As Rome began to desire more and more power, the empire moved from its origins of Italy toward the East, eventually gaining control over Judea as well. The government allowed Herod to rule over the people; however, the Jews still felt the effects of the Roman domination. Such a situation would obviously create political strife, but this clash also created religious conflict. The pagan beliefs of many Romans angered the staunch beliefs of God’s people. Surely a people focused on strict religious rituals would be upset about such an invasion into the political and spiritual lives of their nation, and the contempt, on both sides, was obvious. In the New Testament, we see that this hostility between the Romans and Jews was particularly important during the ministry of Jesus.

The purpose of Jesus’ arrival on earth was to create unity, particularly a unity between sinful believers and a perfect God. In addition to this wonderful gift of a completed relationship with the Holy God, Jesus’ life also brought unity to individuals and groups of people. Jesus’ life and sacrifice offered salvation to the Jews as well as the non-Jews, for example the Romans. Though this gift is a remarkable one, one to be celebrated and embraced, such an idea added even more conflict to the division of the Romans and Jews. It was difficult for the Jewish people to let their strict-and-regulated-religious guard down; therefore, though many Romans and Jews were Jesus-followers, the unity that should have come from their shared faith was missing.

In the letter to Ephesus, Paul addresses this problem, reminding readers of the Son’s purpose, His plan, His unconditional love for all, and His ability to unite a body of believers. Ephesians 2:16 says, “in this one body [He reconciled] both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” The letter explains that God used the single body of His Son to bring together the two separate bodies of people. The feat was only accomplished by his horrific death on the cross, but that such a sacrifice killed the bitterness and provided a peach among the believers.

Though we don’t live in a county where we are dominated by a strange nation, we do live in a world where Christians are surrounded by enemies in faith. Such a spiritual conflict requires unity within our own body, though often we become as hardheaded as some of those early believers. We allow personality differences, age gaps, socio-economic diversity, or cultural disparities to cut us off from the rest of the believing body, creating disunity instead of the harmony Jesus’ sacrifice provided. What an insult to our Savior when we allow triviality to overshadow His blessings!

The famous Gaither hymn “Family of God” is an upbeat and optimistic reminder of the attitude we should have for one another and about ourselves:

I’m so glad I’m a part
of the family of God-
I’ve been washed in the fountain,
cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus
as we travel this sod,
For I’m part of the family,
the family of God.

(2) You will notice we say “brother
and sister” ’round here-
It’s because we’re a family
and these folks are so near;
When one has a heartache
we all share the tears,
And rejoice in each victory
In this family so dear.

(3) From the door of an orphanage
to the house of the King-
No longer an outcast,
a new song I sing;
From rags unto riches,
from the weak to the strong,
I’m not worthy to be here,
But, praise God, I belong!

Such a chorus may seem unrealistic, but its core is truly the unifying purpose of Jesus’ sacrifice. Because of our own sinful nature, our own blemished lives (“I’m not worthy to be here”), we should welcome each believer as a companion and aid in our journey towards righteousness. Empathy and compassion should motivate every action (“ When one has a heartache/ we all share the tears,/And rejoice in each victory/ In this family so dear.”), as they did with Christ. Our purpose should be unity; after all, it’s what Jesus demonstrated and provided for us, though we were undeserving.

Despite Christ’s many explanations and warnings, however, many of the followers were in denial about Jesus’ ultimate purpose and His willingness to die at a very young age. Their closeness to their leader made it too difficult to comprehend Him ever leaving, up until the crucifixion itself. I have often pondered the emotions of these men as they watched Jesus’ limp body being taken down from the cross. Though they were aware of His prophesies of resurrection, they were often confused to His meaning, unable to grasp the possibility of such a miracle and unwilling to think of Him leaving earth to ascend. Their worries are clearly relayed in John 16:

Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me?” I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

Because of His understanding of their human nature, God had already planned to comfort these followers at Christ’s leaving and Jesus had already begun to prepare them. Earlier in this same chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus explains the purpose of the Holy Spirit, the third part of the trinity:

Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

Though I often think it would be much more fascinating to be living alongside Christ himself, he assures his disciples, and us, that the Holy Spirit’s arrival in our lives is just as significant as his own ministry. This passage encourages me to stop thinking of the Spirit as an abstract and distant force and to begin accepting it as an active part of God working in my life. John, a disciple especially close to Christ himself, recalls these vital words for Jesus, words that can teach believers the significance of “the Spirit of truth”:

1. The Spirit came to benefit us, not deprive us of Christ’s company.
2. The Spirit is our Counselor, offering God’s wisdom,
3. The Spirit will convict and judge unbelievers in order to draw them close to God.
4. The Spirit will be our source of truth; we need not look elsewhere in the world.
5. The Spirit is another way for God and His Son to be glorified in the world.

I have to admit that having my feet washed by Jesus, or watching Him turn water to wine, or sitting alongside Him on the sea would be amazing, I am comforted to know that His Spirit, an equal in the trinity, is my personal Counselor. Now I must stop looking elsewhere for guidance, standards, or insight and rely on this gift Jesus left behind for me as His follower.

However, I understand that wishing these things will not, on its own, make them happen. God has given me the privilege of being a mother. He chose this little blond girl to be mine on this earth, and I take that job very seriously, for I know I will be accountable for her raising. Even though she is only two, I already know that there is nothing more rewarding than watching her learn or holding her close as she snuggles. But there is nothing more heartbreaking than hearing her cry when I must discipline her. However, if I truly want her to become the woman I described previously, I must consistently train her to know right from wrong and to take accountability for her actions.

Despite my understanding of the importance of disciplining my own child, and having seen the results of parents who do not, I still do not always appreciate God’s same role as disciplinarian. When facing trials and difficulties in my own life, I often think, “this simply is not how it is suppose to be” or “this isn’t fair.” I let my weak human mind and body fail under the stress instead of looking to the wisdom God offers. Hebrews 12 offers me a great reminder of why God, like me as mother, must discipline His children:

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:7-11

I definitely don’t put my daughter in time-out because it’s fun, nor do I expect her to follow certain daily routines because it’s easy. I create discipline because it works—it enforces good behaviors, encourages respect, and sets up healthy habits, and because I love her. Why, then, do I so often doubt that God does the same thing. Instead, I think I know best and question my circumstances and His callings. These verses in Hebrews offer an insight that I may not have fully understood without being parent. I am God’s child, and he loves me with a love that is even more profound and more perfect than I can ever love my own children. If I believe that discipline is best for my daughter, I must then also believe that as a daughter of my Heavenly Father, obstacles and difficulties are necessary; they enforce good behaviors, encourage respect, and set up healthy habits, and most importantly, prove that God loves me. Hebrews 12: 10 emphasizes that God desires Holiness in my life. Wow! I can’t imagine being Holy, as God is Holy, but if He knows how to get me there, maybe I should stop whining and start paying attention. My prayer is that I am ready to be trained as a child of a sovereign God.

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

The beginning of Hebrews 9 summarizes the plans of the tabernacle and duties of the priests and high priests during Old Testament days.There were two rooms, the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The first was open to all priests in order for them to conduct their business as intercessor for their people. The inner room, separated by a curtain, was only entered by high priests once a year for the purpose of offering a sacrifice in hopes of forgiveness for his personal sins and the sins of the people. No priest entered this room housing the Ark of the Covenant without a blood sacrifice.These rituals offered the Jewish people a chance to demonstrate obedience, to repent, and to attempt to mend their relationship with God despite their sinful nature. This old covenant with God, however, was replaced for us by His Son, Jesus, as explained in the New Testament. His coming set Jews, and all who believe, free from the restrictive laws of the old covenant.

Verses 11-14 and 23-28 particularly explain Christ’s role in the new covenant. Since God commands blood sacrifice for redemption, Christ became the ultimate high priest because he offered the ultimate blood sacrifice—his own. This act of love rids us of the bondage of ritual, and most importantly, the bondage of eternal death. As verse nine says, “he has died as a ransom.”

I love to watch police and court drama on television, and commonly on such shows, a perpetrator will kidnap a young person in hopes that their rich relatives will trade them back for a large amount of money, a ransom. Though I don’t often think of myself as a kidnapped victim, The book of Hebrews reveals that I am. I have been trapped by sin, by Satan, and by the world. My entrapment means separation from my God. However, Christ volunteered to be the ransom my kidnappers demand. My acceptance of this gift is my only chance of salvation.

Oh how I am thankful of God’s plan, how he knew I would need a rescue. Christ, as the “mediator of the new covenant” gives me the “promised eternal inheritance,” but He also gives me peace and hope. What a gracious Lord!

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

What this verse explains is the profound effect our Bible, God’s Word, has in the lives of readers. Because of the power of the scriptures, these mere black and white pages have the ability to convict, to change, or to judge the individuals who open their minds, and most importantly their lives, to the authority of the text. This initial effect then becomes active as believers live out the Truth daily, sharing the Word of God to those who never even bothered to open the book at all.

Our ultimate example of the Word living and active is the life of Christ. The scriptures prophesied about Jesus’ coming long before God sent Him to earth, and his life is the best way to understand God’s intended purpose for His Word. Hebrews 4: 14-16 explains:

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

I find great comfort and encouragement in these words. Jesus lived out all that was explained in the scriptures about our Savior. He truly became God, God’s Word, and God’s Spirit in the flesh, and the most amazing thing is, because he was human like us, he knows “our pain.” In other words, despite his Godliness, despite his position as High Priest, and despite his ability to fulfill the scriptures perfectly, he was also a man, human like you and I. Oh, what a relief to know that His life gives us hope, hope for salvation but also hope for dealing with life’s struggles. Because He proved that the Word is alive and active, I, too, can begin to make it more animate in my own life. I can hold on to its promises and guidance, but most importantly I can remember that all those words are intended to be lived out, lived out in the way Christ did it. Following that example is the ultimate goal.

The following poem is a beautiful testament to the vitality of God’s Word:

No creature has meaning without the Word of God.
God’s Word is in all creation, visible and invisible.
The Word is living, being, spirit, all verdant greening, all creativity.
This Word flashes out in every creature.
This is how the spirit is in the flesh—
the Word is indivisible from God.
By Hildegard of Bingen

prayer

Thank you God for this dialogue you started with us! Help us use our lives as an obedient response and to show the world that your Word is applicable, viable, authoritative, and effective! Thank you for that Bible on my nightstand and help me be its living witness.

If your prayers ever feel like this, James 5:13-18 is a helpful reminder of what God desires our communication be with Him. There is, in fact, no one approach God expects all the time, no specific reason or way we must talk with Him, but James does provide an outline of the type of contact God anticipates:

1. Seek God for wisdom and comfort in hard times: “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.”
2. Celebrate God’s blessings: “Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.”
3. Trust Him as the Great Physician: “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.”
4. Repent and receive mercy: “If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.”
5. Unify with other believers and utilize the power of intercessory prayer: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
6. Demonstrate your trust in God’s power and promises: “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Hopefully these verses offer you some comfort, as they do me, for they remind believers that what God wants most is to simply be an active part of every area of our lives, those good, bad, easy, or difficult. In the end, the important this is realizing that God desires to hear your voice and for you to hear his. Sometimes, in our prayers it may be best to just “be still,” as Mother Theresa seems to explain in an interview about prayer:

Mother Teresa, when asked by an interviewer what she said to God when she prayed, answered: “I don’t say anything. I just listen.” When the interviewer asked what she heard God say, Mother Teresa replied: “He doesn’t say anything. He just listens. And if you can’t understand that, I can’t explain it to you.”

I am not sure from where such worries truly stem, but I have some ideas.  A serious car wreck when I was a teenager and losing my grandmother to cancer that same year are situations I tend to blame.  Part of it, though, is surely just part of my personality.  However, as I have gotten older, and grown in my understanding of my relationship with God, I have concluded that the main reason I am a “worry wart” is because I lack trust and faith.  It’s difficult to admit, but it’s true.

Despite my need for a sense of security in all aspects of life, however, I have one ironic interest—skydiving.  Now, don’t misunderstand.  I haven’t ever been, but the idea has fascinated me for years.  The ability to jump into the air and discover the true meaning of “free fall” seems exhilarating.  When I am experiencing an amusement ride, it’s the dropping sensation I love the most, the feeling most like an actual free fall.  I guess this irony in my life exists because I am so guarded in much of my life; deep down I simply want to be able to let go; not to give up, but to take a leap without thinking about all the consequences first.

Denise Levertov, a American poet who died in the late twentieth century, was a woman who examined spiritual concepts throughout most of her life.  Though she chose agnosticism initially, Levertov converted to Catholicism and began to follow Christ in her sixties.  Because of her mixed spiritual background, with interests in Hasidic mysticism, Anglicanism, and ancient mythology, I would imagine that the decision to  accept the grace of God would be a difficult one.  Her poem “Avowal,” however, illustrates a different sentiment altogether, one that makes me conclude that she gave into the salvation God offered with pure abandonment of her own will.

The Avowal

As swimmers dare
to lie face to the sky
and water bears them,
as hawks rest upon air
and air sustains them,
so would I learn to attain
freefall, and float
into Creator Spirit’s deep embrace,
knowing no effort earns
that all-surrounding grace.

After reading and rereading and rereading this poem, I continue to walk away with an overwhelming desire to experience this kind of freedom in Christ, this kind of trust in the grace of God alone, to give in completely, with abandon and never looking back. I believe that the closest followers of Jesus experienced a similar free-fall. When Christ called his disciples to follow him, they left their past lives, they gave in completely despite the sacrifices or the fears or the unknowns. The New Testament presents men who were so ready for Christ in their life, when he showed up, they simply fell into that “Spirit’s deep embrace.”

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea – for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Matthew 4:18-22

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

Matthew 9:9

One term you see repeated in these scriptures is “immediately.” The fishermen don’t hesitate, wandering what they would leave behind or if the future would be safe or if this man could be trusted. They immediately accepted Jesus as leader. In some ways, such a relinquishing of control seems scary to me, as I often like plans and the safest path, but mostly, such a free-fall sounds exhilarating. Ultimately, it’s the safest, most freeing choice I can make. Unfortunately, I still don’t always have the trust of a swimmer or hawk, but continually pray that God will teach me how to skydive into His grace.

In the midst of such changes, we often overlook the true leadership of the Church, Jesus Christ. Of course, we all KNOW that Jesus is the head of the church because, well, that is what our faith is based on, but we don’t always ACT like He is. We often focus more on the people doing the work of the church and their decision making instead of faithfully relying on Jesus to “rule” the church. A look at Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, though, gives us a great illustration of the relationship our church should have with Christ:

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Ephesians 5:22-33

We often hear this scripture within a sermon on marriage, but it’s insights on Jesus’ role within the church are probably even more vital. As always, however, Jesus illustrates a complex idea with an analogy that makes his teachings relevant and accessible. Let’s use this analogy, then, to think more deeply about Jesus’ position as leader of the Church.

If maintained as God designed, a marriage is probably the most intimate relationship humans develop—physically and emotionally. In order to continue a marriage relationship, a couple must spend quality time together—talking before bed, participating in shared interests, cooking dinner together, or taking walks—things that allow them to stay connected to each others’ lives.

A successful marriage also demands sacrifice. I try to remind myself daily to do whatever I can to make the life of my husband easier. If we both live by such a mantra, our relationship will easily grow and mature and remain fulfilling. However, if we decide to live selfishly, resentment and hurt feelings will begin to divide us.

These two ideas of intimacy and sacrifice are important factors in defining love—the main reason most of us would say we decided to marry in the first place. Love is a choice we make, a choice to continue an intimate relationship by being willing, daily, to care sacrificially for another human being. Because of our sinful nature, we don’t always love unconditionally, even in our marriages, but we can be thankful that God’s Son does.

If we think about these aforementioned parts of marriage as we reread Ephesians 5, God reveals the amazing way Jesus loves and rules the Church.

1. Jesus’ Intimacy with the Church

This letter by Paul illustrates the closeness Jesus desires with the Church through verses 22-24. These verses on submission are often misinterpreted, implying submission is a result of control or dominance. However, the submission of a wife to her husband has much more to do with trust. A wife allows her husband to have the final say in major decisions about the family because she has chosen a man who has earned her respect and confidence not because she is forced to do so. The same is true with the Church. Believers can find intimacy with Christ once we trust Him enough to submit our own desires to His will and decision making. Submission is about a mutual affection and loyalty.

Verses 31-33 even more directly demonstrate Jesus’ desired intimacy with His Church. Just as the man leaves his family to join his new bride, Christ draws close to the Body. This is most obviously confirmed as he left the comforts of Heaven to live, suffer, and die as a man. He temporarily left His Heavenly Father to physically fellowship with the men he chose as the cornerstones of the Church. Though He no longer walks on Earth, the teachings of those disciples close to Him and the promised Holy Spirit still offer us a chance to intimately know Jesus.

2. Jesus’ Sacrifice for the Church

Ephesians also makes it clear that Jesus, just as a husband and wife, lives sacrificially for His bride, the Church. Verses 25-27 remind us of Jesus’ commitment to take the place for our sins, but what most stands out to me is the reason he did so. He loved us so dearly that he wanted us to stand perfectly before God, and if that took a torturous death and separation from the Father, we was willing to do it. He wasn’t just willing to do whatever it would take to make our lives “easier,” He did whatever it took to make them perfect.

As we think about the future of our church, let’s stay focused on the marriage between the body and Christ. Let’s develop a intimacy with Jesus, let’s acknowledge and praise his sacrifice, and let’s rely on Him to rule our decisions. The Church’s life will be a lot easier this way!

Do you have moments like that? Despite the world’s busyness going on around you and the many people surrounding you, do you ever feel lonely and desperate? I think at some point in our lives, while we deal with serious illness or broken relationships or stressful jobs or depressing circumstances, we’ve all felt abandoned to some degree. Even though we realize that we have family support, or special friendships, or a prayerful church, sometimes we feel like we are standing in an amusement park and we’re the only ones not having any fun; we’re the only ones who feel out of place.

It always amazes me that God understands so clearly our everyday fears and needs and has already made promises and given us hope in the face of such moments in our lives. Throughout the Old and New Testament, God constantly reminds us of his loving and unfailing presence.

As Jacob left the familiarity of his home at the request of Isaac, God uses a dream to remind him that he was not alone on his life’s journey: “And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.” Genesis: 28:15.

As Moses aged and was no longer able to physically lead the Israelites, he encourages them with this reminder: “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deuteronomy 31:6.

At Saul’s coronation, Samuel recognizes the sinful pasts of the Israelites, but reassures them of God’s love for His people: “ For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.” 1 Samuel 12:22

As a dedicated servant of the Lord, though often frustrated with the lack of acceptance of his message, Isaiah shares in a poem the faithfulness of God’s presence: “Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” Isaiah 49: 13-15

As Paul affirms the efforts of the early churches and sympathizes with their struggles, he also understands that they too need reminding of God’s closeness: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5

God feels no different toward us than he did toward Isaac, Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, or Paul. He created us in his image and desires an intimacy with us regardless of our faults and failures. The most literal example of God being present with his creation occurs in Genesis, as He walks through the Garden with Adam and Eve before their sinful fall. I am often envious of such an experience, and then I remember that God did not abandon us, even after our sins; he still draws near to us.

I’m not sure how my sister got “lost” in that aforementioned picture. Maybe she simply walked in the wrong direction, let go of her parent’s hand, or wandered aimlessly paying little attention the world around her. Don’t we do the same? Those are the times when we too feel far away from God. . . because we moved. God is like my parents. He is still here. He is still protecting us. He is simply waiting for us to look back up and make eye contact, then we’ll be lost no more.

]]> http://devotionals.themountchurch.com/2008/09/04/gods-omnipresence/feed/ 1 http://devotionals.themountchurch.com/2008/08/26/gods-generosity/ http://devotionals.themountchurch.com/2008/08/26/gods-generosity/#comments Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:00:32 +0000 ficklin http://devotionals.themountchurch.com/?p=106 At different stages of life, we are appreciative for varying parts of God’s character and role. For example, as a young child, it is easy to look to God as a protector, much like we understand the function of a father. He could scare away any creepy visitors in our bedrooms at night or keep us safe in the midst of booming thunder. As a college freshman, it is easy to look to God as a friend, one who can offer compassion and companionship as we venture into a world of strangers and “grown-up” responsibilities. It is not until I had my daughter, though, that I was able to understand God as unconditional love.

Even as my baby grew in my womb, I had fallen in love and created an unbreakable bond. She was always close and easily protected, and I was blessed enough to be the one who could feel every move she made. As soon as I delivered her, however, I had to learn, little by little, to let her go and be apart of the world around her. I slept for nights with my head next to the lacy bassinet listening to her every sound. I held her close to me and rocked her anytime she got overwhelmed with the people and things going on around her. I still, after eighteen months, touch my palm to her chest each night to feel her breathe before I head off to bed. I do all of these things because I have a responsibility to care for her; after all, God loaned her to me for her lifetime on earth.

But, most importantly, I do all of these things because I love her in a way I have never loved another thing, with a sense of unconditional love. Because of my overwhelming desire to care for and love her, I am starting to get an idea about how God can love “a sinner like me.” It does not matter how many rules my daughter breaks, how many tantrums she throws, or how many food items she tosses from her highchair, no action makes me love her less and no good deed, sloppy kiss, or tight hug could make me love her more. I simply love her with my whole being because she is mine. And that’s how God loves me. And that amazes me still!

Though as parents, our role is often discipline or guidance, we also find ourselves with a desire to GIVE our children anything within our means. We desire for their needs to be met. We even desire for their every want to be met. For example, I think my husband has already promised a yard full of ponies to our little girl who doesn’t even know what one is. Generosity simply becomes natural as a mom or dad.

This generous spirit is one we learn from God, one we inherit as sons and daughters in His image. And as I began to think about all the ways in which God demonstrates His giving attitude, the most significant one continued to jump out at me. He gave the world His Son as a living sacrifice! He did not simply send him far away to become a teacher and missionary. He did not simply give him as a preacher in a rebellious land. He did not simply send him as a doctor to care for the helpless. He sent Him to die. His most loved…to die.

John 3: 16-21 shows us:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.

There is no generosity greater and none more powerful, for God suffered by watching his Son suffer so that he could provide us with salvation, with a reconciliation to Himself. The world when Jesus arrived was much like it is today—full of a lot of unlovable and sinful humans, but God thought us worthy to be saved. Oh what a generous and loving Father we have!

God has shown me generosity in many ways in my life, but as I reflect on what he has taught me about those gifts he has given, I realize that I too must learn to be generous. I must use my time, resources, and love to give freely to anyone around me, but I should also offer up my heart, mind, soul, and strength generously to Him. After all, after the sacrifice He made for me, He clearly deserves it. I want everyone one to see that “what [I have] done has been done through God.”