This guy blows my mind, but embodies the very spirit of God's truth and ways. The most intoxicating moment for me in Elijah's story is the following, found in 1 Kings 19:
After 3 years alone with God in the desert, he takes on and slays 900 priests of Baal. Word is sent to their patroness, Jezebel, who decrees that she will kill Elijah for this, within one day. Elijah fears and flees to a mountain cave. Note the drama and the spiritual forces at work here: Elijah kills 900, is threatened by 1, and runs. But here is where we see and feel the very connection of man with God. After 40 days of running, Elijah is alone inside a cave. God tells Elijah to step out of the cave to meet with Him. Elijah waits for the signal. Such a forceful wind blows that it 'tore the mountains apart, and shattered rocks.' But we are told the Lord was not in this wind. Then an earthquake, then a fire. But the Lord was not in the earthquake, nor the fire. Then a 'gentle whisper'. The Lord was in the whisper, and Elijah steps out of the cave to meet the Lord. This man knew God's voice, and was not even distracted by earthquakes and shattering rocks. Do you know God's voice? (John 10:27)
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Proverbs 27:4 tells us that anger is cruel, and fury overwhelming, but 'before a jealous man, who can stand?'
Abstract 'Anger' gets an adjective, and so does 'Fury', but the force and destruction of one jealous man is simply described by a rhetorical question, asking what or who can resist such force. No words, really, to qualify its dark and relentless onset, and no effort to define or trap its spirit. Simply, where there is envy, there is a destroyer. Envy is spirit, and operates at the core of our free will to move towards God as friend or foe. The devil became the devil because the power he had was not enough. (Jude 1:6) Mankind became what we are and know because Eden was not enough. (Genesis 3:5) Envy is a power struggle from deep within that is not primarily about me and my neighbor, but me and God. And it is not primarily about what I have and want, but about who God is and his report of truth. To break chains of envy inside you, and that come against you, you must first take a faith stand in who God says He is. His terms on Himself is the key to freedom for the soul. (Exodus 3:14; John 1:1-5; John 5:24; 2 Corinthians 5:17) Chief goal, per Aristotle's Ethics, is 'happiness' (page 2 or 3, if I remember correctly.) Happiness is not a guide, however, it is a goal. Ever used 'happy' as a guide, and found 'sad'? Me too.
The Bible sets out 'revelation' to tell us what God's truth is, who he is, and how we can and should navigate to find true happiness. I am a pilgrim on this journey. Jesus, for the 'joy' set before him, endured the cross. (Hebrews 12:2) The cross, at one very dark and yet significant time in Jesus' life, was in line with, on the road to, complete happiness. It was - and maybe you relate – a time when Jesus asked God to change the course (Matthew 26:39), felt as if God had abandoned him (Matthew 27:46), and was so deeply distressed that he sweat blood in anticipation. (Luke 22:44) David, walking in truth and in his calling, was up and down - like you and me - in his feelings. He kept his course, however, at these dark and confusing times, and asked God to bring the 'joy'. He did not flail and swing left or right to shake the feeling of sadness and find happiness somewhere else or in being someone else. He knew where he needed to be, who he needed to be, and asked God to bring the 'joy'. ‘Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you.’ (Psalm 86:4) A couple brief thoughts on 'signs' and Jesus. According to scripture, Jesus was doing signs all the time - except when asked for a 'sign'. His signs had purpose, were never simply to demonstrate power; the healing or 'sign' powers were to demonstrate, ultimately, his power to forgive sin and give eternal life (Gal 1:4). Prior to healing the paralytic, he said, 'Your sins are forgiven!' Then he said these key words, to preface the 'sign' he was about to give:
'That you may know that I have authority to forgive sins... rise, be healed' (Mark 2:10-11) Jesus turned water to wine, and only the servants knew of this (though the whole party partook of the power, John 2:9). Jesus, turned bread into more bread, but then told the very people who ate this bread, when they 'demanded a sign', that they would not be given a sign (Mark 8:12, cf John 6:26). Jesus would not give a 'sign' when it could have spared him his own life (Luke 23:8). Are you in distress? Stressed?
Jesus was a man of peace - indeed the model of being kept in 'perfect peace' (Is 26:3) - but he was also a man of sorrows (Is 53:4). I love those Scriptures that connect Christ to my own range of emotion: he wept (John 11:35), was moved with compassion (Matthew 9:36), felt pity and acted (Mark 1:41), was angry with people (Mark 3:5). He wanted things to be different (Matthew 26:38-39), and felt God had turned his back (Matthew 27:46). Can you relate? One Scripture that jumps out to me is Luke 12:50, where Jesus says that he has a baptism to undergo, and is in distress 'until' it is accomplished. Jesus carried a weight of foreboding darkness in his spirit throughout his walk in and through life. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4 that 'we carry around in our bodies the death of Jesus...' (vs 11) A walk with Christ will look and feel like Christ's walk: Joy and revelation ineffable (2 Cor 12:4), and trials and confusions that course through our existence until we are fully liberated. (Romans 8:23) If you are in distress, and yet are in Christ, you are very close to him in this place. (Philippians 3:10) Cops and good guys. Seems to be all over social media these days. It makes my heart drop every time I scroll over a video rolling. I never actually watch them. I just can't. Same story, different day, different city, different whatever. Same story. When bad guys are bad guys, we have badness. When good guys are bad guys, we have evil.
This really matters. God hates power abuse. Jesus said, 'Woe to you, teachers of the law [cops?]... keeping your traditions [thin blue line?], you break God's law!' (Mt 23:23) Two quick things on this: First, there is a Law higher than the law, and it will prevail. Any man or woman that is in power and abuses it, will answer for this. Power is to steward, not to 'have' and to 'wield.' It belongs to Another, and we will answer for parts we have been asked to play. (John 19:10-11; Psalm 94:16; Micah 6:8; Matthew 18:6; Matthew 12:36) Secondly, what power do I have? Do I abuse my parental power, my spousal power, my fraternal, employer, employee power? Do I abuse my alone-time power, screen-time power, social-media power? Do I abuse my free-will power, my thought power, money power? My stomach turns at the videos that flit before me, because they are me. God forgive me, and heal our nation, in Jesus' name. I love this quote – today’s title - from Rushdie's 'Midnight's Children' (1981).
We pursue meaning more than anything else. When we break it down, even in our pursuit of health, wealth and love, we are seeking to 'mean', so that we do finally rest, when we 'rest in peace'. I don't mean to be morbid here, but the only way to 'come to life' is through death and resurrection, so let's not fear the topic for a minute... Think about it: what are you trying to grasp today that you did not 'bag' yesterday? Seriously, why were you not ready to die last night, and what are you chasing today? Meaning (not money, actually). And eternal life. Yes, if you think about it, to 'rest in peace' in our little minds is really to somehow defy death at the point of death and live in bliss for all eternity. Peace is not death, and nor is rest. And to rest in peace is the highest attainment of life and not death. We are all chasing meaning, and to live eternally, or rest in peace now and forevermore. Let's skip many spheres and aspects and respects and vantage points here and cut to the chase - or cut the chase short: Jesus came to give you meaning, now and forevermore. If you do not really understand the simple, raw, rough and radical message that is set out in the Gospel, I invite you - challenge you - to pick up one of the accounts written by Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, and read it through. A one hour commitment, that could walk you through the door God offers you to meaning and eternal life (John 10:9). |
AuthorPeter Walker. I hope you enjoy these reflections. Please feel free to comment!:) Archives
February 2024
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