Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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From one of Pastor John’s Old Testament classes, June 27, 2004.
Everybody, except God, has limitations, including Jesus. Yes, God has set limitations even on His Son. “All power in heaven in earth”, said Jesus, “is given to me.” But when his disciples wanted to know exactly when he would be returning, Jesus said he didn’t know (Mk. 3:32). He recognized his limitations.
Jesus cursed a tree, and it withered. He spoke, and Lazarus rose from the dead. He is the king of angels, and the dread of every evil spirit. Yet, he fears His Father, and his very life is in his Father’s hands. Jesus has limitations.
Now, Jesus could have been like Lucifer, and like a lot of people, and concentrated on his limitations. He could have sulked about the things he could not do and spent his life in misery and in envy of the Father, the one Being who is greater than he. Or, he could do what he did and rejoice in the light and life he had been given.
You have a choice today. You can look around you and envy others who have been given more power, or more money, or more of anything else, and boil in angry frustration at your limitations. Or you can take advantage of your opportunity to live the life that God has placed in your hands, and really live it, rejoicing as Jesus did in the life he had from God.
The late Roger Miller wrote a song long ago called, “You Can’t Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd”. The point of the comical song was that you can spend your life worrying about things you cannot do, or you can be happy. As Mr. Miller sang it, “You can be happy if you’ve a mind to.” There are lots of things you cannot do, lots of things you cannot have, lots of things you cannot know. But look at the things you can do, the places you can go, the things you can know! Even in the New Earth God has prepared for His saints, everyone will have limitations. But the secret of that world’s happiness is that the only people who will be taken there are those who have learned to be thankful and to rejoice in the freedoms they are given instead of becoming bitter about the limitations imposed on them by God.
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Pastor John,
I love this! I love my life! I got up one morning last week and while fixing my coffee, had the thought, “I just love my life!” And this morning while drinking my coffee, I had the thought, “I am rich!” God is good! I have His holy Spirit, and that makes me rich! He has blessed me in life and I am rich! It’s not the “rich” the world knows, but it’s the rich He knows! He lets me get up every morning and blesses me throughout the day! He is just good!! I didn’t know there were any limitations until now! Haha!! I am content! It gets sweeter as the days go by.
Love,
Tracey