The vineyard of the Oasis
another testimonyby steadfast
07 August 1998
So here in the desert, we just celebrated at the Oasis - which was exactly what it was for me. That is, I came away renewed, refreshed, excited about the possibilities.....and seeing that in the vineyard of that oasis, described in Matthew 20, I wasn't content with being the type of laborer I had become.
We read in that parable that early in the morning, and then again at the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 11th hours, laborers were hired to work the vineyard for the landowner. And that those hired in the 11th hour received the same compensation as those hired even first thing in the morning.
"These men who were hired last worked only one hour", they said, "and you have made them equal to us who have borned the burden of the work and the heat of the day".
"But he answered them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denairus? [day's wages] Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you". "Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?"
Envious because He's generous?
Yes, I was envious. Envious, for instance, of the pastor from Indiana at Oasis who lost 78 lbs in 12 weeks, and had a starting weight lower than mine. Here I'm through 2 sessions, not having lost as much - the message in my heart was "Way to go! but...it's not fair was echoing in another chamber". And whether at Oasis, or elsewhere, I think others are struggling with this same issue. "Why not me?" - a question assuming that our obedience is such that it even merits the asking.
How selfish of me. He did such a better job of pointing to Christ than I would have - exactly why it SHOULD have been him. That enablement of God needed to point to God, not me nor him. I saw then, how my being envious of that could only mean I was still desiring to glorify myself in some way, since the person chosen should be a moot point.
One of the tapes says Humility is expecting nothing from anyone but God. And I guess the 2nd part of that might be - where would we get the idea we should have any say as to WHAT to expect from God? Knowing that God supplies good things for us is different than our presuming He needs to do so in accordance with OUR wishes.
Doesn't He have the right to do what He wants with His grace? Who am I to set expectations for God?
If God chose, for instance, for 3 weeks of perfect obedience to result in NO loss for me, and 3 weeks of disobedience to bring someone else down 10 lbs - I have no right [repeat repeat repeat] to do anything but thank God for His fellowship with me, and His kindess towards the other.
So my brother has lost more than me? I thank him for his willingness to share, his example of obedience, and thank God for rewarding him.
Tape 3 (I think) is How to Measure Success. And there are good tips there, related to eating. But more, how much closer to God are you than you were? Eventually, the rest will follow, if there's growth in that one area.
Assume a 12 hour day.
Each laborer was given what he had earned...and so - Those hired in the eleventh hour received pay for one hour...and 11 hours pay from grace/kindness. Those hired in the ninth hour received pay for 3 hours...and 9 hours pay from grace/kindness. Those hired in the 6th hour received pay for 6 hours...and 6 hours pay from grace/kindness. etc
He even paid first those who started last.
What God taught my heart was two-fold: (1) - Don't begrudge others their weight loss or gifts of grace from God. (2) - Don't begrudge God that He gifts as He sees fit - they are, after all, His gifts to bestow. We are entitled to nothing, not even our day's wages. I am entitled to nothing, but rest in the hope of His word, that He will deliver so much more than that, and we are free to ask.
We are invited, even mandated to wait upon Him, and ask Him for our needs and hopes - just don't begrudge His no, His timing, or His method of answering. It violates His title of God. Justice, by definition, is God's desire.
Peace be with you - Love your neighbor as yourself, and rejoice in their victories.
Steadfast
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