Fall 1992

Food for Thought
Wade Taylor

"Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto
Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people
the children of Israel out of Egypt" Exodus 3:10.

The Lord clearly prefaces our "being sent" with the beckoning words that first we are to come to Him. The principle is this: To be acceptable, whatever we do for the Lord must be based upon our first having a right relationship with Him.

"And he goeth up into a mountain, and called unto Him
whom he would; and they came unto him. And he ordained
twelve that they should be with him, and that he might
send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal
sicknesses, and to cast out devils" Mark 3:13-15.

Here, our primary calling is to come to Him. As we are faithful in our coming to be with Him, then the Lord will be faithful in sending us forth into our place of ministry.

Another substantiation of this principle is expressed in Joseph's life.

"And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the
flock in Schechem? come, and I will send thee unto them.
And he said to him, Here am I" Gen 37:13.

In this human relationship is seen the devotion and obedience of a son to his father. The lad is seen to have a perfect heart attitude and relationship with his earthly father which was the basis for his being sent to his brethren.

"And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John
his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain
apart, and was transfigured before them: and his face
did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the
light ... While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud,
which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased; hear ye him" Matt 17:1-2,5.

When Jesus called Peter, James, and John up into the Mount of Transfiguration, He in turn was being called to His Father. Here Jesus received, in a visible manifestation of His relationship to His Father, the approbation, or full acceptance of His Father. Only now could Jesus come down and fulfill His ministry upon the cross.

The clarity of this principle cannot be over-emphasized. Many are so busy "doing" for the Lord that not enough time is spent developing a personal relationship with Him. The fruit of their labor is then found to be as hay, wood, and stubble; the result of their own works.

All ministry should begin after a time of intimate personal fellowship with the Lord. Then, He will be present and ready to do His work through them. His "doing" through us will always be infinitely better than any doing of our own.

"I am my beloved's, and His desire is toward me" SS 7:10.

Only after the Bride established her heart relationship to her Beloved, and gave up her self seeking ("My Beloved is mine" SS 2:16a) could He respond and lead her into "their" place of ministry.

"Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let
us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the
vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the
tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth:
there will I give thee my loves" Song of Solomon 7:11-12.

In God's original relationship with man, He walked with Adam "in the cool of the evening." There are certain times that are better than others for our time of fellowship with the Lord. When Adam transgressed, this relationship was broken, and he hid. The first thing the Lord did was to look for Adam. "And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? Gen 3:9.

We should never be found in the position of God having to "look for us" hidden within our busy schedule.

This principle will change our lives and ministry if we will take it seriously and begin to set apart time to commune with Him in His presence.

"If we build the Lord a house of devotion, He will build us
a house of ministry."

"Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge,
even the most High, thy habitation ... Because he
hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver
him: I will set him on high, because he hath known
my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer
him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver
him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy
him, and shew him my salvation" Psalm 91:9,14-16.