Rhonnie Scheuerman’s Inspiration Station For All In Need This Morning

“The Peace Of Following Jesus Is A Joy” 

 This article appeared in our local newspaper (Mountain Press) recently

AUTHOR: Dr Alden Marshall Pastor of Presbyterian church – Gatlinburg, Tennessee

I have had several relatively high status jobs, and low status jobs also.  I  have noticed that it is about as difficult to walk humbly with Jesus in one kind as it is in another.  In the high status jobs I  had to fight pride and arrogance on every side, and in the low status jobs I had to fight resentment and bitterness on every side.  I did not always succeed in either. But we must keep praying to do whatever we do wholeheartedly, as unto the Lord.  Other wise we will quit repenting and give in to our baser instincts.  Then we will be dead inside, even when everyone around us thinks we are thriving in our environment.

I was enjoying the great beauty of this mountain area recently when I remembered what it was like when I was far from God.  I had  a well paying, work that I was educated in to do, and I think I was doing it rather effectively.  Yet on the inside I had such dread because I was Christian, yet I was not interested in following  Jesus as Lord at all.   At this stage of my life, instead of fighting pride and arrogance.  I just gave in to it!

For several years now, I have been following Jesus Christ, and the inward peace that results from doing that is a great joy and comfort to me.  Almost always before most always before I preach, I remember Samson, and how he had returned in the Lord, although blinders because of his earlier sins.

He had a small boy lead him to the pillars of the great building where he was , and prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.”  Then he grabbed the pillars and the whole building collapsed ,killing him and many others.  I also pray, “Lord let me die with the Philistines, meaning let me speak your very words, even if I bring the whole house/congregation  down on me. I hope we have this attitude no matter how respected or disrespected is  our work is.  I have seen many in both high and low positions who would lie or steal or do anything but follow Jesus Chris, in order to keep their job.

But whether we are rich or poor, respected, or disrespected, praised or ignored. I hope and pray we can sincerely say with Saint Paul, “For me, to live is Christ.”