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So, the north wind blows and there is a loss. “For this cause I
came to this hour. Father, glorify Thy name.” A
disappointment comes in or a sickness comes in or a grief
comes in or a time of suffering comes in; “What should I say,
‘Deliver me?’ For this cause I came to this hour. Glorify Thy
name.” Sometimes it’s prosperity that blows in; wonderful
health, good times, opportunities, open doors, provision. “What
shall I say, ‘Deliver me from this hour?’ For this cause I came
to this hour. Father, glorify Thy name.” That is the goal of
childlikeness. Everything is moving toward, “Glorify thy
name.”

We are the Lord’s garden and we invite any wind that will make
Him happy. That’s fine. Redemptive living is not me living for
Jesus. When He lived on earth in His incarnate body He went
to the cross. He went to the cross to reach the world. It’s the
same Jesus and He now lives in my heart. If He went to the
cross in His first body, where is He going in His new body?
He’s going to the cross. He lives in me; it’s not about me. It’s
not about you. It’s about redemption. Everything that comes
into your life, you just please Him and He reaches the world.
You are not out to reach the world. You live to please the Lord.
When you please the Lord He will reach the world.

That’s why my life is so exciting now. It wasn’t always this
way. When I was young I prayed, “Deliver me.” As He opened
my eyes more I say, “Keep me.” But now I don’t care if He
delivers or keeps. Now I say, “Father, glorify thy name.” My
wife has muscular dystrophy. It’s missionary muscular
dystrophy. I have congestive heart failure. It’s missionary
congestive heart failure. It’s all about missions. It’s all about
others. It’s not about us.

Some people have missionary singleness. Some people have
missionary cancer. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the north wind
or the south wind. Sometimes when Jesus lives in you He’ll go
to the hospital. That’s exciting! What is He up to?