I began Hebrews with some dread and now I'm truly sorry to end our reading of this intense book. Taking it in with fresh eyes and ears has brought together so much of the Old Testament and its deeper meanings - not of how to have more faith in order to live life better - but of being able to confidently say God is here, ready to help; I'm fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me? (13:6)
"How can I keep from shrinking back? How can I not throw away confidence in Your story of love when I don't see what I think would be evidence of Your love? How can I resist the perverse pleasure of defying You and doing whatever I can to feel better, to live a more comfortable and fulfilling and satisfying life as my priority?
"[God replies] You might begin by listening to Martin Luther's advice...he gave himself and his friends, 'If you would believe, you must crucify the question, 'How?' Like all Adam's descendants you're a natural born chess player at life. You want to know how to make your next move to win the blessings or the kind of maturity you want.
"Crucify the how question. Stop trying to figure out what you can do to develop stronger faith, brighter hope, richer love. Keep drinking the milk I've poured into your bottle. But come to My table as an adult prepared to eat meat...
"Chew this meat slowly. Eat a fresh helping again and again. Soon you will be awed by the privilege, not of figuring out how to develop more faith and feel more hope and relate with more love but of coming to Me as you are and seeing Jesus welcoming you into My Presence where you can now present yourself before Me with all that's ugly within you and not be destroyed, where you can know someone understands the temptation to shrink back, to throw away your confidence in My story, and where the indestructible life that is now in you as a gift can be aroused into believing, waiting, and loving. But the urge to shrink back remains strong. The battle is on. Get to know your Savior, your Lord, your King, Your Priest in the order of Melchizedek. The better you know Him, the more you will know the joy of ongoing repentance. Repentance puts you more closely in touch with Him and more fully releases His life through yours." (66LL)
God's message to me today:
Crucify the How. Seek Repentance.
1 comment:
You know, I'm in the midst of a mess. A big one. I want to know how to get out of it. Yet, a Beautiful God inside of me is giving me rest in my confusion, in my mess. Very encouraging words to me. Crucify the how. Deeper repentance.
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