1 John 3:2-3:
Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Among the hardest thing to do as a Christian is to remember. Think about the things that we often fail to remember. We don't ever seem to remember the effects of our disobedience. thus we often return to them, sometimes in greater capacities than before. It seems hard to remember the times when people help us, thus we stand with clinched fist, white-knuckle tight when it comes to our own opportunites to be generous. We often don't remember the time God brought us through a horrible disaster, thus we fail to thank him and be patient in our current ones. Truth be known, we oft forget the most powerful truth of all; we forget that Christ has set us free. This can only lead to returning to slavery of sin, and unfortunately the bonds of the law.
All of these "failures" are too often misinterpreted by the flesh. When we falter, we react in ways that must strike the Christ who set us free in the face once again. We find ourselves nailing self to a cross of condemnation, shame, and self-mockery. We return to a standard of legalism in desperate attempts to get back on God's good side. This usually results in making lofty and empty promises, and only opens up a new set of failures ahead, becuase if there is anything we all should know by know is that nobody is perfect. I always refer to this portion of the scripture in 1 Corinthians 13 "for now we see in a mirror dimly...now we know in part." This simply means something very powerful, that our best attempt at knowing perfect love will only be tainted while we are here.
So what are all these "failures" supposed to do. Well, it is no doubt that our temporary setbacks need confronting. Ignorance isn't the answer. So I believe the answer is at best two-fold.
1) Reminder of dependence. God desires not to shape a life for me independent of him. He wants me "in the vine" and connected through the glory of prayer. This whole idea that the God of the universe wants me is almost too overwhelming to accept. I would think it more simple, but maybe in a world of rejection this simplicity is hard to know. Nevertheless, it's the truth in simplest form. That's why Christ was sent.
2) The hope of Heaven. As referenced in the opening scriptural thought, this is where my mind lies currently. I just have to believe that wth all the rubbish this tmeporary body endures, with all the hurt, pain, and sorrow this life seems to have an endless supply of, and all of the grotesque sinful acts, that remain openly available to the masses that Heaven can't be far. What better use for the struggle of this world to give one hope for the next. Perhaps its time we start singing about it again, even if it means returning to hymns occasionally. We do live in a real world, we can never ignore that. There is work to do here that requires we be ever sober and vigilant. But we cannot ever fail to remember that our citezenship isn't here. Therefore the hope that drives us is that hope of the day when all things will become new, perfection will be restored, and there is no more anguish. Oh let us long for that day in hearts, driving us to continue in Him relentlessly toward bringing others to His feet.
05 January 2011
Despicable Me
Have you ever read something in the Bible you've read at least a million times and found something else that it says, teaching you something completely new? If you haven't, chances are you don't read the Bible much. Nevertheless, I had one of those experiences just a few moments ago that I would like to share.
Reading in Luke 6:27-36 Jesus talks about loving, giving, and doing good in the most radical way possible. In my own horrible attempt at summing up this passage, it says, "Whatever extremes people may go to treating you with disregard, it doesn't matter, they are worthy of the same love that God has showed you!"
If that's not convicting enough, there is a particular portion of it that totally threw me off. It's found in verse 35:
"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil"
What I found of great interest was that last clause (i underlined it for you). The thought that I arrived to was in thinking on the list of activites given in the previous ten scriptures. And then I imagined actually being able to carry those out. Like most sermons, the listeners had to maybe begin putting themselves in that lifestyle, or at least thinking about it. Imagine if you were a radical giver, lover, and doer like Jesus describes here. Imagine how good that would feel. Imagine the blessing you would obtain in life. Imagine the example you would be to all believers everywhere. Oh the greatness and joy in that life. And we find ourself even now as we imagine, that is what we strive for. That walk of perfection. But then right as we swamp ourself with a picture of greatness, being called sons of the Most High, we are reminded it is only because God chooses to be kind "to the UNGRATEFUL and EVIL". Whoa!!!
You mean even if I "achieve" this level of radical giving, loving, lending, and doing that I am still ungrateful and evil? That doesn't sound fair. Yet that is almost verbatum what Jesus said, that if we do those things we will be called sons, because God is kind to UNGRATEFUL and EVIL people. He must have been talking about those we are acting towards. No, he is talking about the ones doing the acting!
In our best possible attempts to obey a list of "holy" action, we will never deserve God's favor. It will always be unmerited. I think about how often i long to live this perfect life that God will somehow be pleased with. If I only was "holy" more and "sinned" less. Not that there is ever any tolerance of unchecked sin with God, we also have to grasp that even if we were the picture of the most radical Christian on the planet, our acceptance with God will never be based on that. He loves and chooses us because He wants to and He is good. Always remember, "This is love: NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." Our best love and attempts at holiness will always be tainted at best. God loves you. Be thankful and really try and grasp today just how awesome, great, pure, and powerful that love is.
Reading in Luke 6:27-36 Jesus talks about loving, giving, and doing good in the most radical way possible. In my own horrible attempt at summing up this passage, it says, "Whatever extremes people may go to treating you with disregard, it doesn't matter, they are worthy of the same love that God has showed you!"
If that's not convicting enough, there is a particular portion of it that totally threw me off. It's found in verse 35:
"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil"
What I found of great interest was that last clause (i underlined it for you). The thought that I arrived to was in thinking on the list of activites given in the previous ten scriptures. And then I imagined actually being able to carry those out. Like most sermons, the listeners had to maybe begin putting themselves in that lifestyle, or at least thinking about it. Imagine if you were a radical giver, lover, and doer like Jesus describes here. Imagine how good that would feel. Imagine the blessing you would obtain in life. Imagine the example you would be to all believers everywhere. Oh the greatness and joy in that life. And we find ourself even now as we imagine, that is what we strive for. That walk of perfection. But then right as we swamp ourself with a picture of greatness, being called sons of the Most High, we are reminded it is only because God chooses to be kind "to the UNGRATEFUL and EVIL". Whoa!!!
You mean even if I "achieve" this level of radical giving, loving, lending, and doing that I am still ungrateful and evil? That doesn't sound fair. Yet that is almost verbatum what Jesus said, that if we do those things we will be called sons, because God is kind to UNGRATEFUL and EVIL people. He must have been talking about those we are acting towards. No, he is talking about the ones doing the acting!
In our best possible attempts to obey a list of "holy" action, we will never deserve God's favor. It will always be unmerited. I think about how often i long to live this perfect life that God will somehow be pleased with. If I only was "holy" more and "sinned" less. Not that there is ever any tolerance of unchecked sin with God, we also have to grasp that even if we were the picture of the most radical Christian on the planet, our acceptance with God will never be based on that. He loves and chooses us because He wants to and He is good. Always remember, "This is love: NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." Our best love and attempts at holiness will always be tainted at best. God loves you. Be thankful and really try and grasp today just how awesome, great, pure, and powerful that love is.
Pushing and pulling (Romans 7 Remix)
Pushing and pulling at my soul, an endless fight
between spirit and flesh, grace and might.
I want to do well and I want to embrace
the gift of God's son and offer of grace.
But the more that I live the more that i find
my heart leans more to the stubborn kind.
Then before I can blink I find myself in
a web of deception, denial, and sin.
I would be better and feeling more free
if it weren't for this force at work at within me.
And it seems to grow stronger the more that I dare
to live in strong faith, it's always right there.
It's unrelenting grip on my soul and my mind
keeps me so out of balance and such in a bind
that I cannot keep focus upon what is right,
that freedom never comes through personal plight.
The pushing of bondage may never end
but the pulling of Grace is always a friend
that I find ever closer and there by my side
however the pushing shows up in strong tide.
The pushing and pulling of sin and grace
may cause a sometimes sluggish pace,
but the pushing of the sin law that weighs on the soul,
can never out shine the pulling I know.
This body of death that refuses to leave
is loosened by the grace on which I choose to cleave.
So I say to the pushing, "Fight 'til you bleed,"
becuase the pulling of grace is stronger in me,
and for every wound you inflict, the grace is a salve
that heals me with freedom I already have.
This grace that pulls me that came with high cost
proves never ending, the pushing has lost.
between spirit and flesh, grace and might.
I want to do well and I want to embrace
the gift of God's son and offer of grace.
But the more that I live the more that i find
my heart leans more to the stubborn kind.
Then before I can blink I find myself in
a web of deception, denial, and sin.
I would be better and feeling more free
if it weren't for this force at work at within me.
And it seems to grow stronger the more that I dare
to live in strong faith, it's always right there.
It's unrelenting grip on my soul and my mind
keeps me so out of balance and such in a bind
that I cannot keep focus upon what is right,
that freedom never comes through personal plight.
The pushing of bondage may never end
but the pulling of Grace is always a friend
that I find ever closer and there by my side
however the pushing shows up in strong tide.
The pushing and pulling of sin and grace
may cause a sometimes sluggish pace,
but the pushing of the sin law that weighs on the soul,
can never out shine the pulling I know.
This body of death that refuses to leave
is loosened by the grace on which I choose to cleave.
So I say to the pushing, "Fight 'til you bleed,"
becuase the pulling of grace is stronger in me,
and for every wound you inflict, the grace is a salve
that heals me with freedom I already have.
This grace that pulls me that came with high cost
proves never ending, the pushing has lost.
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