In The Toil Of The Way

"...to dwell for ever with Him we love, in the midst of His people, in the presence of God. Christian, meditate much on heaven, it will help thee to press on, and to forget the toil of the way. This vale of tears is but the pathway to the better country: this world of woe is but the stepping-stone to a world of bliss."-Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions (I added the emphasis)

(edited to add) I write this and must honestly share that recently, as I have "looked" at my salvation and understand better the fullness of it...I have been shaken to the core. The more I see...the more I must embrace and enjoy the fullness of this precious gift, not doubt that it is mine. The wondrous truth of it all is more than I can bear and for some agonizing moments I questioned "could this really be mine-could I have really understood-believed this wondrous truth!". But I did, as a child I trusted what He revealed to me...that I was a sinner and needed a Savior, the revelation in the years to come of understanding how great a cost it was does not in any way change the fact that the Lord gave me a gift that I with child like faith accepted. My children today accept the gifts I give without *fully* understanding the *cost* or the *worth* nor are they able to fully appreciate them until they better understand the *cost* and *worth* of what they received. When they come to a realization of what a sacrifice really is or how much worth the gift really has...does it change the fact that the gift had already been recieved? No. There are much better illustrations but this will suffice, I hope, to convey my recent experience.

I have grown and matured and, I take out my gift of salvation from time to time and "look" at it, admire it, notice more and more the beauty of it...the cost, the complexity, the love...and it is agonizing to realize how much I take it for granted. In tears I have knelt before the Lord and held out the Gift He has given me and was/am silenced by the blinding Glory of it all -dizzy from the reality that I will never fully grasp the understanding of His Grace and Mercy shown to me by His Sacrifice, while bound to this flesh. It is in those moments that I promise to cherish my gift that much more...this beautiful gift that can never be taken from me. Oh, there are some agonizing moments in our growth, but the fellowship of His suffering...the realization of who we are in Him and why, brings us ever closer to Him and the embracing of the fullness of our salvation which is only through Christ.

But for some, the reality is that it is not theirs. They may believe, but they never received the gift. Maybe they didn't understand they were sinners...lost. Oh, that they would have that child-like faith...that gift of faith which is necessary to believe...

The beautiful reminder above, that this veil of tears is temporary, only pertains to those of us who are truly HIS...sinners saved by Grace-those of us who have BELIEVED in our hearts that our sin debt was settled on the cross of Calvary by our Lord Jesus Christ (God become flesh), who conquered death when He arose physically from the dead. We, who have called on HIM to save us personally, not only will have an eternity of bliss with Him when we shed this old flesh, but we have the GIFT of sweet fellowship with Him today and everyday. We have the gift of knowing our prayers are heard and answered according to His perfect will...this is OURS. We have the gift of His WORD to teach us and help us in the way. While the world crumbles around us, when the path seems dark and endless...He is there waiting for us to reach out and hold His ever outstretched hand...it is always there, because we are HIS.

Are you HIS dear reader? Do you have that moment forever ingrained in your mind in which you, realizing you were LOST as a sinner, called on the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior? I am pleading with you, your works, your baptism, a reliance on anything else other than Believing and receiving the FREE gift of Christs shed blood as payment for your sin- is a DISBELIEF in HIM as the ONE sacrifice for all sin. A reliance on any works or "goodness" of our own is saying that Christ's death was in vain! If you have not trusted in Christ alone...taken a moment to confess your trust is only in Him and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, please, seek the ONE who has sought after you..THE ONE who has brought you to the CROSS that you could be "born again", go see-look at the cross-the account is recorded in His Word. You must, with your entire being BELIEVE- that you owe a debt but He has paid it ALL. Only one payment under heaven is accepted...that's Christs' shed perfect blood...alone-you can't add to it or take away. It is not enough to believe and agree that these things are true...you must in FAITH pray/talk to HIM, to receive His gift. Don't worry about the words...it's not about that...HE knows and hears yo ur heart the moment it cries out to Him. He knows what your heart longs for before you can even form a word. If you are struggling with belief, ask the Lord to help your unbelief, read the book of Romans-allow the Holy Spirit to work in your heart as you read His Word...it was written for YOU that you might come to the knowledge of His saving GRACE (unmerited favor).

The Bible says none are good...none doeth good...if you are relying on your works or anything/anyone other than Christ's blood to settle the debt of your sin...PLEASE READ THIS -get it settled today!