Reflection

What a privilege!

Major Paul Robinson encourages us not to take holiness for granted

RECENTLY, I was thinking about how privileged I am. I have a home, a loving family and a corps family. Reflecting on this led me to consider all the privileges that have been mine over the years.

For more than four decades I have served the Lord through Salvation Army corps and social services. I still remember many people and many faces. I have listened to them, prayed with them and loved them. I have even bathed some of them. I have heard the stories of saints and sinners and seen God’s work in amazing and wonderful ways.

I have been with those waiting to enter Heaven’s door and wept with their families, where no words would ever be sufficient or appropriate, but where the the Lord was present to share his balm and consolation.

When people have been at the end of their tether, or when they have received joyous news, I have been available. I have sat in a consultant’s office to support someone being told they had only three weeks left to live. I have led meetings and seen people get caught up in worship, believing the Lord is going to work even more deeply in their lives. I have walked with people on their life journeys.

I used to have a regular radio ministry and served on the BBC’s Religious Advisory Group. This involved connecting to another studio. One day, when I had presented my Pause for Thought, the presenter offered, in jest, to hit me. When I got home my daughter was concerned for my welfare. In her mind the presenter and I were in the same place. It reminded me that whenever I speak – on an Army platform or on the radio – people are listening. What a privilege!

Don’t we all have experiences of privilege? People, places, events that have filled our lives? Opportunities of service and witness that have blessed us and others? Wouldn’t it be awful if we took every privileged moment for granted?

Our Movement describes holiness as a privilege. We believe it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified and that our ‘whole spirit and soul and body [may] be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Thessalonians 5:23 King James Version).

The Salvation Army’s DNA is rooted in people being fully saved – body, mind and spirit. In an age when society encourages people to do their own thing, even if it grieves the Holy Spirit, there is a need to stand up and take that privilege seriously.

Is our society a reflection of God’s Kingdom? Or is it a violent, terror-filled, self-centred world of people who think more of themselves than of God? We pray that his Kingdom will come on Earth as it is in Heaven, but do we do anything about it?

Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle dedicated his life to explaining what holiness looks like, writing: ‘Perfect consecration is a putting off self, and a putting on Christ; a giving up your own will in all things, and receiving the will of Jesus instead.’

Do we sometimes live as though Jesus is not necessary for our Christian life and journey? We busy ourselves in good works, join good causes and promote ourselves over the will of God. What a shame it would be to miss the privilege of being indwelt by Christ and having the power of the Holy Spirit to bring glory to him.

Now let thy Spirit bring me in, And give thy servant to possess The land of rest from inbred sin, The land of perfect holiness.

Lord, I believe thy power the same, The same thy grace and truth endure; And in thy blessèd hands I am And trust thee for a perfect cure.

Come, Saviour, come and make me whole, Entirely all my sins remove; To perfect health restore my soul, To perfect holiness and love. (SASB 301)

MAJOR ROBINSON IS CORPS OFFICER, NORWICH MILE CROSS

Apest: Evangelists

LUKE 24:13–35

DO you love talking? I do. For a long time, I believed that people were either good or bad communicators. In the past couple of years, that belief has started to change and I no longer see it as so black and white.

When I began my journey of learning about the fivefold Apest ministry (apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, teacher), I assumed that my dominant roles would probably be evangelist and teacher – I love to talk and I was a teacher. But it turned out that they were the lowest in my breakdown of the roles. I had some learning about evangelising to do!

Finding Jesus the evangelist in Scripture isn’t hard. Jesus is the great communicator and teller of the good news. In Luke 24, we can learn from one of the greatest examples – the story of what happened on the road to Emmaus.

QUESTION

Can you walk the walk as well as talk the talk?

‘Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened’ (vv13 and 14).

I would love to have heard that conversation. I have always thought that, before mechanised transportation, conversation must have been amazing because they would need something to pass the time. On their seven-mile walk, the disciples had plenty of time to talk.

QUESTIONS

How is it possible for us to miss opportunities in our everyday lives to ‘walk the road to Emmaus’ with someone? What do you need to do differently?

‘As they talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them; they saw him, but somehow did not recognise him’ (vv15 and 16 Good News Bible).

Do you wonder how long Jesus walked alongside them before speaking to them? I imagine that he walked for some time, just listening. Can this be a lesson for us? Should we not rush to speak but instead listen to the hearts of people?

If we are to ‘walk’ alongside others and share Jesus with them, we must listen to God and to those whom we seek to introduce to him. Taking time to

Through the week with Salvationist

– a devotional thought for each day

by Major Melvyn Knott

SUNDAY

Lord, if your presence does not go with us,/ Please do not send us up from here./ How will anyone know we are your people/ Unless you go before us?/ Lord, if your favour does not rest on us/ We dare not move beyond this place./ How will anyone know we go in your name/ Unless your blessing is over us?

(SASB 1031)

MONDAY

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the Earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. (Psalm 96:1 and 2)

TUESDAY

Lord, if your presence does not stay with us,/ Please do not send us up from here./ How will anyone hear of truth and goodness/ Unless your word speaks through us?/ Lord, if your presence is not love in us/ How can we minister your grace?/ How will anyone feel your tender mercy/ Unless your heart is in us?

(SASB 1031)