Earlier this morning I ate a few pieces of dragon fruit while waiting for the kettle to boil. (I start the day with a cup of tea and my Bible.) After my workout (usually three times a week) I ate several very small bananas and an apple. I work at home on Wednesdays, so as I ate lunch with Jan we each enjoyed several pieces of pineapple. Then this afternoon for a snack I ate an orange. You might have guessed that I love to eat fruit (and it keeps me from eating too many sweet things.)
All fresh fruit, all from a local market. (Well maybe the apple was imported, but it was good.) I thought nothing of eating five different kinds of fruit today until I suddenly realized I would never do that in Canada. If I ate three kinds of fruit in one day it would be great but very unusual. Even while living in Florida, with fruit trees in my backyard, I don't think I tasted more than three kinds of fruit in one day. Yet here, with so much fruit available at such low cost, it is not unusual.
And I tell you this, why? Because it would have been easy for us to stay in Canada rather than come to Vietnam. In some ways it was quite costly for us to say "yes" to God's leading and move here. However fresh, cheap fruit is one of the small rewards we now enjoy. No, that did not figure into our choosing to come, but it is a nice little - and very healthy reward. :)
Too often when we speak of serving Christ, of following Him, of going wherever He leads us, we speak in terms of submission and the cost of discipleship. All of that is good, proper and biblical. But Jesus and the NT authors while speaking of the cost, do not hesitate to also speak of the rewards God promises to those who choose to follow. They are many. Most are not seen or touched, because they are spiritual and interior - like feelings of peace, purpose, joy, fulfillment, deep satisfaction. Other rewards, and these are the heaviest to use Paul's language (II Corinthians 4:17), will not be experienced until we pass to the other side. So don't be afraid to risk as you obey and follow wherever Christ leads.
All fresh fruit, all from a local market. (Well maybe the apple was imported, but it was good.) I thought nothing of eating five different kinds of fruit today until I suddenly realized I would never do that in Canada. If I ate three kinds of fruit in one day it would be great but very unusual. Even while living in Florida, with fruit trees in my backyard, I don't think I tasted more than three kinds of fruit in one day. Yet here, with so much fruit available at such low cost, it is not unusual.
And I tell you this, why? Because it would have been easy for us to stay in Canada rather than come to Vietnam. In some ways it was quite costly for us to say "yes" to God's leading and move here. However fresh, cheap fruit is one of the small rewards we now enjoy. No, that did not figure into our choosing to come, but it is a nice little - and very healthy reward. :)
Too often when we speak of serving Christ, of following Him, of going wherever He leads us, we speak in terms of submission and the cost of discipleship. All of that is good, proper and biblical. But Jesus and the NT authors while speaking of the cost, do not hesitate to also speak of the rewards God promises to those who choose to follow. They are many. Most are not seen or touched, because they are spiritual and interior - like feelings of peace, purpose, joy, fulfillment, deep satisfaction. Other rewards, and these are the heaviest to use Paul's language (II Corinthians 4:17), will not be experienced until we pass to the other side. So don't be afraid to risk as you obey and follow wherever Christ leads.
No comments:
Post a Comment