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Giving All to God
"Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than
choice gold." (v.10)
-- For reading & meditation: Proverbs 8:1-11
Christians who struggle with the concept of deferred satisfaction
ought to consider the contestants who prepare for such things as
sports competitions - especially the Olympic Games. Young men and
women push themselves almost beyond endurance in order to gain a
prize for themselves, their club or their country. I know that all
the groaning and gasping that goes on as they train is not
unmitigated pleasure. Why are they doing it? They are demonstrating
the principle of deferred satisfaction. They are willing to ensure
suffering now in order to win in the future. The pressure, the denial
of legitimate pleasures, the strong self-discipline, the rigorous
training, are all outweighed by the hope of winning. The idea of
deferred satisfaction is not a uniquely Christian idea. It has been
recognized by reflective people throughout history. Plato talks about
it, and so does Socrates - and they lived more than two thousand
years ago. Greek philosophy talks about the control of the passions
by self-discipline and encourages the development of virtue by
self-denial. Christianity teaches that God has come to this world in
the person of His Son in order to set up a rescue mission to save us
from an everlasting hell. We are saved, but not that we might sit
back and indulge ourselves in the thought. We are saved to serve. If
non-Christians can deny themselves present satisfaction for future
gains and go to such lengths to win a prize, how much more ought we,
who serve the risen Christ? Dare we stand by and watch them do for
gold what we are not prepared to do for God?
PRAYER:
Father, Your school is strict but the end is redemption. Your
instructions, however hard and uncompromising, are in the end my
salvation. Help me to see the end from the beginning and to use all
my powers in reaching for the goal. Amen.
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