Tue, Jan 29th - 11:32AM

Obedience in Suffering

I haven't been here in a while...I do have to limit my  time at the pc because of eye strain; and I keep going through valleys of depression.  The Lord is cutting away a lot of fleshly things in my life, things I think I need and enjoy so there is a grieving time...then I find those things were not "necessary" for my well being after all.  LOl...it is quite amazing in the long run and I am praising Him for His faithfulness to me; these seasons of pruning are probably answers to my prayers and certainly are in line with His purpose for me and all believers...we are to be conformed to the image of Jesus.  Wow!!!!  What a purpose the Father has in mind for us...this does not mean just getting us a little bit better or cleaner it means total change...I am glad it is a gradual process. :)

I have been reading and meditating on all kinds of prayer examples in the Word, this one sticks with me a lot:

In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.

Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.

And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.  Hebrews 5:7-10

I'm trying to learn obedience too...even in the midst of suffering...just "waiting" can feel like suffering to me (good grief).  What I find at times is a JOY in just obeying the Lord and learning to delight in doing His will.  Learning to trust and obey...LOL  This is the path for all believers; sure can be bumpy at times for me but He has a way of making the rough places smooth.

We see that Jesus had plenty of faith:  He knew God could save Him from death; He went to the right place on His knees before His Father's throne and...He was heard because of His piety.  The sufferings of the cross was God's will at this time.

Anyway, even our sufferings are not wasted in God. The Father had a purpose for the Lord's suffering, He became the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him; He was fitted for the Office of High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.  God has plans and purposes for His suffering saints too; He has a place of service in His kingdom for each one of us and we are chosen to bear fruit.

The scriptures tell us we "all" are part of a holy priesthood:

you also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  1 Pe 2:5

and He made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen.  Re 1:6

It has done me a lot of good to read and think this over again today.  I forget that I've been chosen to serve God as a part of a holy priesthood; the things of this world, this earth get so big sometimes, these things will pass away, it is the invisible things that are eternal.

Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against your soul. 1 Pe 2:11

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