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(Matt. 13:16). God is the One who brought you to Christ (John 6:44,
65). The servant was a spokesman for the Body. Naturally, we love
those who helped us along the way -- those who fed and nurtured us.
Naturally, we tend to feel especially close to and perhaps even have
somewhat deeper love for those servants through whom God called us.
But, when it comes to "following after men," that's something else.
Where might that road end?
I have been thinking about my own tendency toward negative thought
recently. Let me share just a few of these thoughts with you.
Negative attitudes are often the result of subjective thought.
It is easy to talk oneself into futility, hopelessness and despair.
Recently, especially I have noticed that I can be "up," feeling good,
encouraged and positive one moment and suddenly just one word, one cord
or nerve struck just the right (or perhaps the wrong) way sends me
plununeting into a "valley." Maybe this is just me, but somehow I feel
it's a rather common phenomenon.
Perhaps I've said some of this before, but I want to repeat it.
In reading many of the Psalms I have been impressed with numerous
references indicating that King David (a man after God's own heart
and attitude) was a sensitive personality -- a person who experienced
a wide spectrum of very high "HIGHS" and very low "LOWS."
David knew what it was like to ride the crests, soar across the
peaks and feel like nothing -- absolutely nothing -- could slow him
down, get him down, or defeat him. Then there are also indications
that he plunged to the depths of despair, and literally, as the 23rd
Psalm says, walked in the valley of the shadow of death.
David experienced human emotions perhaps to extremes. He knew
hate -- the kind of deep hatred and utter contempt that he felt toward
the Philistine army with its giant Goliath mocking his nation Israel
and wagging the finger of defiance toward his God -- the One and Only
Great Creator God. In his controlled rage and bitter hate for the
shame being perpetrated against God and His nation Israel, he did not
shrink back in fear or consider the "impossible odds" against selfÂ
preservation. But rather, he went after and destroyed the giant.
The example of David fighting a lion in protection of his charge,
to me is outstanding in its meaning of "love" and commitment. His
duty was to protect his flock and that's exactly what he did.
The relationship of David to Jonathan (the son of an avowed
enemy), stronger in the bond of friendship than that of blood brothers,
is indicative of his capacity for deep love.
The example of his love and compassion toward Absalom even during
the peak of the "coup" Absalom was leading against him is outstanding
in revealing his emotion.
Fellow ministers, the reason I'm saying these things is because I
know that many of you have gone through a wide array of human emotions
and reactions over the events that have transpired since March-April
of this year.