These days, absolutely as I write, God is taking me through a great difficulty, and He is staying my heart on Jesus' experience through Passiontide. It is an extraordinary thing to undergo. How well I know St Paul's mystical words from Galatians 2:20, which Piper heads this chapter with: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me". But this, like everything else in the Bible, is not be nodded to as some kind of saving 'tenet of faith'; it was written down in order to impart by faith the same experience in us.
I am so glad for the years during which I have read and re-read Scripture; for all that time, God has been sowing His word, which has lain apparently dormant, waiting for the events in my life which will cause it to push through the soil - just as Jesus described in His parable: "A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how ..." (Mark 4:26-29). The events I am going through now - it feels at times as if Jesus is opening His most private thoughts and experiences up to me. I think I now see why you find those strange statues of Jesus in Catholic churches with His heart painfully exposed.
This morning, I was resting in God before getting up, listening to the wonderful CD 'Sound of Glory', recorded by Jeff Jansen and Julian and Melissa Wiggins. As I was listening to the part where Jeff reads Deuteronomy 33:7-23, the Spirit arrested me particularly at verse 20: "But you cannot see my face, for no-one may see me and live". And He showed me that it was not because of Moses' sinfulness or creaturely frailty that he would not survive seeing God's face. Nor did it mean that he would be struck dead there and then - any more than Adam and Eve were, after disobeying God. What He showed me was that the pain and suffering and total, undefended awareness of it which Moses would see in God's face would rob Moses of the will to live - his capacity to go on living in faith, hope and love. God had to protect Moses from that.
So this morning, I have seen something totally new to me in Jesus' death. He now hides us in His heart so we can become absolutely united with the suffering face of God, and still live. Thank you, Lord, for Your living word to me today.
He now hides us in His heart so we can become absolutely united with the suffering face of God, and still live.-Love this..
ReplyDeleteVery mystical, very wonderful, St Thérèse of Lisieux would be proud of you! I was only thinking the other day after my 9 year old niece had shared with me her pain over horses being mistreated, that God feels every smallest instance of suffering experienced on earth. How painful this must be for Him. How can we ever think He is uncaring?
ReplyDeleteHey Johnnie Boy !! You have deep insight. That only comes from spending time in the presence of God. That's more than all us religious dudes do !! You guys, above everyone I know, are so sincere and intensely dedicated to searching out the truth. What I admire most about you & Susan, is that in the face of judmental religion, you have stuck by your family. You guys have protected your tribe. With Sarah and Anthony, especially, exploring faith, you have upheld them....What wonderful parents you are...When std charismata would deal them a blow, You have nudged them forward and forward and on and on. No Church organisation can claim this as "decisions for Christ" (All eyes closed,no-one looking around, raise your hand now and make a decision for Christ...N O T). You and Sue, not church programs, have shown them the way. Not excluding Daniel of course !!
ReplyDeleteWell done !! Hold your heads high and be not afraid, for The Lord, thy God, is with thee !!