“He Himself is the great Man of Sorrows who knows our ills, Who was called the son of a carpenter, though He was the Son of God and the great Healer of sick souls. Who laboured for 30 years in a humble carpenter’s shop to fulfil God’s will. And God wills that in imitation of Christ, man should live and walk humbly on earth, not reaching for the sky, but bowing to humble things, learning from the Gospel to be meek and humble of heart.”
~ Vincent van Gogh
David was anointed at Bethel to be king. Immediately afterwards, however, he returned to his ordinary life as a shepherd.
He didn’t get shipped off to some training school. Rather, it was in the sheep fields as a shepherd that David learned to exercise and build his faith in God.
There in the sheep fields, he tested his shepherd’s sling.
When the hour came when he would face Goliath, David used that which he had tested in secret as a shepherd.
He declined the sword and the shield, but used that which he experienced in the trials of ordinary life.
And so it is with every servant of God. Or so it should be.
Wherever God puts us in life is our training for reigning.
“If we endure, we will also reign with him . . .” 2 Timothy 2:12
Vincent said that? Wow!
I enjoyed this short post, brother. We often want to escape our negative circumstances, rather than endure. Thus, our precious Lord, must keep bringing us back to the same circumstances, but in another place. There is a time to leave such circumstances, but I think we often jump ship, before our Father desires that we do. We can find rest in Him, even in the darkest times.
I have found that after every walk through the valley of the shadow of death, His glorious light shines brighter.
needed right now, thanks for listening to Christ and posting this brother.
Wonderful thought. Reminds me of something from a study yesterday in which we realized that most of the Jews elected to stay in Babylon after 70 years, rather than return to the ruins of Jerusalem. We concluded, “Rather than stay in Babylon, we must labor for the glory of the next world in the ruins of this world.”
AWESOME POST! Yesterday in our home group we talked about faith and trusting God. “If we endure, we will also reign with him.” Thanks for sharing!
So true Richard. I guess the key is to keep dependent upon the Chief Shepherd in the midst of the everyday and He will never let you down in the midst of the extraordinary!
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE GOD SO MUCH!! HE IS AMAZING!!!
I literally JUST JUST JUST JUST JUST was talking to Him & writing and was thinking about this exact same thing.
Then I came on here & was so blessed by this – a perfect followup for our conversation between Him & me. I love it!!
I had literally JUST written in my journal about how I am realizing more & more that God works in ordinary, daily tasks & life more so than any hyper spiritual event or experience.
As we (my family) have continued to move away from the “holy hush” crowd & all the external “feelings” & movements & rules & norms that go with it (3 kids always running around breaking the “spirit” of things has helped that a lot) ….
…I am continually amazed with how God condescends to reach into my ordinary normal moments & be with me through them. Teaching me, guiding me, just BEING with me in my ordinary normal life. Yes I still have so many moments of euphoria & deep spiritual moments – but it’s because Him IN ME that expresses OUT …. not external things pressing in causing it!
AMAZING!!
It’s amazes the people & places He chooses!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 HE IS AMAZING!!!!!!
Amen to this. Five smooth stones that you have been trained to use by our Lord are better for me than any tools or weapons that someone else has been trained to use.