Will you hear the Master’s voice and heed his gentle call;
To throng with those who do His will, and at his feet, lay their all?
Heroes great and meager men assemble before His throne;
To hear from Him words long desired: “Come unto me, my own.”
Theology
Scars
In the resurrection, when we all get new bodies, I wonder if we’ll get to choose which of our scars we can keep. Some of our scars are the result of raving stupidity on our part. But some are the noblest trophy we could retain: marks borne of heroism, service, self-sacrifice, or even persecution for The Name.
Surely the Lamb Forever Slain will bear scars on his body. Scars that tell the tale of how he won our freedom. Don’t we all wish to see? (Or maybe we’d rather not.)
Maybe the scars we will to keep are the stuff of which our crowns will be made. If we’re able to keep certain scars, scars for which we are proud, I think we’ll be tossing those at Jesus’ feet. I think we’ll realize that, only through him, do we achieve that which merits honor and praise.
Trajectory
Have you ever felt or known that someone was praying for you? Sometimes there’s no other way to explain a sudden change in altitude, attitude, or outlook. There are times when discerning his influence is easier and his gentle direction meets less internal resistance than usual. There are times when you find your bucket more full than it has a right to be. There’s more credit in your column (more power in your pushcart, more rock in your rickshaw, more dynamus in your Durango, more Calypso in your calliope, more … you get the idea). The point is, you did nothing to get it there. There’s no way to explain it outside of God’s blessing.
It’s an example of God’s provisional grace, a foretaste of ‘glory divine.’ The peace that passeth understanding, tapped like a maple and conduited to your account by the intercessory prayer of a brother or sister in Christ.
Who do you love who could use an infusion of God’s grace? Who do you love who needs God’s protection? Who do you love who would profit from hearing God’s voice more clearly? Mention that brother or sister in prayer right now. God is eager to pour blessing on those you love.
Don’t Be Deceived
In the garden, Jesus told Peter that he needed to pray because Satan wanted to sift him as wheat. What did Peter do? Did he pray? No. He was too tired. And he was deceived. And he denied his Lord. In Matthew, Jesus tells us that in the end, many will be deceived, believers included.
What’s the apparent prescription? Store beans and ammo?
No. Pray and study scripture. Love God and hear his voice.
Matthew 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.
The Iceberg
Jesus arrival in Bethlehem was only the visible portion of God’s salvation plan. Like an iceberg, we caught only a glimpse. We didn’t understand what God had in mind.
When more of his plan was revealed – the rejection, betrayal, execution, and death of his son – we questioned how the pieces fit together. But it was all part of his plan.
When we see the remainder of the iceberg, we will be astonished again.
Because the final act will be as unlike the middle act as the middle was unlike the first.
Complacency
Filter my impressions, O God. Condition my thinking. Both temper and empower my words. I don’t need an infusion, I need a replacement. I don’t need a touch, I need a detonation. I don’t need an encounter, I need an insurrection.