The Pause and the Pursuit

As by faith Abraham went forth at the call of God, "not knowing whither he went" (Heb. 11:8); as by faith Israel followed the pillar of cloud to the Promised Land, so did these Gentiles go forth to find the promised Saviour. The Eastern country abounded in precious things, and the magi did not set out empty-handed. It was the custom to offer presents as an act of homage to princes or other personages of rank, and the richest gifts the land afforded were borne as an offering to Him in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed. It was necessary to journey by night in order to keep the star in view; but the travelers beguiled the hours by repeating traditional sayings and prophetic utterances concerning the One they sought. At every pause for rest they searched the prophecies; and the conviction deepened that they were divinely guided. While they had the star before them as an outward sign, they had also the inward evidence of the Holy Spirit, which was impressing their hearts, and inspiring them with hope. The journey, though long, was a happy one to them. (The Desire of Ages, p. 60).

Observation:  In this paragraph we find a blessed prescription for spiritual joy and fulfillment... pause and pursuit, following and resting, doing God's bidding and abiding in His love.  When we walk with Christ, we should also expect to rest with Christ.  Jesus said to His disciples:

"Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."" (Mark 6:31 NKJV)

The answer in success is not the pursuit of greater success, it is first and foremost... Rest.  Before we can move on, we must stop moving.  Before we can take the next step, we are invite to take off our sandals... maybe sit beside a quite stream, and put our feet in the water, and feel the warm sun, and the gentle breeze, and let our hearts be filled with the favor our Father.  Before we can conquer again, we are invited to submit to the silence... to be still and know that He is God.  This is the invitation of our Savior.

And so, as the wise men stopped to rest, they would search the prophecies Desire of Ages tells us.  What is your quest in rest? What is mine?

Prayer:  O Jesus, in moments of rest teach me to seek Your face.  Often I am tempted to turn to worldly pleasures.  And certainly there are blessings in this world that you provide for my moments of rest.  But Jesus, I want more then moments in front of the tube, more than just Facebooking and channel surfing.  Teach me to rest in You.  Teach me to find my solace and retreat at Your feet.  Teach me to come apart to a quiet place.  Teach me in those moments to sometimes search the Scriptures and sometimes be still and know that You are God... to be still and know that I am loved by You... to be still and know that every success is a gift from Your hand.  Teach me to give all the glory back to You as I rest in Your finished work.  Teach me to embrace Your invitation:

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28–29 NKJV) 

One Thing is Needed

Outside of the Jewish nation there were men who foretold the appearance of a divine instructor. These men were seeking for truth, and to them the Spirit of Inspiration was imparted. One after another, like stars in the darkened heavens, such teachers had arisen. Their words of prophecy had kindled hope in the hearts of thousands of the Gentile world. 

For hundreds of years the Scriptures had been translated into the Greek language, then widely spoken throughout the Roman Empire. The Jews were scattered everywhere, and their expectation of the Messiah's coming was to some extent shared by the Gentiles. Among those whom the Jews styled heathen were men who had a better understanding of the Scripture prophecies concerning the Messiah than had the teachers in Israel. There were some who hoped for His coming as a deliverer from sin. Philosophers endeavored to study into the mystery of the Hebrew economy. But the bigotry of the Jews hindered the spread of the light. Intent on maintaining the separation between themselves and other nations, they were unwilling to impart the knowledge they still possessed concerning the symbolic service. The true Interpreter must come. The One whom all these types prefigured must explain their significance. (The Desire of Ages, p. 33).

Before the first coming of Christ, the Lord poured out the Spirit of Prophecy on those who were diligently seeking the Scriptures to give them insight and understanding as to the time in which they lived and the certainty of the Messiah's appearing.  These seekers were experiencing the fulfillment of what Peter describes in his first epistle to the church: 

"Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into." (1 Peter 1:10–12 NKJV)

As these teachers "outside of the Jewish nation... foretold the appearance of the divine instructor," they demonstrated that they were recipients of the ministry of prophets of old.  And by doing so, they were carrying on in the ministry of those who had come before.  There message was not a new one.  Rather it was the renewal of the call of Amos: "Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!"" (Amos 4:12 NKJV)

Today we are faced with the same challenge and calling as those seekers before the coming of Christ... to prepare the way of the Lord.  And, at the Mid-America Union Pastor's Meetings this month, Pastor Randy Roberts of the Loma Linda University Church showed us the how to fulfill this calling through a simple challenge to read The Word.  Randy's timely message was a stark contrast to Martha experience that we so often live in ministry:

""Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed," (Luke 10:41–42 NKJV)

Martha was distracted with many things.  She was busy, busy, busy.  And she resented her sister Mary for sitting at the feet of Jesus.  But at the feet of Jesus was really the one thing Martha needed most.  It's the thing we ministers need most.  It's the thing that reminds me of my Nani.  

Early on in my life, my Grandmother Moon taught me to memorize Scripture.  I called her Nani.  And the first Scripture I can remember Nani teaching me was Psalm 19:14:

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer." (Psalms 19:14 NKJV)

Nani knew how important it was for us to meditate on Christ.  She new it must be a prayer request; that we must cry out to Jesus saying, "Lord draw me close to Thee;" Keep me at your feet.  In fact, Nani's favorite hymn was: Sitting at the Feet of Jesus.  It was played at her funeral.  And I praise God for the legacy of sitting she left me.  I praise God that my Nani choose the one thing she needed most.

Sitting at the Feet of Jesus

Sitting at the feet of Jesus, 

Oh, what words I hear Him say!

Happy place! so near, so precious!

May it find me there each day;

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,

I would look upon the past;

For His love has been so gracious,

It has won my heart at last.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,

Where can mortal be more blest?

There I lay my sins and sorrows,

And, when weary, find sweet rest;

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,

There I love to weep and pray;

While I from His fullness gather

Grace and comfort every day.

Bless me, O my Savior, bless me,

As *I sit low at Thy feet; [*I'm waiting]

Oh, look down in love upon me,

Let me see Thy face so sweet;

Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus,

Keep me holy as He is;

May I prove I've been with Jesus,

Who is all my righteousness.