“As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” (Romans 8:36)
Elijah asked the Lord to kill him, Jonah ran from Him, Peter asked Him to depart from him, Moses said He should find someone else.
The man of God called by the Lord to serve Him tires of serving Him at times, He is a hard taskmaster, He requires everything, all the time, there are no break times, no vacations, no sick days, no time off for personal pleasures. The world and all it offers are to be left behind, total and complete obedience is not just required, it is commanded.
“Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1st Peter 1:16)
We do not just grow weary in the work, and you may not fully understand this, but at times we detest it, we want to be left alone to do as we please without continual and constant obedience to His will.
The examples offered to you here are only a few of the men devoted to the glory of the Almighty, every man of God will admit these truths to himself more than once in this life, but the furthest he is allowed to go back is to that still water, the door to the world has been shut to him forever. No self-satisfaction, no self-gratification, a servant for life, expected to obey.
The anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, Solomon departed in his old age and knew that same anger, Peter went out and wept bitterly, every man of God has known His anger. It is not willful disobedience because of a distaste for His commandments, we are not as Demas was, we have not strayed from the faith, we simply get tired, burned out at times, as the world would phrase it.
“Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)
Those who believe attending church on a regular basis is the path cannot understand these words, those who profess that not forsaking the assembling of themselves together, that searching for the next “new sign,” the exposing the wickedness of the world to all that will listen, those who believe that reading a few verses from the Scriptures occasionally is searching for the face of God will never comprehend these truths.
“For our God is a consuming fire.” (Heb. 12:29)
All that you were before Him cast aside, all that you are and ever will be given to Him without question, a face set like a flint in the pursuit of the Almighty.
I do not lift myself up here, I speak to those who understand these words, not to those who believe “getting saved” was the end of the journey. I speak to those who are consumed by Him, who can find no purpose for their existence outside of Him, those who still know joy when they just want Him to leave them alone.
Ask the wives of any of these men, they can explain it better to you.
“Thus saith the Lord,” and we obey. Poorly at times, grudgingly and without much anticipation at times, even contending with the Living God Himself at times. This group of men are not much for excuses, not from others and never in themselves, it is almost impossible for them to comprehend how someone can claim to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and not be consumed by Him, why every word they speak, every action or deed they perform does not have in it some form of desire in it to exalt the name of the Most High above the heavens.
But we remember His words, “Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” (John 21:22)
There is a purpose for every member of the body of Christ, if you choose to ask for this life, contemplate your decision at great length. He will require everything of you, all the time. If you ask for any other reason than His glory, it will be denied you. And always remember, “For there is no respect of persons with God.” (Romans 2:11)
