What fire do we refer to? That fire called zeal, enthusiasm,
commitment must never go out. The fire on the
altar must be kept burning and never allowed to go out. Every morning the
priest shall put firewood on it, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the
fat of the fellowship offering. The fire must always be kept burning on the
altar and never allowed to go out Lev 6:12-13(GNB).
What zeal are we renewing? In Mk3:14-15 we see the order of zeal: not
first to run off and minister, but zeal for the Lord's presence first. Renew
the passion for communion with him day and night. Renew the zeal to privately
consume and meditate on the word day and night. It is from there that we now
renew zeal for the vision of carrying the gospel to all men.
Consider two men on assignment in 2Sam18:9-32. One was bursting as it
were with zeal. Ahimaaz son of Zadok said to Joab, "Let me run to
the king with the good news that the LORD has saved him from his enemies."
2Sam 18:19(GNB). Even when
Joab dissuaded him he insisted on going. with his pedigree as son of the priest you would have expected him to excel.
He actually outran the first man. "Whatever
happens," Ahimaaz said again, "I want to go." "Then
go," Joab said. So Ahimaaz ran off down the road through the Jordan
Valley, and soon he passed the slave 2Sam 18:23(GNB). What zeal! Yet when it came to the crunch point, the delivery of the
message, he quibbled and did not give a thorough report. Hear him: "I'm not sure what was going on" 2Sam 18:29(ISV). Perhaps he feared how
the king would take the news, perhaps he was minded to please the big man. Beware!
We have been approved by God to be entrusted
with the gospel, we speak as we do, not trying to please people but God, who
tests our motives1Th 2:4(ISV). As Joab forewarned
he got no reward, instead was asked to wait while the second man came.
It is not the pedigree of the minister, the zeal
to run, nor the speed in running, outrunning those before you that is the issue
in ministry. The second man was a slave. Then he said to his Ethiopian slave, "Go and tell
the king what you have seen." The slave bowed and ran off2Sa 18:21(GNB). A slave
waits on the master; staying by His side first before being sent. Notice he
bowed in submission and reverence before running off? Ahimaaz did no such
thing. How could he? He was no slave. Don’t be upset when men outrun you in
ministry, if you have done the right thing they must wait for you. John outran
Peter, but Peter entered the tomb first. It is not for us to insist on what
role we play in the kingdom (Heb 2:4).
This slave delivered the whole news, palatable and unpalatable. Yet he
does it with tact: "Is the
young man Absalom all right?" the king asked. The slave answered, "I
wish that what has happened to him would happen to all your enemies, sir, and
to all who rebel against you." 2Sam 18:32(GNB). Those who
run after men give only the sweet sounding news to the ears; a message bringing
no tears of broken-hearted anguish for sin. David started
trembling. Then he went up to the room above the city gate to cry 2Sa 18:33(CEV)
If men are unbroken by your message check how
you run.
No comments:
Post a Comment