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Declare His Glory Among the Nations was the theme of the
Urbana
76 Convention, directed by David Howard. This is an extract
from an address given by Helen Roseveare, whom Kenny has mentioned
oftened in his sermons. Her story is told in her book "Living
Sacrifice (C) Helen Roseveare 1979, published by Hodder and
Stoughton
During the hymn sung just prior to her address, Dr.
Roseveare stepped to one side of the podium and there dismantled a
large (about six-foot), stylized, artificial forsythia branch. She
first removed all the blossoms and leaves and then, from within
the branch itself, removed a bright, florescent shaft. Dr.
Roseveare then fixed a large arrowhead to one end of the-shaft.
This transformation completed, she held the arrow up for display
to the audience:
What is cost? - an entirely relative term that can only be
understood in reference to the value set upon the object obtained.
If I say that I have just been out and spent a thousand dollars,
you would consider it an enormous "cost" if you thought
I were buying a pair of fur gloves: but it would be an extremely
low cost if in fact I were buying a sports car!
As you have watched me "destroying" this lovely
imitation branch of forsythia - ruthlessly pulling off the
brilliant blossoms (destroying its ability to breathe and feed);
snapping off all side branches, cutting off knots and smoothing
rough places (destroying its shape and form); and even stripping
its very bark (its protection against rain and sun, destroying
even that which gives it personality and the power to live) - what
a pointless waste, you think, and at what a "cost,"
especially in midwinter!
But wait a moment! As the stripping and whittling and
sandpapering processes are complete, what results from the rough
(though beautiful) branch? An arrow - a polished shaft, fit to
carry the arrowhead direct to its target. A perfect balanced tool
in the hand of an expert archer to achieve a destined goal. Does
the "cost" now seem quite so high? Was it really a
pointless waste? God says that he will make of his Branch (Is.
11:1) a polished shaft (Is. 49:2). And he longs to make you and me
more "like unto Jesus," conformable to the image of his
Son.
Am I willing for the stripping and whittling and sandpapering,
through circumstances, companions or committees, to make me into
that perfect arrow to achieve his wonderful purposes in and
through my life? "For we are his workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we
should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).
The rest of this talk can be
found by clicking
here.
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