Known and Approved By God
by Tim Barta
As I recently conversed with a friend over lunch, I
began to feel a critical attitude surface toward him, someone whom I
love and respect. That surprised me and I didn’t clearly understand why
I possessed it.
That evening I went to bed and woke up in the middle of the night. The story of the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1-8) came to mind as I awoke. We're familiar with the story of how Peter, James and John had gone up a high mountain and saw Jesus transfigured and talking with Moses and Elijah. God's voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" After the disciples fell facedown and later looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
The thought that came to my mind next was that I saw Moses and Elijah, not Jesus! At times I am more concerned about listening to the approval of men rather than following God's command about Jesus, "Listen to him!" Tears began to flow as I repented and confessed to God of that idolatry. I thought that God had already brought substantial healing in my life in that area of performance and seeking approval of others. What He was doing by revealing my critical attitude toward this friend on the previous day, and then graciously bringing this Scripture to mind, was revealing to me how even unconsciously I want to hear the approval of people.
In the days since then, God has used some other of His words to continue speaking about His part and my part in His heart-changing work:
"On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts" (1 Thessalonians 2:4). We are already approved by God and entrusted with the Gospel.
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). Serving the One who serves us is the highest calling.
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24). God has His part and He has given each of us our part in this transforming process.
"...What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart…And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…” (2 Corinthians 5:11-21).
“It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, Msg.).
I recently received news from some friends who live in the midst of a country whose people are experiencing ongoing sectarian tension. They wrote that their hearts break for the people who have lost their lives in the fighting. Politics, family ties and religion run deep there. They have friends from almost every sect and it seems that all of them have a justifiable complaint. They listen, hold out hope, offer their friendship, and most importantly love them. There are just not enough hours in the day for them to read up on the past and present politics to fully understand the problem, but they can love. They continue to love God and the people He has placed in their path, even if they appear to be enemies.
“…We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God” (1 Corinthians 8:1-3, NIV).
What a privilege we possess as followers of Christ to love the true God who knows and approves us! May the peace of Christ rule our hearts, and may His majestic Word dwell richly within (Colossians 3:15-16). May we each respond to God’s ongoing new work in us in trusting ways as He keeps transforming our hearts, minds, bodies, relationships and souls. In the name and by the grace of Christ. Amen.
That evening I went to bed and woke up in the middle of the night. The story of the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1-8) came to mind as I awoke. We're familiar with the story of how Peter, James and John had gone up a high mountain and saw Jesus transfigured and talking with Moses and Elijah. God's voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" After the disciples fell facedown and later looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
The thought that came to my mind next was that I saw Moses and Elijah, not Jesus! At times I am more concerned about listening to the approval of men rather than following God's command about Jesus, "Listen to him!" Tears began to flow as I repented and confessed to God of that idolatry. I thought that God had already brought substantial healing in my life in that area of performance and seeking approval of others. What He was doing by revealing my critical attitude toward this friend on the previous day, and then graciously bringing this Scripture to mind, was revealing to me how even unconsciously I want to hear the approval of people.
In the days since then, God has used some other of His words to continue speaking about His part and my part in His heart-changing work:
"On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts" (1 Thessalonians 2:4). We are already approved by God and entrusted with the Gospel.
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). Serving the One who serves us is the highest calling.
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24). God has His part and He has given each of us our part in this transforming process.
"...What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart…And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…” (2 Corinthians 5:11-21).
“It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, Msg.).
I recently received news from some friends who live in the midst of a country whose people are experiencing ongoing sectarian tension. They wrote that their hearts break for the people who have lost their lives in the fighting. Politics, family ties and religion run deep there. They have friends from almost every sect and it seems that all of them have a justifiable complaint. They listen, hold out hope, offer their friendship, and most importantly love them. There are just not enough hours in the day for them to read up on the past and present politics to fully understand the problem, but they can love. They continue to love God and the people He has placed in their path, even if they appear to be enemies.
“…We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God” (1 Corinthians 8:1-3, NIV).
What a privilege we possess as followers of Christ to love the true God who knows and approves us! May the peace of Christ rule our hearts, and may His majestic Word dwell richly within (Colossians 3:15-16). May we each respond to God’s ongoing new work in us in trusting ways as He keeps transforming our hearts, minds, bodies, relationships and souls. In the name and by the grace of Christ. Amen.
