Tea Bags

March 2

We are like tea bags - we are strengthened in hot water. - Sister Busche

If nothing else, the negative, the challenging, the dangerous experiences you face evidence to you the magnitude of your own strength. You may be 'oppressed' in the eyes of your persecutors, but if I had to select one word to describe you it would be 'faithful'. You have borne criticism and disdain, and persecution at the hands of lost, dying men, but you know you have the never-ending approval and love of your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

He, unlike those who wag their fingers at you, those who mock your faith and hate your Savior, knows the depth to which you've fallen and He has not abandoned you there but He has lifted you up, set you on His path of achievement and self-respect, and tasked you with accomplishing the most formidable challenge He could place before you—reflecting Him to the scoffers around you.

God knows the lost, dying deluded mockers and tormenters of people of faith need to drink the undiluted cup of living water contained in His vessels of truth; in the men who have faced the worst of life and who know the power of prevailing, determined prayer to overcome it. Fallen man needs examples of steadfast faith who will resolutely define Christ before them by building His image within themselves—block upon block. You, O man of faith, are the person HE CHOSE TO PERFORM THAT JOB within the sphere of your influence!

Why? Because HE KNOWS YOU BETTER THAN YOU KNOW YOURSELF! HE KNOWS YOUR FAITH WILL PREVAIL! HE KNOWS YOUR LOVE IS UNFALTERING! HE KNOWS YOUR STRENGTH, THOUGH CHALLENGED SEVERELY, IS ROOTED IN HIM--BECAUSE HE KNOWS THE "JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH" (Nehemiah 8:10) AND THOUGH YOUR JOY MAY BE CHALLENGED BY YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES, HE KNOWS IT WILL PREVAIL!

Like a teabag in hot water, you will reach a strength that will astound you! Whether the people around you are 'hot' or 'cold' or indifferent, your strength will be more than sufficient to assure that the brew of your life will be rich, satisfying and invigorating. The brew of your life will be strong enough to bring you and those with whom you share the Gospel message to the blessings of the Christ who died that you may live eternally.

I know that your steadfastness in faith will bring you to the blessings Jesus has for you, and that He can use you to bring all those He's touching by your faith to the point where they, too can receive His precious salvation. We know one day every knee shall bow before Jesus and every tongue proclaim Him as Lord (Philippians 2:10). May the hot water of your life enable you to proclaim Him even more boldly in trial than in triumph.