"There will be snacks"...of course this song is a favorite of mine.
I read this verse this morning: Hebrews 13:8
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
It struck me particularly because in Bible study at the Davis' (American family) we discussed the many sayings of Jesus in the New Testament that challenged the traditional perception of him, focusing on the verses in Luke 12,
"49 I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against."
The point that was made is that the thought of Jesus coming to bring division puts a lot of people in tension since it seemingly differs so much from the Prince of Peace theology taught.
The truth is simple, however. Though some words of Christ, including these, seem to create conflict in our perceptions of God, they serve to give us a truthful picture of what the gospel really is. In the passage in Luke mentioned above, Jesus speaks the complete truth of the gospel in proclaiming the radical weight it carries. The Gospel is supposed to be divisive, supposed to be controversial, that is intrinsic to the Gospel and what God has planned!
It just got me thinking as I read the verse in Hebrews this morning how little our brain capabilities are. When verses like the ones in Luke set our heads spinning, why are we so surprised to hear this side of Jesus when we claim to know him? Hebrews states that Jesus "is the same yesterday and today and forever." So straightforward. He has always put forth difficult truths. He has always comforted. He's always been just. He's always extended grace. He's always been the only one. He's always loved us. Always.
Why then are our lives journeys of perpetual turning over stones and uncovering spiritual truths about the person of Jesus Christ? Because our minds simply cannot grasp the whole of God. As a child we cannot grasp the full weight of grace, and as we grow into adulthood if we truly seek to know God we still are overwhelmed by the glimpses of Jesus we get day-by-day. He has always been like this, though. He is the same, always. Never gaining more grace this year, a little more might this season, a bit of anger here, a bit of peace here. He has always possessed these qualities that we discover as we grow closer to Him. It boggles my mind that there can be a singular person that literally will take a lifetime to know and yet still not be able to fully grasp the weight of said person. I am more overwhelmed that Jesus remains the same even as I change night and day over and over again. It proves how so very human my mind is. So small and changeable. I am just grateful that our minds are such that we can at least catch glimpses of God as we mature. I suppose it would be like Moses when he requested to be exposed to the fullness of God. He wasn't even able to face even the bit of God that he was shown. As humans we are simply not capable to witness the full glory of God. I guess that gives us something to look forward to, hey?
As I near my 21st birthday, I think. I think a lot. About a lot of things.
I was thinking this morning as I mused over getting to know God and my limited capabilities as a human how much like a lover this all was. I suppose marriage is designed to imitate Christ and his relationship with the church, and as I get to know Christ I understand what that means a little more, I think. When you are in a relationship with someone, you can love the hell out of them (which Christ literally does with us) but still be unable to know that person the way you wish to. You simply cannot know all aspects of that person, not over a day, nor a month, nor 50 years. You learn to know them through the experiences you go through together and apart, the way they love, the way they communicate, the way they behave. And your knowledge of the other is so changeable- as a human we change from day to day and you can never bank on your loved one remaining exactly the same throughout your relationship. You wouldn't even expect that of yourself, it's just not reasonable. Even so, imagine loving someone who does remain the same. Even though you change, mature, de-mature, run away, return, anger, cry, develop new ideas or beliefs, discard them, be lazy, work harder, get happier, gain weight, don't wear makeup, go on a diet, sleep later, write more, etc etc etc the lover remains exactly the same, and their feelings toward you change none.
It fills me with a singular sort of peace when I realize that is exactly what we experience in a relationship with Christ. It gives me chill bumps to realize that while I sought and ran after the other kinds of (earthly) loves a far greater love was right there happening to me and I ignored it. I would think that ignoring such a person would be impossible, but then again humanity certainly has their darker sides in spite of the fragile nature of their brains.
Change the number to "21" and this is a pretty relevant song to me right now!
p.s. !!!!
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
It struck me particularly because in Bible study at the Davis' (American family) we discussed the many sayings of Jesus in the New Testament that challenged the traditional perception of him, focusing on the verses in Luke 12,
"49 I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against."
The point that was made is that the thought of Jesus coming to bring division puts a lot of people in tension since it seemingly differs so much from the Prince of Peace theology taught.
The truth is simple, however. Though some words of Christ, including these, seem to create conflict in our perceptions of God, they serve to give us a truthful picture of what the gospel really is. In the passage in Luke mentioned above, Jesus speaks the complete truth of the gospel in proclaiming the radical weight it carries. The Gospel is supposed to be divisive, supposed to be controversial, that is intrinsic to the Gospel and what God has planned!
It just got me thinking as I read the verse in Hebrews this morning how little our brain capabilities are. When verses like the ones in Luke set our heads spinning, why are we so surprised to hear this side of Jesus when we claim to know him? Hebrews states that Jesus "is the same yesterday and today and forever." So straightforward. He has always put forth difficult truths. He has always comforted. He's always been just. He's always extended grace. He's always been the only one. He's always loved us. Always.
Why then are our lives journeys of perpetual turning over stones and uncovering spiritual truths about the person of Jesus Christ? Because our minds simply cannot grasp the whole of God. As a child we cannot grasp the full weight of grace, and as we grow into adulthood if we truly seek to know God we still are overwhelmed by the glimpses of Jesus we get day-by-day. He has always been like this, though. He is the same, always. Never gaining more grace this year, a little more might this season, a bit of anger here, a bit of peace here. He has always possessed these qualities that we discover as we grow closer to Him. It boggles my mind that there can be a singular person that literally will take a lifetime to know and yet still not be able to fully grasp the weight of said person. I am more overwhelmed that Jesus remains the same even as I change night and day over and over again. It proves how so very human my mind is. So small and changeable. I am just grateful that our minds are such that we can at least catch glimpses of God as we mature. I suppose it would be like Moses when he requested to be exposed to the fullness of God. He wasn't even able to face even the bit of God that he was shown. As humans we are simply not capable to witness the full glory of God. I guess that gives us something to look forward to, hey?
As I near my 21st birthday, I think. I think a lot. About a lot of things.
I was thinking this morning as I mused over getting to know God and my limited capabilities as a human how much like a lover this all was. I suppose marriage is designed to imitate Christ and his relationship with the church, and as I get to know Christ I understand what that means a little more, I think. When you are in a relationship with someone, you can love the hell out of them (which Christ literally does with us) but still be unable to know that person the way you wish to. You simply cannot know all aspects of that person, not over a day, nor a month, nor 50 years. You learn to know them through the experiences you go through together and apart, the way they love, the way they communicate, the way they behave. And your knowledge of the other is so changeable- as a human we change from day to day and you can never bank on your loved one remaining exactly the same throughout your relationship. You wouldn't even expect that of yourself, it's just not reasonable. Even so, imagine loving someone who does remain the same. Even though you change, mature, de-mature, run away, return, anger, cry, develop new ideas or beliefs, discard them, be lazy, work harder, get happier, gain weight, don't wear makeup, go on a diet, sleep later, write more, etc etc etc the lover remains exactly the same, and their feelings toward you change none.
It fills me with a singular sort of peace when I realize that is exactly what we experience in a relationship with Christ. It gives me chill bumps to realize that while I sought and ran after the other kinds of (earthly) loves a far greater love was right there happening to me and I ignored it. I would think that ignoring such a person would be impossible, but then again humanity certainly has their darker sides in spite of the fragile nature of their brains.
Change the number to "21" and this is a pretty relevant song to me right now!
p.s. !!!!
Hey Bonnie. Didn't really want anything and have nothing to add to your post just wanted to say hey since I hadn't in a while. No wedding news, but have started attempting to get the house/yards in order. I am so domestic. Sounds like things are still going well, I hope so. Talk soon and an early happy birthday.
ReplyDeleteThanks for my blog-votional today. I am truly in awe of you and Mr. Strange. You guys must have had a fantastic English teacher in growing up. You are both so eloquent in your writing.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I know exactly where you're coming from. My mind rattles to think of the limitless love of God for such a limited person as myself.
Plus, 24 is one of my favorite Switchfoot tunes.
I love you, Bon!