and yet….

continuing from last post-

I know acutely that there is something slightly off-  Specifically with regards to the topic of suffering.

Numerous times in the Pauline epistles (2 cor. 1:7, phil. 3:10, col. 1:24, tons in 2 timothy) suffering is mentioned as a calling of the faithful… even a promise from Christ that we will suffer for his sake.  Yet the verse that most strikes me is this: Romans 8:17 “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

So I’m not really suffering right now-  and I can’t particularly think of a time when I was specifically afflicted for Christ’s sake.. I will have to think about this some more…

On another note-

Today I was confronted with a bit of a ‘holy slap’ here at church today- something that might remedy my sugar-glazed outlook, that I might more soberly judge myself.  The passage today was on God’s holiness.  How He is utterly holy.  A golden sash around his chest- the garb of a judge.  White hair like snow and wool, indicating wisdom.  Burning eyes that peer through all facades and see all the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  Feet like hot burnished bronze- the same material of the judgment seat in the temple.  From whose mouth comes a sharpened two edged sword, able to defeat his enemies by the awesome voice of his mouth, which has the sound of many waters.  Have you heard Niagra falls?  It’s loud… I mean REALLY loud.  Have you listened to the ocean at night?  His voice is like that too.

So here is an utterly powerful God- able to easily destroy all of his enemies- fully competent and capable of judging all sin. Yet he chooses to spare us.

The message today made me realize that if I were to honestly and soberly evaluate myself, I would fall down to the ground before God as a dead man because of the condemnation that would be upon me because of my sins.  I would surely writhe in agony before the awesome reflection of his utterly holy visage and his face which shines as the burning sun. Mercifully I have just enough discernment to understand how hopeless my case would be without Christ- and my discernment too was not from me, but from Christ as well.  Without his calling me, and the gift of his Spirit,  I would not even be able to understand my own condemnation- though, perhaps, I might feel the need to satiate some cosmic law.

The more I think of it, the more I realize how Christ spanned so great a chasm between God’s perfection and my utter sin.  Yet still, I think I will not be able to comprehend it fully in this lifetime.

-C

Safe Haven

Proverbs 18:10  The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous man runs into it and is safe. (ESV)

It may be just me, but I have an overwhelming sense of ‘blearrrgghhh’ right now after reading the news most all day (thanks and curses be to Google reader, my window into the not so fun world.)  I have a bad case of media fatigue coupled with news disillusionment.

And what did I expect to happen, when I focused on earthy things?  Was I expecting to be refreshed and uplifted, re-energized and positively influenced to do good, love others, seek peace and justice, love the orphan, care for the widow?

No-  I suppose I wasn’t looking for that at all, and that’s my problem.

I’ve been tricked, lied to, that life is all about pain, anger, malice, suffering, failure.  It’s one of those subtle tricks, the kind you don’t notice because it’s all pervasive.  Unless you have seen and known what quiet and tranquility is, you think the storm is all there ever was and will be.

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (ESV)

Time to put it all away and go back to the one sure person I know, Christ.

-C