Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thu, 27 Nov 2008 09:49:44 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Nov. 28); BP: II Cor. 1:1-11; RBTTY: I Pet. 5; Ez.
November 28 “Conduit Christians”
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God.”
&n bsp; II Corinthians 1:3-4
We never need to feel depleted or defeated when we draw on His Supply (Phil. 4:19).
Have you ever heard someone say or said yourself, “If only I knew my purpose in life”? Most likely, you have—for so many live in quiet desperation even after accepting Christ, wishing they knew why they are here or wondering why they don’t see God moving in their lives.
Today’s Manna is a beautiful one from the Apostle Paul’s pen that clearly reminds us of who we are in Christ and why we’re here. In just a few words, he tells us we are “conduit Christians”—i.e., someone through whom the life, light and love of the Lord Jesus flow.
We know the purpose of a piece of conduit or pipe. It’s simply the container through which the water, oil, gas, etc., flows from its source to its destination. It has no other purpose other than simply “being” and helping guide the contents along the way.
And, so it is with the life of faith.
We are not “reservoirs” of blessings; we’re simply conveyors of them. We do not “reflect” God’s Glory, as the moon does the radiance of the sun. We “reveal” God’s Glory even as the globe of a lamb allows the light’s glow to be transmitted into the room.
Thus, when we’ve experienced firsthand God’s mercies and redeeming Love, we simply pass it along to someone else. And, so often, these are experienced in depth during our darkest hours of suffering. Only those whose heart has been broken can tell of the Father’s power to heal. Only those who’ve been “comforted in all our tribulation are able to comfort those who are in any trouble.”
And, with what do we comfort them?
Flowery words of encouragement? Clever little ditties of man’s wisdom or philosophy?
Or, do we “comfort them with the Comfort with which we’ve been comforted?”
We know the answer, don’t we?
Assuredly we do.
None of us can go to another, who’s going through a difficult time, and say “I know what you’re going through”—for none of us walk the same path or carry the same burden. Our experiences may be similar, but they’re never the same.
Even more, we shouldn’t point to our suffering and say, “Look at me; I made it and so can you.” No, instead, we should point to “the God of all comfort” and say “What He did for me, He can do for you.” May the Holy Spirit help us to remember He’ll use everything we’ve gone through or going through to help others draws closer to Him. Even if our words seem so inadequate, we can still just point upward toward Heaven and whisper, “He’s here.”
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