Every time I tried to do what God wants me to do on my own, I have failed. I have nothing to show for my lonely pious toil. None of it worthy of anything more then repentance.
Don't you see that God wants me to rely upon Him, to abide and wait upon Him, and not act out on my own?
Lets say that my fingers on my hand each had minds of their own. Each day, the fingers would read about what other fingers have done and whenever they were impressed they would tell my mind that they intended to do the same as what they have read other fingers have done. So all ten of my fingers made up their own minds to do things, and then they went about it on their own. If you were to look at my hand, I would be a bit embarrassed at the spasms of disorganized activity. Each finger would look like it was have a fit, and growing weary by the second. Of course, some of them may figure out that they are failures at their lonely toil and give up. Whenever they give up it would be a relief to me. They are more useful as weary spent fingers that are at rest then when they were feverishly working up a sweat.
Would you like to hear someone play the piano that is afflicted with those type fingers? How about get a haircut from someone like that? I wouldn't want to go under surgery when someone's fingers have their own minds. Would you?
The bottom line is that those fingers are foolish. Rather then doing it on their own, and telling me what they want to do. I should be telling them what to do, and they should keep quiet so that they can hear me. They should be restfully available to each activity that I want them to do, and rest until I say go. But, they won't be able to hear much of what I want them to do, when they are too busy living out their own fantasies of what I want them to do.
We are like the foolish fingers when we come up with ideas of what God wants us to do and then do it on our own.
We need to be still and know that He is God.
We need to wait upon the Lord and renew our strength.
We need to listen to the voice of the Shepherd.
... or we are doomed to constant failure and exhaustion.
Titus 3
(3) At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. (4) But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, (5) he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, (6)whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Hey, man. I think my thumb just tried to excommunicate my pinky! And you don't EVEN want to know about my toes! :)
Just kidding. Seriously, great post. Nice illustration. (The French Judge gives you 9.8 - she wanted another double axle!) Thanks!
All sin is sin and requires forgiveness, which is equal, as is the reward equal, given freely to all who ask. ~ God [Letters from God and His Christ - Volume 2 - Let the Lord Lead, You Only Need Follow...Let Go of Your Pride]