Jesus surprisingly chose tame characters as his disciples in Matthew 5:1-12. In Matthew 11:1-30, a similar, even less-likely gang.
That such people would be spiritually forceful seems a contradiction! Indeed, common sense tells us that the weary and burdened aren’t forceful, but weak; aren’t advancing into life, but retreating from it; aren’t fearless, but fearful. And, finding forcefulness, strength and courage from a MAN who described himself as gentle and humble, imposing an easy yoke and imposing a light burden? It all sounds strangely mystical, imaginative and illusory. But no, it’s simply a spiritual antinomy: a contradiction between two equally valid but opposite principles. It’s a divine inconsistency that’s perfectly rational when God dictates it:
The weary and burdened are truly the strongest people, the truly forceful, the truly contented, the truly committed. Because we rely on GOD. Aware of our innate human weakness, we’re never so strong as when we admit it and let God’s strength work in and through us. Paul discussed that very truth in II Corinthians 12:7-10. He discovered greater strength in FAITH through GRACE when God denied, not granted, his request. We always need more FAITH in God just when it seems we need something else—an answer, a blessing, an assurance. C.S. Lewis wrote about it: the Kingdom of God is absolutely strongest in human lives when you feel ALONE, EXHAUSTED, HOPELESS, ABANDONED by God, but you refuse to DOUBT! You persist in going on because FAITH in God assures you that God sees, God knows, God cares—and you CAN TRUST GOD! Billy Graham held a revival in Los Angeles after WWII. Stuart Hamblen, well-known Hollywood personality, attended the first service—and walked out in protest of Billy’s pointed preaching. Sometime later, struggling with a decision to surrender his life, he called Billy and asked for prayer. Billy replied, “You don’t need prayer, you need repentance.” Prayer is no substitute for repentance when we sin. Hamblen repented. John the Baptist struggled to reconcile his view of Christ’s ministry with his own expectations. Jesus didn’t offer him sympathy when asked to clarify the discrepancy. He instead challenged John to CONTINUE having FAITH in his initial appraisal of him John 1:29-36. End Part XIII B
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