I operate from the principle that God is not only our Father but He’s our DAD. There is a distinction here. Just about any man can “father” a child, but not every man is a “Dad”. God is the Father of all mankind, but I believe He’s the DAD of a select few, or “the elect”, for “many are called, but few chosen” (Mt.20:16NKJV). And that’s because not everyone answers the call. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27 NKJV) This points to “relationship”. Much of the world may have religion – “having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2Tim.3:5), but not everyone has a “relationship” with God. It’s the difference between the 2 “Rs”. You can either have a “religion” or “relationship”. This epiphany compelled me towards the “born again” experience. I had “religion” for much of my early life. But I realized “religion” was death. I now have, and continue to cultivate, “relationship” with God. And I realize it’s a lifelong process. Just as a marriage is, and should be, a lifelong process. I remember Billy Graham being interviewed before Ruth Graham’s death last year. He was asked about his love for Ruth. He explained he loved her more now than when he first married her. Can you imagine that love? A love that has matured and grown over 60 years of marriage. I don’t know if you take the time to read the quotes I include at the bottom of my letters/musings/devotionals, but much thought is put into them. They are, many times, the springboard for the body of my letter. One in particular that I included in this one was, ““Love seems the swiftest, but it is the slowest of all growths. No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been married a quarter of a century.” (Mark Twain) Now “25 years” isn’t a hard and fast rule. I realize it can take less or more depending on the maturity of the individuals, and whether they get together based on “dessert”. But it is true that most couples really don’t know each other in the first half of their marriage as much as they do in the latter half. And it’s this “knowing” each other that is key. If you read in Genesis how “…Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived…”(Gen.4:1 KJV), there is a reason why the Hebrew word for “knowing” was used, and not the word for “sex”, “intercourse” or copulation. Imagine Adam encountering the first woman. He knew and understood the other animals. He named them, remember. He was really the first zoologist. But now he encounters someone different and much like him, but not like him. He, of course, is filled with curiosity and excitement, because this creature unlike any other creature can truly communicate with him. We don’t think twice about it, but imagine our being the only human being around and then coming upon someone just like us, but with different plumbing. Keep in mind they were naked. Imagine meeting each other for the first time, and discovering each other and what makes each other tick, so to speak. Isn’t that exciting? So, Adam indeed came to “KNOW” his wife. (Isn’t it a common lament among women that their husbands don’t really know them?) And this “knowing” can take a lifetime. The difference in “knowing” God, however, is that He already knows us, it’s a matter of our coming to “know” Him – “I shall know just as I also am known” (1Cor 13:12NKJV). And so we come to “know” God, not only as our “Father”, but hopefully as our “Dad”. Jesus called Him, “Abba” which in our vernacular is “daddy” or "papa". How many of God’s children (for indeed, HE IS "THE EVERLASTING FATHER" Is.9:6), can call Him, “daddy”? I want to know Him as my “Dad”. And I agree that God doesn’t make the choice for us regarding our spouse, but let me ask you, what kind of parent, not only a Father, but a “DAD”, wouldn’t want the best for his child, especially in regards to marriage? That’s why in other cultures even today, but more commonly in the past, parents made matches for their kids (hence the title for this series). And I believe God, being a concerned parent, as He knows the number of hairs on our head[1], is intimately concerned with us and every decision we make in life. And, as I mentioned in my first letter in the series, of all the decisions we make in life, wouldn’t the choice of a spouse be one of the more important ones? Now I agree He won’t make the choice for us. He’s given us free will after all. And that’s the problematic thing about “free will”; we can choose not to do it God’s way. We can choose not to love Him. We can choose not to have relationship with Him. We can choose death over life – “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV). But wouldn’t you agree that maybe our “DAD” has an opinion about that choice? “This is the way walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21). Consider your own experience as a parent. I’m sure there are times when your children don’t do exactly as you would have them. You have an opinion about something they are about to do, or would like to do, whatever it may be. It could be something so mundane as what they’re going to wear for school that day, or what they’re going to have for breakfast (boy wouldn’t it be nice if those were the biggest issues that parents ever face with their kids?), but they do the opposite of what you wanted for them - they didn’t bring a jacket so now they’re cold, or didn’t bring the umbrella like you suggested so now they got rained on. Notice in each instance, there are consequences for not having followed your advice. Likewise, though we may choose not to follow God’s opinion or advice, we will have to experience the consequences. And as we develop our relationship with God, we come to realize He does have the best in store for us, just as you do for your children. “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”[2] And I can trust Him, his decisions, answers, and provision. You are correct that God has revealed His will in the Word. However, Bible study consists of Observation, Interpretation and Application.[3] My job is to get to “KNOW” Him so that I can properly observe, interpret and apply His opinion, His will, to my life; in order that I may have relationship with Him: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”(Mt.7:21) And this aspect of Bible study will take, not only the rest of my life, but truly “knowing” Him will take all eternity. So let me encourage you, exhort you and ensure you that God, as our Father, as our DAD, has “…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer. 29:11), even as I pray:
“Dear Dad, would You bless my sister today? Would You help her to know Your love for her. And would You envelop her even this day, this moment, in Your arms of love. Help her to feel You close, to know Your concern, allowing her to cast her cares at Your feet, because You care for her. Would You provide for all her needs, and would You, Abba Father, Daddy God, give her the desires of her heart as she delights herself in You. Dad, I know you love M, and want only the best for her. Please help her even this day to trust that, You, our Father, our Dad, knows best and to wait on You, understanding that, “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” (Is.64:4) I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 KJV)
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2Timothy 3:1-7 NKJV)
“Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable,” ~ Bruce Lee
[1] Matthew 10:30 (KJV)
[2] Matthew 7:11 (NKJV)
[3] http://www.cmfhq.org/Portals/0/Acrobat/Training/Inductive_Format.pdf
Monday, December 28, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Divine Matchmaker: One (part 5 of 5)
"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)
In regards to my previous comment about “Heaven...” being, “…better than sex”, I feel I need to explain a little further. Sex is one of the most beautiful things that God created. The intimacy, the union, the connectedness that we can experience, however sublime, is but a hint of the “oneness” that we’ll experience in Heaven, just as any thing good in all of creation is a hint, a “copy and shadow of the heavenly things”[1]. I realize that 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.” [2] And though, admittedly “I know in part”, and “see” things but “through a glass darkly”[3], yet I have an idea, a vague notion, an inkling that the best we can ever have here on earth pales in comparison to what’s in store for us in Heaven. Why else would marriage (that institution in which God intended this gift to be shared and enjoyed), the most profound, intimate and important of relationships (next to God) we could ever experience here on earth, be discontinued in Heaven? [3a] Likewise, I believe that our relationships in Heaven will be vastly different and so much better than what we can ever have here on earth. I imagine the difference between our relationships on earth and our relationships in heaven to be sort of like the difference between “making mud pies in a slum”[4] and making sand castles at the beach. I believe that the romantic, carnal love we experience here on earth, however exquisite and wonderful, is a poor copy of the love and union that we’ll enjoy in Heaven. Have you ever been unable to fully communicate your heart, finding frustration in the impotence of words to convey your soul, even finding the faculty of language a hindrance to communication? So, then, we now have a space, where there once was none, a seemingly interminable gap, however minute a distance, which nonetheless results in miscommunication, misunderstanding, and mistakes; leading to dismay, discord and the dissolution of a friendship. Even in the best earthly relationships, romantic or otherwise, there remains room for misunderstanding, fear, insecurity, doubts, and imperfections, of varying degrees depending on the maturity of the individuals, albeit, less so with your soul-mate. But, in Heaven, ALL that falls by the way side. We’ll be so one with each other, so unified, honest, no fear or insecurity, without agendas, manipulations, intrigues, schemes or ulterior motives, no 'office politics' or popularity contests, no cunning, coquetry or coyness, totally real, without façade, forthright and transparent so that ALL the fig leaves are stripped away, yet we’ll be without shame – innocent –“…they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”[5] Deep down, I believe that’s what the soul really wants and longs for – oneness with God and others - “…that they may be one, even as (nb) we are one.”[6] I yearn for that communion. So, if for some reason I should miss out on a chance at earthly happiness, I realize that what awaits us in Heaven far surpasses what we can ever have here on earth. So do I always maintain this eternal perspective? Am I, then, immune to feminine beauty and charm? Absolutely not! I’m "...a man subject to like passions”[7] as any other man. Just last summer, while on vacation in California, at an amusement park, I was "bemused", taken aback, pleasantly perplexed as my attention was riveted by a breath-taking vision of an “angel” causing my heart to skip and my pulse to race - all while inspiring a desperate urge to meet her. Men, in particular, are visual creatures, and I admit I’m one susceptible to infatuations; a character defect I didn’t realize was a major flaw until recently. I’ve made mistakes in my attempts to discover my “soul mate”, leaning on my own understanding, and walking according to the flesh. Big enough mistakes as a matter of fact, that I’ve finally broken down and am having the Master Mechanic inspect my “soul mate GPS system”. I hope it doesn’t cost too much more to fix. It’s already cost me a friendship.
He felt now that he was not simply close to her, but that he did not know where he ended and she began. ~ Leo Tolstoy
My life is brilliant.My love is pure.I saw an angel.Of that I'm sure. (Beautiful, James Blunt)
Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart. - Anonymous
No one can understand love who has not experienced infatuation. And no one can understand infatuation, no matter how many times he has experienced it. ~Mignon McLaughlin
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9 NIV)
“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one, I hope some day you’ll join us, and the word will live as one” (Imagine, John Lennon)
“One life, With each other, Sisters, Brothers One life, But we're not the same, We get to Carry each other, Carry each other…One” (One, U2)
"And when I awoke, And felt you warm and near, I kissed your honey hair, With my grateful tears..." (For Emily Whenever I May Find Her, Simon & Garfunkel)
“I wish I had the gift of making rhymes, for methinks there is poetry in my head and heart since I have been in love with you.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne, letter to wife Sophia, 5 December 1839
At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet. – Plato
Brought to you by Hallmark© cards: we write it so you don’t have to :)
[1] Hebrews 8:5
[2] 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
[3] 1 Corinthians 13:12 King James Version (KJV)
[3a] Luke 20:34,35 KJ
[4] The Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis
[5] Genesis 2:25
nb note bene, fr. Italian, meaning note well
[6] John 17:11
[7] James 5:17
In regards to my previous comment about “Heaven...” being, “…better than sex”, I feel I need to explain a little further. Sex is one of the most beautiful things that God created. The intimacy, the union, the connectedness that we can experience, however sublime, is but a hint of the “oneness” that we’ll experience in Heaven, just as any thing good in all of creation is a hint, a “copy and shadow of the heavenly things”[1]. I realize that 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.” [2] And though, admittedly “I know in part”, and “see” things but “through a glass darkly”[3], yet I have an idea, a vague notion, an inkling that the best we can ever have here on earth pales in comparison to what’s in store for us in Heaven. Why else would marriage (that institution in which God intended this gift to be shared and enjoyed), the most profound, intimate and important of relationships (next to God) we could ever experience here on earth, be discontinued in Heaven? [3a] Likewise, I believe that our relationships in Heaven will be vastly different and so much better than what we can ever have here on earth. I imagine the difference between our relationships on earth and our relationships in heaven to be sort of like the difference between “making mud pies in a slum”[4] and making sand castles at the beach. I believe that the romantic, carnal love we experience here on earth, however exquisite and wonderful, is a poor copy of the love and union that we’ll enjoy in Heaven. Have you ever been unable to fully communicate your heart, finding frustration in the impotence of words to convey your soul, even finding the faculty of language a hindrance to communication? So, then, we now have a space, where there once was none, a seemingly interminable gap, however minute a distance, which nonetheless results in miscommunication, misunderstanding, and mistakes; leading to dismay, discord and the dissolution of a friendship. Even in the best earthly relationships, romantic or otherwise, there remains room for misunderstanding, fear, insecurity, doubts, and imperfections, of varying degrees depending on the maturity of the individuals, albeit, less so with your soul-mate. But, in Heaven, ALL that falls by the way side. We’ll be so one with each other, so unified, honest, no fear or insecurity, without agendas, manipulations, intrigues, schemes or ulterior motives, no 'office politics' or popularity contests, no cunning, coquetry or coyness, totally real, without façade, forthright and transparent so that ALL the fig leaves are stripped away, yet we’ll be without shame – innocent –“…they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”[5] Deep down, I believe that’s what the soul really wants and longs for – oneness with God and others - “…that they may be one, even as (nb) we are one.”[6] I yearn for that communion. So, if for some reason I should miss out on a chance at earthly happiness, I realize that what awaits us in Heaven far surpasses what we can ever have here on earth. So do I always maintain this eternal perspective? Am I, then, immune to feminine beauty and charm? Absolutely not! I’m "...a man subject to like passions”[7] as any other man. Just last summer, while on vacation in California, at an amusement park, I was "bemused", taken aback, pleasantly perplexed as my attention was riveted by a breath-taking vision of an “angel” causing my heart to skip and my pulse to race - all while inspiring a desperate urge to meet her. Men, in particular, are visual creatures, and I admit I’m one susceptible to infatuations; a character defect I didn’t realize was a major flaw until recently. I’ve made mistakes in my attempts to discover my “soul mate”, leaning on my own understanding, and walking according to the flesh. Big enough mistakes as a matter of fact, that I’ve finally broken down and am having the Master Mechanic inspect my “soul mate GPS system”. I hope it doesn’t cost too much more to fix. It’s already cost me a friendship.
He felt now that he was not simply close to her, but that he did not know where he ended and she began. ~ Leo Tolstoy
My life is brilliant.My love is pure.I saw an angel.Of that I'm sure. (Beautiful, James Blunt)
Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart. - Anonymous
No one can understand love who has not experienced infatuation. And no one can understand infatuation, no matter how many times he has experienced it. ~Mignon McLaughlin
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9 NIV)
“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one, I hope some day you’ll join us, and the word will live as one” (Imagine, John Lennon)
“One life, With each other, Sisters, Brothers One life, But we're not the same, We get to Carry each other, Carry each other…One” (One, U2)
"And when I awoke, And felt you warm and near, I kissed your honey hair, With my grateful tears..." (For Emily Whenever I May Find Her, Simon & Garfunkel)
“I wish I had the gift of making rhymes, for methinks there is poetry in my head and heart since I have been in love with you.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne, letter to wife Sophia, 5 December 1839
At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet. – Plato
Brought to you by Hallmark© cards: we write it so you don’t have to :)
[1] Hebrews 8:5
[2] 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
[3] 1 Corinthians 13:12 King James Version (KJV)
[3a] Luke 20:34,35 KJ
[4] The Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis
[5] Genesis 2:25
nb note bene, fr. Italian, meaning note well
[6] John 17:11
[7] James 5:17
Friday, December 25, 2009
Divine Matchmaker: To "Eternity" and Beyoooonnndd!!! (part 4 of 5)
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
I’d like to explain why it is that, though I trust God’s provision for a wife, I can live with the prospect of not finding my soul mate and remaining single. It boils down to two things: 1) I’m acutely aware of the brevity of life. God put our limit at 120 years[1], though most of us will fall within the 60 - 80 yr. range.[2] But what’s 80-100 years or more? A mere drop in the limitless ocean of eternity! It really puts things in perspective when you realize how short life is relative to eternity. I know it may be difficult to grasp this idea in the midst of our busy, rich, event-filled lives. We may have school, work, family and other obligations demanding our time that we find it difficult to “stop and smell the roses”. But consider those cherished, poetic, idyllic moments in life that we wish would last, or that wistful longing for times past. The song "auld lang syne" which means "times gone by" or "long, long ago" reflects this yearning for the "good old days" and good times since long gone. From pyramids to polaroids, from princes to paupers, we see this universal desire to encapsulate, capture, and prolong that particularly pastoral, picturesque and poetic present. And the very act of wishing for the present to last longer than we know it will, or the wistful reflection on times past, and feeling sadness in either case is evidence of how, "He has...set eternity in the hearts of men..."[3]. This is best reflected in the aged and more mature among us. My grandmother celebrated her 85th birthday this year, and I had asked her what she thought about her life and how it’s gone. She responded, “Mabilis ang araw”, which means, “Fast is the day”, or in our vernacular, “time flies”. And indeed, time flies, so it would behoove, “…us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”[4] If we did, I think we’d give more thought to our actions in this life, understanding that, “What we do in life, echoes in eternity.”[5] And 2) did you realize that marriage is only for this present age? In Heaven, there is no marriage: “Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.”[6] As a matter of fact, our relationships will be that of siblings where Jesus is, “…the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”[7] Not only is Jesus the “firstborn” among us in God’s family (as if that’s not enough to blow your mind), but imagine being a brother or sister to Adam, Moses, David, Mary, and myriad others; that even our relatives, great, great, great, (as far back as you can go) grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.; those who may have gone before us, and who are to come after us, insofar as they are “in Christ Jesus”[8], comprise that “great cloud of witnesses”[9] by which we are surrounded even now (truly “All the world’s a stage”[10]) – they are all our brothers and sisters in Heaven! Does that not blow your mind?! This explains, to some extent, my intent to be a catholic priest early in my Christian walk. Growing up Roman Catholic, and desiring to serve God upon my spirit’s re-animation, the seemingly logical choice (as if logic has anything to do with spiritual matters) was to enter the seminary and become a priest. So, I resigned myself at 17, to a life of celibacy (a resignation in which I've been less than resolute), understanding the brevity of life and of how the best was yet to come. I have a friend,” strong in the force”[11], a Jedi in handling this “sword of the Spirit”[12], who, in regards to what it would be like in Heaven, remarked, “ Heaven’s going to be better than sex.” Make of that what you will, but it’s an enlightened self-interest, or a “Christian Hedonism”[13] that motivates, inspires and animates many of us who seek, serve and wait on God.[14] Besides life is too short to be with someone other than your soul mate. I would hate it if my marriage were proof that it’s “…better to live in a corner of a roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman.”[15] Life would be more lacking, I think, than remaining single.
"...all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1Jn.2:16,17 NKJ)
"These...confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth...they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." (Heb.11:13,16 NKJ) "...for you are strangers and sojourners with Me."(Lev.25:23 NKJ)
“And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.” (The Last Battle, C.S. Lewis)
Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. (Lewis, C. S. The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses.)
“We want more than this world’s got to offer” (Meant to Live, Switchfoot)
[1] Genesis 6:3
[2] Psalm 90:10
[3] Ecclesiastes 3:11
[4] Psalm 90:12
[5] Maximus, Gladiator
[6] Luke 20:34-35 NLT
[7] Romans 8:29
[8] Ephesians 2:6
[9] Hebrews 12:1
[10] “As You Like It”, Shakespeare
[11] Star Wars, 1977
[12] Ephesians 6:17
[13] Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist, John Piper
[14] Deuteronomy 30:19
[15] Proverbs 21:9
I’d like to explain why it is that, though I trust God’s provision for a wife, I can live with the prospect of not finding my soul mate and remaining single. It boils down to two things: 1) I’m acutely aware of the brevity of life. God put our limit at 120 years[1], though most of us will fall within the 60 - 80 yr. range.[2] But what’s 80-100 years or more? A mere drop in the limitless ocean of eternity! It really puts things in perspective when you realize how short life is relative to eternity. I know it may be difficult to grasp this idea in the midst of our busy, rich, event-filled lives. We may have school, work, family and other obligations demanding our time that we find it difficult to “stop and smell the roses”. But consider those cherished, poetic, idyllic moments in life that we wish would last, or that wistful longing for times past. The song "auld lang syne" which means "times gone by" or "long, long ago" reflects this yearning for the "good old days" and good times since long gone. From pyramids to polaroids, from princes to paupers, we see this universal desire to encapsulate, capture, and prolong that particularly pastoral, picturesque and poetic present. And the very act of wishing for the present to last longer than we know it will, or the wistful reflection on times past, and feeling sadness in either case is evidence of how, "He has...set eternity in the hearts of men..."[3]. This is best reflected in the aged and more mature among us. My grandmother celebrated her 85th birthday this year, and I had asked her what she thought about her life and how it’s gone. She responded, “Mabilis ang araw”, which means, “Fast is the day”, or in our vernacular, “time flies”. And indeed, time flies, so it would behoove, “…us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”[4] If we did, I think we’d give more thought to our actions in this life, understanding that, “What we do in life, echoes in eternity.”[5] And 2) did you realize that marriage is only for this present age? In Heaven, there is no marriage: “Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.”[6] As a matter of fact, our relationships will be that of siblings where Jesus is, “…the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”[7] Not only is Jesus the “firstborn” among us in God’s family (as if that’s not enough to blow your mind), but imagine being a brother or sister to Adam, Moses, David, Mary, and myriad others; that even our relatives, great, great, great, (as far back as you can go) grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.; those who may have gone before us, and who are to come after us, insofar as they are “in Christ Jesus”[8], comprise that “great cloud of witnesses”[9] by which we are surrounded even now (truly “All the world’s a stage”[10]) – they are all our brothers and sisters in Heaven! Does that not blow your mind?! This explains, to some extent, my intent to be a catholic priest early in my Christian walk. Growing up Roman Catholic, and desiring to serve God upon my spirit’s re-animation, the seemingly logical choice (as if logic has anything to do with spiritual matters) was to enter the seminary and become a priest. So, I resigned myself at 17, to a life of celibacy (a resignation in which I've been less than resolute), understanding the brevity of life and of how the best was yet to come. I have a friend,” strong in the force”[11], a Jedi in handling this “sword of the Spirit”[12], who, in regards to what it would be like in Heaven, remarked, “ Heaven’s going to be better than sex.” Make of that what you will, but it’s an enlightened self-interest, or a “Christian Hedonism”[13] that motivates, inspires and animates many of us who seek, serve and wait on God.[14] Besides life is too short to be with someone other than your soul mate. I would hate it if my marriage were proof that it’s “…better to live in a corner of a roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman.”[15] Life would be more lacking, I think, than remaining single.
"...all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1Jn.2:16,17 NKJ)
"These...confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth...they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." (Heb.11:13,16 NKJ) "...for you are strangers and sojourners with Me."(Lev.25:23 NKJ)
“And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.” (The Last Battle, C.S. Lewis)
Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. (Lewis, C. S. The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses.)
“We want more than this world’s got to offer” (Meant to Live, Switchfoot)
[1] Genesis 6:3
[2] Psalm 90:10
[3] Ecclesiastes 3:11
[4] Psalm 90:12
[5] Maximus, Gladiator
[6] Luke 20:34-35 NLT
[7] Romans 8:29
[8] Ephesians 2:6
[9] Hebrews 12:1
[10] “As You Like It”, Shakespeare
[11] Star Wars, 1977
[12] Ephesians 6:17
[13] Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist, John Piper
[14] Deuteronomy 30:19
[15] Proverbs 21:9
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Divine Matchmaker: Dessert v. True Love (part 3 of 5)
“…for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.” (Song of Solomon 8:6)
I found that the divorce rate in the U.S. for 1st marriages is 50%, 2nd marriages, 67%, and for 3rd marriages, 74%. Over the years I‘ve asked friends and family the reasons for their divorce and “survey says”[i]: 1) poor communication - no longer friends, 2) lack of commitment to the marriage – infidelity, and 3) incompatibility or irreconcilable differences. I wonder how many divorces result from our marrying on the basis of “dessert”? Could it be that we too often base our decision to marry on sex, attraction, romance affection passion (SARAP[ii] :-)) – “dessert”? Maybe we’re too easily seduced by the sweetness of “dessert”. Please understand, dessert/sarap is a good thing. God created it, so it’s good. But as with anything God has created, taken out of context, before it's time, and contrary to His design, it can prove hazardous to our “ESP” health. Here’s a revolutionary idea, maybe it would be better, based on these divorce rates, to delay enjoying “dessert” until after the “main course”; and that, within the context of marriage? Wouldn’t “dessert’ be more enjoyable, especially the sex & passion? Wouldn’t it be exciting to unwrap that gift for the first time? And make no mistake sex is a gift! It’s a garden of delight, but we need to guard against the,”…foxes before they ruin the vineyard of love…” [iii]. And by “main course”, I mean a friendship, a love not merely of the body, but of soul and spirit. It seems without the sustenance of a friendship founded on mutual respect and admiration, resulting from the recognition and appreciation of our kinship as children of God; we have a relationship that may likely fail, as mere “dessert” will eventually cause both parties to become sick of each other, disrespect each other, take each other for granted, hurt each other, and in extreme cases, harm each other, which could result in years of recovery. And with regards to 1st time marriages, of the 50% who do stay together, I wonder what percentage are truly happy or have met their "soul mate"? Would 25% be too ambitious - a 1 in 4 chance of marital bliss? I've heard it said, "Better to be single wishing you were married, than married wishing you were single." So, despite the fact that some may think it foolish of me to wait on God for this “suitable helper”, I’ll gladly play the fool. For doesn’t God take the “foolish things of the world to confound the wise”?[iv] Because if there’s something I’ve learned in my time on this planet it’s that you have to be willing to allow yourself to be vulnerable, open to hurt, pain and ridicule, shunning and forsaking the shallow and superficial where the fickle, insecure, cynical and jaded masses huddle and congregate; daring, rather, to dive in to the deep end of the pool of your soul until you encounter your deepest most profound hopes, dreams, fears and insecurities. Only then can you even begin to attempt to comprehend the incomprehensible, fathom the unfathomable, to "eff" the ineffable; and hopefully obtain a view, a glimpse, nay, an inkling of that which dreamers, visionaries, romantics, philosophers and poets strive their lives entire to grasp – true love. And what is “true love”? “What is truth?”[v] Pontius Pilate asked that very question of Jesus, while looking TRUTH in the face, for Jesus said, “...I am the way, the truth, and the life.”[vi] And with regards to love, we learn from 1John 4:8 that, “God is love”, and that, “There is no fear in love… perfect love casts out fear.”[vii] So at the very least, it would seem that “true love” has to incorporate the Divine. Moreover, true and perfect love is devoid of fear. Yet isn’t fear the cause of doubts, insecurities and other faults and blemishes that so characterizes earthly romantic love? So it seems reasonable to say that without God in the mix, “true love” is elusive. It’s a “love-triangle” after all between the husband, his wife and God. True love has to involve the Divine; without it you only have lust, and, “Lust fades, so you'd better be with someone who can stand you.”[viii] Lust loses its luster.
Love is my religion - I could die for it. (John Keats)
True love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked. (Erich Segal)
“Love seems the swiftest, but it is the slowest of all growths. No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been married a quarter of a century.” (Mark Twain)
“…people are never perfect, but love can be….We waste time looking for the perfect lover, instead of creating the perfect love.” (anonymous)
"In a restless world like this is, love is ended before it's begun and too many moonlight kisses seem to cool in the warmth of the sun" (When I Fall in Love, Nat King Cole)
“…wuv, twu wuv… that dweam wifin a dweam… So tweasure your wuv…” (The Impressive Clergyman, Princess Bride)
"Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while " (Westley, Princess Bride)
“your body is a wonderland” (John Mayer)
[i] Family Feud
[ii] fr. Tagalog meaning “delicious”
[iii] Song of Solomon 2:15 New Living Translation (NLT)
[iv] 1Corinthians 1:27
[v] John 18:37
[vi] John 14:6
[vii] 1 John 4:18
[viii] Alan Zweibel and Jessie Nelson
I found that the divorce rate in the U.S. for 1st marriages is 50%, 2nd marriages, 67%, and for 3rd marriages, 74%. Over the years I‘ve asked friends and family the reasons for their divorce and “survey says”[i]: 1) poor communication - no longer friends, 2) lack of commitment to the marriage – infidelity, and 3) incompatibility or irreconcilable differences. I wonder how many divorces result from our marrying on the basis of “dessert”? Could it be that we too often base our decision to marry on sex, attraction, romance affection passion (SARAP[ii] :-)) – “dessert”? Maybe we’re too easily seduced by the sweetness of “dessert”. Please understand, dessert/sarap is a good thing. God created it, so it’s good. But as with anything God has created, taken out of context, before it's time, and contrary to His design, it can prove hazardous to our “ESP” health. Here’s a revolutionary idea, maybe it would be better, based on these divorce rates, to delay enjoying “dessert” until after the “main course”; and that, within the context of marriage? Wouldn’t “dessert’ be more enjoyable, especially the sex & passion? Wouldn’t it be exciting to unwrap that gift for the first time? And make no mistake sex is a gift! It’s a garden of delight, but we need to guard against the,”…foxes before they ruin the vineyard of love…” [iii]. And by “main course”, I mean a friendship, a love not merely of the body, but of soul and spirit. It seems without the sustenance of a friendship founded on mutual respect and admiration, resulting from the recognition and appreciation of our kinship as children of God; we have a relationship that may likely fail, as mere “dessert” will eventually cause both parties to become sick of each other, disrespect each other, take each other for granted, hurt each other, and in extreme cases, harm each other, which could result in years of recovery. And with regards to 1st time marriages, of the 50% who do stay together, I wonder what percentage are truly happy or have met their "soul mate"? Would 25% be too ambitious - a 1 in 4 chance of marital bliss? I've heard it said, "Better to be single wishing you were married, than married wishing you were single." So, despite the fact that some may think it foolish of me to wait on God for this “suitable helper”, I’ll gladly play the fool. For doesn’t God take the “foolish things of the world to confound the wise”?[iv] Because if there’s something I’ve learned in my time on this planet it’s that you have to be willing to allow yourself to be vulnerable, open to hurt, pain and ridicule, shunning and forsaking the shallow and superficial where the fickle, insecure, cynical and jaded masses huddle and congregate; daring, rather, to dive in to the deep end of the pool of your soul until you encounter your deepest most profound hopes, dreams, fears and insecurities. Only then can you even begin to attempt to comprehend the incomprehensible, fathom the unfathomable, to "eff" the ineffable; and hopefully obtain a view, a glimpse, nay, an inkling of that which dreamers, visionaries, romantics, philosophers and poets strive their lives entire to grasp – true love. And what is “true love”? “What is truth?”[v] Pontius Pilate asked that very question of Jesus, while looking TRUTH in the face, for Jesus said, “...I am the way, the truth, and the life.”[vi] And with regards to love, we learn from 1John 4:8 that, “God is love”, and that, “There is no fear in love… perfect love casts out fear.”[vii] So at the very least, it would seem that “true love” has to incorporate the Divine. Moreover, true and perfect love is devoid of fear. Yet isn’t fear the cause of doubts, insecurities and other faults and blemishes that so characterizes earthly romantic love? So it seems reasonable to say that without God in the mix, “true love” is elusive. It’s a “love-triangle” after all between the husband, his wife and God. True love has to involve the Divine; without it you only have lust, and, “Lust fades, so you'd better be with someone who can stand you.”[viii] Lust loses its luster.
Love is my religion - I could die for it. (John Keats)
True love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked. (Erich Segal)
“Love seems the swiftest, but it is the slowest of all growths. No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been married a quarter of a century.” (Mark Twain)
“…people are never perfect, but love can be….We waste time looking for the perfect lover, instead of creating the perfect love.” (anonymous)
"In a restless world like this is, love is ended before it's begun and too many moonlight kisses seem to cool in the warmth of the sun" (When I Fall in Love, Nat King Cole)
“…wuv, twu wuv… that dweam wifin a dweam… So tweasure your wuv…” (The Impressive Clergyman, Princess Bride)
"Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while " (Westley, Princess Bride)
“your body is a wonderland” (John Mayer)
[i] Family Feud
[ii] fr. Tagalog meaning “delicious”
[iii] Song of Solomon 2:15 New Living Translation (NLT)
[iv] 1Corinthians 1:27
[v] John 18:37
[vi] John 14:6
[vii] 1 John 4:18
[viii] Alan Zweibel and Jessie Nelson
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Our Divine Matchmaker (part 2 of 5)
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. (Is.64:4)
[God] satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. (Ps.103:5)
The LORD answered Moses, 'Is the LORD's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.' (Num.11:23)
“If marriage is part of God's plan for you, then you can trust Him to work out every detail, both for you and for the mate He has destined for you. He will bring you together with a person who is so exactly suited to you that, together, you may experience marriage as God originally designed it. This will be on a level higher than the world has ever dreamed of.” (God is a Matchmaker, Derek Prince)
I realize in our modern, “liberated” society, we’re ”free” to experiment with and experience many people and partners in order to find the right match. But, I’ve heard it explained that since we consist of body, soul and spirit, we have this emotional (soul), spiritual and physical “pie” that we carry within us. And when we engage in romantic relationships we partake of each other’s emotional, spiritual, physical (let’s cal it ESP) pie. If we should decide to break off the relationship, we each take a piece (the longer the relationship, the bigger the piece) of each other’s pie with us - soul ties. If we do that enough times, hooking up and breaking up with enough people, we may eventually be left with crumbs of that, once whole, ESP pie. How does the prospect of finally finding your soul mate and offering a heart in pieces, damaged emotions, an inability to trust, and emotional baggage - crumbs -appeal to you? Granted, God can heal us and restore our hearts, though it usually takes time, the length of which, at least in my experience, is in direct correlation to the level of my honesty before God - honesty begets healing. But more often than not, it’s a process we often short-circuit, resulting in a half-baked pie, giving you a half-baked relationship. I know someone for whom it took 15 years after a divorce to heal and restore that ESP pie before being able to remarry. I’ve experienced two failed engagements and have undergone recovery these past several years in my effort to heal my heart, sever any remaining “soul ties”, let go of any emotional baggage, in order to offer my “soul mate” as whole an ESP pie as possible, and avoid a “rebound” situation. Most, if not all, of us would prefer to avoid the pain and loss of a break up, divorce in particular, and the potentially long road to recovery and wholeness. Sometimes, however, the best-learned lessons are the most painful. And the lesson I’ve learned is it makes sense to wait on God, to seek God, to actively ask God for the woman He wants for me, that “soul mate”, that one who “completes” me - “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”[1] Because if God is God, and He is, and if God is my loving Father, and He is, and if, as a Dad, He wants the best for His kids, and He does, how can I miss out on the best He wants for me? Can I really miss out on God’s best if I’m seeking Him, following Him and waiting on Him? “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”[2] Won’t the God who created heaven and earth, move heaven and earth to allow for a seemingly “serendipitous” meeting between myself and the woman He would have for me, that “suitable helper”? I may be a foolish romantic (emphasis on fool) but that’s what I believe. Maybe I think too highly of God? Maybe I’ve so wandered from His intended path that God’s arm is too short to help me; or maybe our “Ancient Foe” has so frustrated God’s plans for my life that I’ve missed her and any chance at earthly happiness? Even if that were so, however unlikely, still I must declare that, “…though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him…”[3], for, “ to whom shall [I] go?”[4] “Whom do I have in heaven, but [God]? I desire [Him] more than anything on earth.”[5]
“The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (2Chr.16:9)[God] satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. (Ps.103:5)
The LORD answered Moses, 'Is the LORD's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.' (Num.11:23)
“If marriage is part of God's plan for you, then you can trust Him to work out every detail, both for you and for the mate He has destined for you. He will bring you together with a person who is so exactly suited to you that, together, you may experience marriage as God originally designed it. This will be on a level higher than the world has ever dreamed of.” (God is a Matchmaker, Derek Prince)
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Gen. 2:18 Our Divine Matchmaker (part 1 of 5)
“The LORD God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.' (Gen.2:18)
Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD. (Pr.19:14)
“By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.” (Socrates)
In college, I learned from Plato’s Symposium the myth that people were originally made a single entity containing both male and female, consisting of 4 legs, 4 arms, and a single head made up of two faces; but because of their insolence against the “gods”, were split in two in order to humble them, relegated thereby, to spending the rest of their lives looking for their other half. Like most myths that try to give rhyme or reason to those things that we either see in nature and/or feel deep inside of us, this one tries to explain that ache, longing and desire that most people feel for that special someone who can in many ways “complete” them. Now I realize not everyone subscribes to the idea of a soul mate, a particular individual above all others with whom each of us would be best compatible. Much of society promotes the idea that there are a number of potential suitable mates for each one of us, and that we can best determine that through trial and error – dating as it’s called. But, if you would indulge me, I’d like to share this concept of God’s perfect will and His permissive will. If you recall Adam and Eve’s eating the forbidden fruit, that would be an example of God’s permissive will, whereas, His perfect will would have been had they obeyed Him and refrained from eating it. History, therefore, is a result of God’s permissive will, especially in regards to sin. In those instances where individuals inspired by the Holy Spirit, not content merely in discovering God’s will for their lives, but act on it; they are properly said to be, “living by the Spirit”[1], thereby fulfilling God’s perfect will. When I learned this distinction between living, or walking, in the Spirit and it’s alternative, walking in the flesh, it was a spiritual 2by4 “upside my head”. For the first time in my Christian walk I clearly realized that despite being “born again”, a follower of Christ, and assured of my salvation, that I could still “…walk according to the flesh”[2] , as evidenced by the fact that I can still sin, make wrong choices, and fail to execute God’s perfect will in my life. To live “according the Spirit” takes effort. Let me not kid you. It’s a daily, sometimes moment to moment, strenuous exercise this struggling and striving in order that I may rest, abide, and “be still” in His arms. I must admit it’s a struggle in which I seem to fail more often than I succeed. But as I’ve heard a Christian author and missionary named Frank Laubach put it in regards to his attempt at a moment-by-moment conscious walking with God, “Though the effort was strenuous, my day was effortless.” - “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”[3] It’s the “coming to Jesus” in every situation that takes effort, not only for salvation (a once and for all type deal), but also in our sanctification, a becoming more like Jesus, which is a life-long process. And how can we discover God’s “perfect” will for our lives? It entails a renewing of our minds by the Word of God, resulting in “transformation” - “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”[4] It stands to reason, therefore, that God has an opinion about the choices we make in our lives: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”[5]. And of all the choices we make in our lives, wouldn’t the choice of a spouse be one of the bigger choices we could ever make?
He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. (Pr.18:22)Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD. (Pr.19:14)
“By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.” (Socrates)
Perfectly Imperfect
The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. (Gen.6:5-6 NLT)
I have to confess that there are times I just want to give up and check out. Walking out this “Christianity” is hard. I think the hardest part is not merely messing up, making wrong turns or missing the mark, but those times when I knowingly, willfully, flat-out sin, I realize I grieve the Holy Spirit. And I feel it. Because He’s closer to me than my own thoughts, closer than my heart, He’s my life’s breath after all.[1] So in my desire to avoid this awareness of “grieving” God, this Lover of my soul, I shut Him out, push Him back into my subconscious, numb the awareness of His presence and realization of my causing Him pain. As a result, there are times I feel lukewarm. I don't want to be responsible for turning people off to knowing Him because of my poor example. I’ll only reflect badly on Jesus ("He doesn't look a thing like Jesus")[2] - that’s why I don’t display that fish on my car). I’m a hypocrite (Just ask my family.) Who do I think I am? When I was still in college, I remember my dad asking me that question in response to my challenging and confronting him about his extra-marital affairs. Who was I to question him? What gave me the right? Who did I think I was? That question painfully resounded through the years. Don’t get me wrong. I love my father. I miss him. I wish we had more time together. I regret we were never really father and son. (Many people including myself suffer this “father wound”(abusive and/or absentee fathers) that John Eldridge wrote about in “Wild at Heart” resulting in many of our hurts, habits and hang-ups) I trust that he reconciled with God through Jesus before he died (I thank God I reconciled with him before he died). Still, that question painfully resounded in my subconscious. But I realized that condemning, accusing, mocking tone, was not of God, rather it was from the pit of hell. No, I’m not perfect, no, I’m not without sin, and no, I’m not anyone’s judge, on the contrary, “Woe to me…I am a man of unclean lips!”[3] But by God’s grace through the redeeming work of Jesus' death on the cross, and moreover, His resurrection from the dead, I’m reconciled to God for “…[my] guilt is taken away and [my] sin atoned for!”[4] That’s not to say I'm perfect and won’t make mistakes; while in this fallen body, this “earthly tent” [5] and “subject to like passions”[6] as I am; I realize I’m going to make mistakes, make the occasional wrong turn, mess up in my relationship with God and others (ask my friends & family), but I’m reassured that, “Though [I] fall, [I] shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds [me] with His hand.” (Ps.37:24)
Dear God, I realize more and more that no good thing dwells in me apart from You, and that any virtue or goodness exhibited in me is a result of Your work in me. Would You please help me, my brothers and sisters realize that we just have to rest and abide in You and that You will bring to completion the work You began in us? I ask this in Jesus' Name.
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)
I have to confess that there are times I just want to give up and check out. Walking out this “Christianity” is hard. I think the hardest part is not merely messing up, making wrong turns or missing the mark, but those times when I knowingly, willfully, flat-out sin, I realize I grieve the Holy Spirit. And I feel it. Because He’s closer to me than my own thoughts, closer than my heart, He’s my life’s breath after all.[1] So in my desire to avoid this awareness of “grieving” God, this Lover of my soul, I shut Him out, push Him back into my subconscious, numb the awareness of His presence and realization of my causing Him pain. As a result, there are times I feel lukewarm. I don't want to be responsible for turning people off to knowing Him because of my poor example. I’ll only reflect badly on Jesus ("He doesn't look a thing like Jesus")[2] - that’s why I don’t display that fish on my car). I’m a hypocrite (Just ask my family.) Who do I think I am? When I was still in college, I remember my dad asking me that question in response to my challenging and confronting him about his extra-marital affairs. Who was I to question him? What gave me the right? Who did I think I was? That question painfully resounded through the years. Don’t get me wrong. I love my father. I miss him. I wish we had more time together. I regret we were never really father and son. (Many people including myself suffer this “father wound”(abusive and/or absentee fathers) that John Eldridge wrote about in “Wild at Heart” resulting in many of our hurts, habits and hang-ups) I trust that he reconciled with God through Jesus before he died (I thank God I reconciled with him before he died). Still, that question painfully resounded in my subconscious. But I realized that condemning, accusing, mocking tone, was not of God, rather it was from the pit of hell. No, I’m not perfect, no, I’m not without sin, and no, I’m not anyone’s judge, on the contrary, “Woe to me…I am a man of unclean lips!”[3] But by God’s grace through the redeeming work of Jesus' death on the cross, and moreover, His resurrection from the dead, I’m reconciled to God for “…[my] guilt is taken away and [my] sin atoned for!”[4] That’s not to say I'm perfect and won’t make mistakes; while in this fallen body, this “earthly tent” [5] and “subject to like passions”[6] as I am; I realize I’m going to make mistakes, make the occasional wrong turn, mess up in my relationship with God and others (ask my friends & family), but I’m reassured that, “Though [I] fall, [I] shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds [me] with His hand.” (Ps.37:24)
Dear God, I realize more and more that no good thing dwells in me apart from You, and that any virtue or goodness exhibited in me is a result of Your work in me. Would You please help me, my brothers and sisters realize that we just have to rest and abide in You and that You will bring to completion the work You began in us? I ask this in Jesus' Name.
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)
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