“ ‘What if my master should come and find me idle?’ said Calvin to his friends, who demanded of him why he wasted his body in such constant labors. Few are like-minded so as to put this question to their souls, ‘Am I as I would wish to be should Christ come?’ “
This question may serve as a test as to our manner of life: Am I in such a state as I would wish to be in should my Lord appear? If we can answer this to our comfort, all is well; but if not, by all means let us mend matters, get out of our deshabille* and stand ready to meet our coming Lord. Bravely did Calvin fight on under a heap of disorders, and if we would be approved at the last we must imitate him in a constant diligence, born of “seeing Him who is invisible.”
Lord, make me to hear Thy footfall evermore, and cause me to live as though I heard Thee at the door.
- from C.H. Spurgeon’s Flowers from a Puritan’s Garden
*deshabille: the state of being carelessly or partially dressed
I wonder, was his motivation for such labor his love for our Master, or some fear of being found wanting when the Lord called him home? For having such security of his position in Christ, sometimes his statements make me think of someone in fear of judgment istaed of in fear of the Lord of our salvation, laboring to enter into His rest.
Jim,
Can the two positions you mention really be separated? I have found the two to be intertwined. Can we really love God without fearing Him and vice-versa? I believe the two play off of each other. We cannot love what we do not know and we cannot help but fear God if we really know Him… Thanks for listening.
Truthinator,
I think we’re on the same page. Motivated by deep affection in and love and fear of Him and for Him seems much different motivation for me than being motivated by the fear of being somehow found wanting in the lack of our work for Him. The Art Azurdia – Fixing Our Eyes on the Cross posted today says why I am feebly trying to express here. The statement by John Calvin seems to be as if the motivation is the fear of being found wanting for lack of something in him rather than the truth of casting ourselves upon Christ in the fear of the Lord that He might use us and work in us as He wills and for His glory regardless of our own great defeciencies.