In Christ Alone – When Strivings Cease

Greetings Dear Reader,

Most of the time the statement “Let go and let God” seems trite and oversimplified to me.  When we strive against what God wishes for us, however, we always fail.  As I prepared to write this morning I completed my Bible reading and checked to see if any of my friends needed prayer.  One of the avenues I check is Face Book. 

To my delight my Daughter, Christmas had put up a new painting.  I would include it in the post but she is asleep and I do not have permission.  It moved me to deeper understanding of how we can grow when we cease striving against what God has to teach us. 

Everything about following involves yieldedness.  We turn ourselves over to the one leading us.  We yield to the mastery of Christ over everything in our lives.  We submit to his calling, direction, and will.  We walk on our knees.  We learn on our knees.  We stand and advance on our knees.

As I seek to live, move, and be in Christ alone this painting and this understanding energizes me.  Thank you Christmas.  Thank you dear Daughter.  It is in ceasing to strive against the call of Christ to whatever he has for us that we find who we are and how we should live. 

The Basin and the Towel – Michael Card 

And the call is to community

In an upstairs room, a parable

Is just about to come alive

And while they bicker about who's best

With a painful glance, He'll silently rise

Their Savior Servant must show them how

Through the will of the water

And the tenderness of the towel

And the call is to community

The impoverished power that sets the soul free

In humility, to take the vow

That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel

In any ordinary place

On any ordinary day

The parable can live again

When one will kneel and one will yield

Our Saviour Servant must show us how

Through the will of the water

And the tenderness of the towel

The space between ourselves sometimes

Is more than the distance between the stars

By the fragile bridge of the Servant's bow

We take up the basin and the towel

And the call is to community

The impoverished power that sets the soul free

In humility, to take the vow

That day after day we must take up the basin

And the call is to community

The impoverished power that sets the soul free

In humility, to take the vow

That day after day we must take up the basin

That day after day we must take up the basin

That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel

Take up the basin and the towel, basin and towel

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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