Yesterday I had to share about the vine and the fig trees concerning the All-Inclusive Christ for our campus bible study.
That whole day I was just wandering around, doing odd things with no direction, so loose with my own thoughts with no regard for what to share.
One of the main points that my bible study small group brought up is not the process of producing wine, but the wine itself.
The wine is life in resurrection and is not only able to feed us as individuals but also God and fellow men.
The wine is what allows us to bear through our situations, feed others with the supply, and satisfy God’s heart.
I must confess that my natural stability was touched yesterday.
One of my core values is my dependence on my own stability, my supposed confidence that everything will be okay.
It’s not that simple.
The assuredness of the Lord came from His living to the source: only the life He had could produce such a presence even unto death.
I love the Lord, but I do not know how to take Him as stability.
I am full of shortcomings, but the Lord’s supply that is in me is ever new and ever rich.
I was sweetly reminded of yet strongly convicted by these three portions.
Genesis 49:14&15 Issachar is a strong donkey, Couching between the sheepfolds. And he saw a resting place that was good And the land that was pleasant, And he bowed his shoulder to bear, And became a task worker to bring tribute.
To those who do not know who our Lord is, the economical way for how He draws us for His work is shown here.
Donkeys are stubborn and stiffnecked, yet this strong donkey is just couching between the seemingly foreign sheepfolds.
Not only this, the donkey bows his shoulder to bear and become a task worker not for itself but to bring tribute.
How could this be? The donkey saw a resting place that was good and the land that was pleasant.
Our enjoyment and vision of the Lord causes our sacrifice and work to be simple: we willing bow our shoulder to bear the burdens of the saints and the church only in the restful, pleasant, and good land.
For me, many times of sacrifice were begrudgingly done, battling with my own thoughts and even unbelief.
We need to rest in Him so our view changes: all the work and sacrifice is willingly done because He supplies us as our real satisfaction and rest.
A Noble Deed Throughout the past twenty centuries, tens of thousands of precious lives, heart treasures, high positions, and golden futures have been “wasted” upon the Lord Jesus. To the ones who love Him in such a way, He is altogether lovely and worthy of their offering. What they have poured upon the Lord is not a waste but a fragrant testimony of His sweetness.
How could so many people across so many centuries just give everything to the Lord?
How could they waste themselves upon the Lord, giving up heart treasures, high position, golden futures, all of these things we hold so dear?
Once again, it is the sight of who the Lord is.
Every press, every sacrifice that we as believers endure is not a sacrifice but a giving back of the life we owe.
He is the most lovely and worthy One, and the wine pressed forth living to Him becomes a fragrant testimony to both God and man, an encouragement and pattern to everyone we meet.
What a precious portion! Our waste may seem like loss outwardly, but the riches, sweetness, and satisfaction we gain from the Lord is absolutely worth everything we give.
Genesis 4:5-7 But for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. And Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell. And Jehovah said to Cain, Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and his desire is for you, but you must rule over him.
Some believers seem to give up so much yet somehow the Lord does not regard their offering.
They have no enjoyment of the Lord and constantly ask why their sacrifice has no satisfaction for them, even to the point of unbelief and bitterness toward the Lord.
I believe that if you ask those people who the Lord is to them, the answers would not be so sweet.
Many people are the first to give, but do they really know the Lord’s heart?
The effort they produce is from themselves and even if the result is objectively good, He’s not in the work.
The sacrifice they claim is a sacrifice, but it wasn’t to the Lord, just for the Lord.
Living to the Lord will cause us to be in the flow and know where the Lord is, as everything we do is confirmed in the presence of Him.
Living for the Lord is religion, working like those who live in the world based on what they think others want.
The lack of mutuality does not satisfy either party and can even lead to more damage in the relationship!
I love my ability to remain stable, but that offering is not what the Lord wants and even hinders my growth.
I have my own concepts about my future, but I do not know if that matches the Lord’s arrangment for me.
Our sacrifice and work should not be sourced from ourselves but motivated by the Lord Himself, where we willingly work with His presence as our basis.