Valleys

Fullness in Christ

from The Valley of Vision

O God,
Thou hast taught me that Christ has all fullness and so all plenitude of the Spirit,
  that all fullness I lack in myself is in Him,
  for His people, not for Himself alone,
  He having perfect knowledge,
                             grace,
                             righteousness,
                                        to make me see,
                                        to make me righteous,
                                        to give me fullness;

that it is my duty, out of a sense of emptiness,
   to go to Christ, possess, enjoy His fullness as mine,
   as if I had it in myself, because it is for me in Him;

that when I do this I am full of the Spirit,
    as a fish that has got from the shore to the sea and has all fullness of waters to move in,
    for when faith fills me, then I am full;

that this is the way to be filled with the Spirit, like Stephen,
      first faith,
     then fullness,
for this way makes me most empty,
and so most fit for the Spirit to fill.

Thou hast taught me that the finding of this treasure of all grace in the field of Christ begets
            strength, 
            joy, 
            glory,
     and renders all graces alive.

Help me to delight more in what I receive from Christ,
                            more in that fullness which is in Him,
       the fountain of all His glory.
Let me not think to receive the Spirit from Him as a 'thing' apart from finding,
                                                                                                        drinking,
                                                                                                        being filled with Him.

To this end, O God,
          do Thou establish me in Christ,
                        settle me,
                        give me a being there,
                        assure me with certainty that all this is mine,
for this only will fill my heart with joy and peace.

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A sermon I heard recently reminded me that there are mountaintops and valleys in life. Odd as it may seem, I don't think I'd yet acknowledged to myself that I've been in one of life's valleys ever since our loss. The valley of the shadow of death, as the Psalmist described it. But valleys don't last forever, and neither do mountaintops. I can't see the next mountaintop right now, and sometimes it feels like I will never reach it -- but I am trusting that Christ will lead me through to the other side. It can be so difficult when I feel like I'm the only person in the valley, while others seem to be basking on the mountaintop. I rejoice with them in their happiness, and certainly don't want them to join me in the valley! But oh, how I wish I could join them on the mountain. How grateful I am for a God with both the ability to bring His perfect plan to pass, and the wisdom to know how best to bring glory to Himself and ultimate good to His people. May those of you who are also walking through valleys be comforted by Christ's endless love -- or if you do not know Christ, to recognize your need of the saving grace that is free to all who ask for it.