He will cause me to see beauty and greatness in Him alone, and increasingly loathe myself. The Son of God is great. He has done great things for us. God the Father is pleased with Him. God does great things when He raises dead sinners to life, and gives them eyes to see Christ, and a tongue to tell of His greatness. When He does, it is in spite of our evil, ignorant, arrogant, foolish thoughts and words. I need the Lord Jesus Christ to come to me, to touch me and to tell me to “Arise, be not afraid.” Then I see that He is great. God’s grace is made perfect in weakness. There is no greater strength than knowing I am nothing and Christ is all (2 Cor. 12:9-10).
Rick Warta
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