Christian Living
Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday July 23, 2009
When I was a child the expression "Hunker Up" meant to get up close, to snuggle. A person in love would actually have a "Hankering to Hunker."
When Jesus invited all who will to come unto Him, He was in truth inviting us to get up close, to "hunker" if you will, for it's when we are close to the Lord that we accomplish the most in the way of true living.
Sister Clarice Jones wrote:
"Come a little closer to me, my child I'll give you strength to overcome each trial Come a little closer to me, my child, Come to me and rest awhile."
The Lord invites us to come closer, because when we are close to him, we tend to act, to think, and to be more like Him. To be like Jesus is the glaring need of most of us. We walk afar off and wonder why we are so powerless to gain personal victory, or to win our loved ones.
In my studies on forgiveness I find that one reason people have so much trouble forgiving the erring brother or sister is the attachment they have to things or to revenge. In order to practice New Testament forgiveness, I must be walking daily by the savior's side. I must be coming close to Christ and staying near. One of the sayings of the Desert Fathers is helpful in determining just where I am in the matter of closeness to Jesus: People asked a monk, "What is humility?" He replied,
"Humility is if a brother or sister sins against you and you forgive them before they ask you to."
In light of this definition, are you close to Jesus, or are you hugging some slight to your heart and longing for the day when you can get even, or more spiritually when God gets even for you?
Consider the following from Homiletics Online:
"On June 10, 1999 Patrick Lokhotio beat up Presbyterian preacher Timothy Njoya. In front of the congregation on July 3, 2000 at Timothy Njoya's church in Kinoo, on the outskirts of Nairobi, Patrick read a speech in the Kiswahili language denouncing his past and seeking forgiveness from both God and the congregation for "beating up a man of God." He pledged to live henceforth as a born-again Christian.
Local Christians described the event as a "St. Paul-style conversion." Lokhotio was warmly applauded by those present and hugged by his victim, who forgave him months ago and asked a magistrate in Nairobi to halt criminal proceedings against Lokhotio. Lokhotio said on July 3 he had actually been converted six months ago and had been in contact with the Njoya since then."
If we are close to Jesus, we know that God got "even" with all sin at Calvary. Even the sin perpetrated against us personally. The message for the church is we need revival!! Why can't we see that the suffering of Jesus is revenge enough?
In plain talk we need to "Hunker up" to Jesus.
Larry Lilly Copyright © 2002/Revised 2009 Use with credit.
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