by David Scott Robertson
“And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (Mark 1:11 NIV)
Wouldn’t you like to insert your name in the scripture above?
How about it?
Wouldn’t it be great if God’s audible voice from heaven spoke this out:
“You [insert your name here] are my Son [or son or daughter], whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
There are certain statements quoted in the Bible,
Like this scripture found in the gospel of Mark,
That I can’t help but desiring with an earnest desire
That they could be said of me.
Now I know theologically that obedience pleases the Lord
And causes us to find favor with God.
But contained in the text of scriptures are remarkable comments
That the Lord God makes about particular individuals in certain circumstances.
Somehow, someday, some way,
Under the right circumstances,
I pray that my obedience to His explicit commands
Will position me to please Him and likewise cause Him to make remarkable comments.
I’m not pushing for power
Grappling for glory
Or foraging for fame –
I just plain want to please God.
I want to give Him “bragging rights.”
I want Jesus to be glad He made me.
I want the Holy Spirit to be able to comment “now this guy cooperates with Us.”
As I live,
And when I stop living at the God-appointed time,
I want it to be said of me what Jesus said in John 17:4:
“I glorified you [talking to His Father] on earth, having finished the work which you gave me to do.”
Oh that I would finish the work!
Oh that I would please the Lord!
Oh that it could be said of me such incredible statements found in the Bible like:
(1 Ki 21:29 NIV) "Have you noticed how [David Robertson] Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day…”
(Job 1:8 NIV) Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant [David Robertson] Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."
(Gen 18:17 NIV) “Then the LORD said, "Shall I hide from [David Robertson] Abraham what I am about to do?”
(1 Ki 3:5 NIV) At Gibeon the LORD appeared to [David Robertson] Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."
(1 Ki 3:9 NIV) [Oh that I would make wise requests like Solomon did here!] So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
(1 Ki 3:10 NIV) The Lord was pleased that [David Robertson] Solomon had asked for this.”
(Acts 7:55 NIV) But [David Robertson] Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
(Acts 7:56 NIV) "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
(Stephen provokes Jesus, who is seated at the right hand of His Father, to actually stand up!)
(Gen 6:8 NIV) “But [David Robertson] Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”
(Heb 11:5 NIV) “By faith [David Robertson] Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.”
(John 13:23 NIV) “One of them, [David Robertson] the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.”
(Rev 1:10 NIV) “On the Lord's Day [David Robertson] I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,”
(Acts 5:15 NIV) “As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least [David Robertson’s] Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.”
(Acts 4:13 NIV) “When they saw the courage of [David Robertson] Peter and John and realized that [he] they [was an] were unschooled, ordinary [man] men, they were astonished and they took note that [David] these men had been with Jesus.”
(Rom 4:20 NIV) “Yet [David Robertson] he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
(Rom 4:21 NIV) being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”
(2 Ki 10:16 NIV) “[David Robertson] Jehu said, "Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD." Then he had him ride along in his [red Buick Reatta) chariot.”
(1 Chr 11:24 NIV) “Such were the exploits of [David Robertson] Benaiah son of [Bill Robertson] Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty men.”
Oh that my name could be included anywhere in God’s catalog of faithful people
Like that found in the New Testament’s “Hall of Fame” in Hebrews chapter 11!
Oh that I could do exploits for God by His power!
Oh that it could be said of me that I have the testimony that I pleased God.
As it is written:
(2 Cor 10:18 NIV) “For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”
I can’t help it…
I want to bring glory to His magnificent Name!
I want to be about my Father’s business (Luke 2:49 KJV).
It is not wrong for me to want these things.
As a matter of fact,
I think it pleases the Lord for me to want such things.
It has nothing to do with self-promotion,
On the contrary it requires dying to self that Christ might live in and through me.
It is through Christ alone that anything of eternal, lasting value happens.
I can do NO things WITHOUT Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).
In Him I live and move and have my being (Acts 17:28).
I am dead and my life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).
If for some reason I don’t do great things for God
At least I can do small things in a great way for my Master!
Oh that it could be said of me:
“At least David Robertson tried…”
“David never gave up…”
“David gave it his all…”
“David ran the race, finished the course, kept the faith.”
One day,
You and I have an appointment to appear before the Judge of all the earth.
Our record will be reviewed.
Our account will be settled.
Our reward (or punishment) will be dispensed.
If you are saved, then you will appear HERE:
(2 Cor 5:10 NIV) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
If you are not saved you will appear HERE:
(Rev 20:11 NIV) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
(Rev 20:12 NIV) And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
By God’s grace,
I’m going to begin now preparing for that interview at the Judgment Seat of Christ!
Oh that it could be said of me at that time:
(Mat 25:21 NIV) "His master replied, 'Well done, [David Robertson] good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'”
DSR
8/30/01