I have a friend (who has a few decades
on me in this whole walking with Jesus thing) who often says that the
Christian life is nothing more than a continual reducing down until
what is left is Christ. I'm not sure I fully understood what he
meant when I first heard him say this years ago. But as the years go
by, more and more I feel like I know less and less. This is a tad
disconcerting as when I was younger I thought I knew quite a bit and
that I would just keep adding to this great knowledge throughout my
life. Then comes 1 Corinthians 8:2 to knock me off my high horse:
“If anyone supposes that
he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know.”
As I write this, I realize I
have no place to speak on this subject. I still struggle often with
feeling like I know more than others. But I will simply share the
little bit of light I have been given on this subject and pray the
Lord does with it what He wants.
I have been thinking about
my future lately, and I was praying recently, “Father,
just show me what to be taking steps toward, and I will do it.”
And though that prayer was not wrong, what the Lord showed me was
that I am His sheep. And His sheep don't have to know what they are
moving toward. They just have to stay close to Him, and He will lead
them. Think about it. Can you picture a shepherd calling out to his
sheep, “Head in that direction, I'll catch up!” No, he leads
them. He says, “Follow me. I'm taking you the safest way to the
best pastures.” Again I think I need to know something when all I
need to know is God.
“but if anyone loves
God, he is known by Him.” -1 Corinthians 8:3
Somehow this simple
statement is the answer. If you think you know anything, you know
nothing, but if you love God, He knows you and suddenly you don't
need to know anything else. And so continues the process of reducing
us to Christ. Praise God! Let us seek to love Him and know Him in
all that we do.
The following is my attempt at a Spanish translation.
******
Tengo un amigo
(quien ha estado caminando con Jesús
mucho más
tiempo que yo) quien muchas veces dice que la vida Cristiana es nada
más que un reducción hasta que nada está quedado excepto Cristo.
No entendí bien hace muchos años, pero ahora siento como yo sé
menos y menos. Cuando era menor, pensaba que sabía mucho y iba
saber más y más cada año. 1 Corintios 8:2 dice:
“Si
alguno cree que sabe algo, no ha aprendido todavía como lo debe
saber.”
Todavía
este no es facil para mí. Muchas veces todavía creo que yo sé más
que otras personas. Pero voy a compartir lo que Dios me ha revelado,
sino que es poco.
He
estado pensando en mi futuro recién, y oré, “Padre me
muestra donde debo caminar y lo haré.” Este oración no es
equivocado, pero el Señor me mostró que yo soy su oveja. Sus
ovejas no tienen que saber a donde van. Ellas solo tienen que quedar
cerca del Pastor y Él va a conducirles. Pastores no dicen a sus
ovejas, “Vayan allá! Nos vemos pronto!” El pastor les conduce
sus ovejas. Él dice, “Me sigan. Voy a mostrarte el camino más
seguro a los pastos mejores.” De nuevo creo que necesito saber algo
cuando solo necesito saber Dios.
“pero
si alguno ama a Dios, ése es conocido por El.” - 1 Corintios 8:3
Este
declaración sencillo es el solución. Si crees que sabes algo,
sabes nada, pero si amas a Dios, El te conoces y de repente no tienes
que saber nada más. Gracias a Dios! Buscamos a amar y conocer a
Dios en todo que hacemos.
