Dear Ones:
There is no passivity in true Christianity…neither is their feverish activity, lack of self-control in the “doing,” not before God, nor by the Spirit. We call that experience, “…in the flesh,” and not in the Spirit. But there is the blessed calm of resolve, purposefulness, and expectation of God’s blessing, as we live by faith, “…trusting Jesus, that is all.”
Christianity is very practical, and logical. And one of the great practical secrets is the act, and attitude of SETTING the Lord before us. David wrote in Psalm 16:8, “…I have SET the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” In essence, David has purposed in his heart to decisively practice the presence of God, and thus, trust in His presence, His intervention. When we come to Psalm 91:14, we find written, “…because he hath SET his love upon Me, therefore, will I deliver him.” Again, we find that there is no passivity. There is the choice, act, followed by an attitude of mind,”setting” the Lord before oneself, “setting” one’s love upon the Lord. In coming to the New Testament, the Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:2, “…SET your affection on things above, and not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” The call is to a quiet, resolute choice of faith, whereby we choose to look unto Jesus above all else, and then, derive all from Him.
It is interesting to note in Hebrews 12:1-2 that there is a race SET before us. It is one which has been run by countless participants of the grace and power of God. They have been witnesses, not only by virtue of what they saw by faith, but by what they experienced in their hearts of God’s resources and faithfulness during the journey. They ran this race having laid aside every weight, and “easily besetting sins,” and this, in order to look unto Jesus, the “author and finisher of faith.”
There is also a joy SET before us, as it was for the Lord Jesus. Just as real as the race is SET before us, there is the “fullness of joy” of His presence. And so, the call through the centuries echoes that which is in essence, SET in stone…the race and the reward, and the corresponding attitude of mind and heart of setting the Lord before us, setting of our hearts to love Him, and setting of our affection (mind) on things above and not on things on the earth. Then we shall know, as those who have gone before us, the “power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings,” His joy, His overcoming strength. And we shall declare with the Psalmist, “…because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” (Psalm 16:8)
Love, Dad