After spending over thirty years in retail sales, I learned a few things about communication. Probably the most valuable is this, there are multiple ways of saying the same thing, and sometimes it is by saying that thing several different ways that a person is finally able to understand the message you are trying to convey. Sometimes it takes that same process before the reality of a scripture takes root in me. By “taking root”, what I mean is that the words are transferred from head knowledge to heart embracing. Without doubt, one of the most well-known scriptures is John 3:16, I mean, you can’t watch a sporting event on TV without seeing someone in a rainbow colored afro, holding a sign with that verse written on it! How many people really understand the depth of those words, not just the words themselves? “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” I think that most people in our society have a mental disconnect with those words, or a lack of experiential understanding of just what kind of love that is talking about. Maybe our father wasn’t there in our lives as we were growing up, we were abandoned, if not physically, at least emotionally. Or maybe he was there, but just didn’t know how to show us that love, because he never received it himself. Whatever the case, our understanding of those words have been based on our experience with our earthly fathers, not the character of God. One of my favorite verses is found in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Yet even though I have had a head knowledge of this verse for years, it was not until recently that I read a quote that allowed that verse to birth a new hope and understanding in my heart. A hope that has created a paradigm shift in my total thought process, not only on these verses, but just about every other verse as well. “I believe that the more we are able to comprehend that Jesus Christ would rather suffer and die than to spend eternity without us, the fear that is in our heart will change to trust.” Tiffany Ann Lewis I had to be honest with myself when I read this, was my understanding of God based on the “fear” of God, or a “love” for God. Were my thought processes based on a fear of loss, or a desire for gain? Was I more concerned about making sure that all of the boxes were checked in order to validate my relationship with Him, or trusting that as long as I was seeking Him, and resting in His love, that checking the “boxes” was the least of my concerns? I had to admit that I fell into the first part of every one of those questions, and the works based “religious” mindset that I had kept me from enjoying the freedom that His love is meant to bring. If you find yourself walking a similar path, I would encourage you to mediate on that quote, start the process of comprehending just what Jesus did. It was because of His prefect love and desire to spend eternity with us that He endured the pain, suffering and shame that it would cost, just to make that possible. Each and every one of us has our names written on a “wanted” poster, but we are not “wanted” to place us in captivity and the resulting penalty of our sin, but “wanted” by Him, to set us free and enjoy an eternity with Him.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 04:24:22 +0000
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