Choosing Christ as Lord, means living, thinking, talking, even your attitudes must change and come under His authority and leadership. We are to think His thoughts after Him, speak His words to others, and live in a way that honors Him and presents Him to the world as the most precious Treasure that He is. We are to be an ambassador for Him and His kingdom. This is the ministry of every Christian. And yet, it can be difficult because our flesh fights against us submitting to another. But there is good news…
In all of my weakness, the God of amazing grace has rescued and restored again and again. He has progressively delivered me from me (a work that is still going on). And in being torn between the kingdom of self and the kingdom of God, He has miraculously used me in the lives of many. In love, He has worked to dent and deface my glory so that His glory would be my delight. He has plundered my kingdom so that His kingdom would be my joy. And He has crushed my crown under His feet so that I would quest to be a good ambassador and not crave to be a king.
In this violent mercy there is hope for every person in ministry. Your Lord is not just after the success of your ministry; He is working to dethrone you as well. It is only when His throne is more important than yours that you will find joy in the hard and humbling task of gospel ministry. And His grace will not relent until our hearts have been fully captured by His glory.
Now, that’s good news!
–Paul David Tripp
Yes it is!
Father, Your grace overwhelms me. Thank You for continuing to relentlessly work in my life so that I may see You increase and me decrease. Please continue to make Your throne more important than my own. Continue crushing my crown under Your feet, and take my craving to be king away from me. I know that You are the only One big enough to control my life without destroying it. I once again, today, give it over to You to do with it as You will.
Amen.