How often do we think of God having fun? Or being detail-oriented? Or creative? Having likes and dislikes? Being a hard-worker? As I read the creation account I can't help but come in contact with the personhood of God (or perhaps I see more clearly the image I bear.). As I read Genesis 1-2, I relate more to God, gaining a better understanding of who He is. It seems He has emotional experiences much like you and I do.
What joy must have filled His heart as He created the stars, seas, mountains. What fun He must have had creating the land animals, sea animals and birds. What gentleness must have filled His hands as He formed Adam from the dust.
Such diversity and uniqueness exists in creation. Look around. A vast array of grass, flowers, trees exist. Not to mention insects, fish, birds, mammals, reptiles. And the billions of people alive today, each one unique. And He thought it all up. God engaged with His creation, enjoying the good work He performed. With great intention and attention He moved His hands, spoke words of life, breathed in, breathed out.
In the Genesis account, God comes down to earth; more, He brought forth the earth. He made all the beasts after their own kind, all the birds after their own kind, all the fish after their own kind. But we were special. He made us after Him. It seems God too longed to give birth to those after His own likeness.
What fond affection then He must have as He looks upon us. What love fills His heart to send Christ to save us, who though made in His likeness, have destroyed His image. What hope beats in His breast as He thinks of the completed restoration to come.
One day He again will look at His creation and call it good. With God, we wait for the day we will fully know Him, again image Him in glory, enjoy Him with sight, sound and touch. In the meantime we have His Spirit, community, and stories like the Creation account to begin our everlasting relationship with Him.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Cashmere of Compassion
“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” ~ Col 3:9-14
I love clothes. Especially new ones. I love the way they feel soft and fresh. I love the brightness of color, the unwrinkled fabric, the new look added to my familiar face.
What good news then to read that we Christians have received a new wardrobe, one designed especially for our hearts. These garments not only beautify, but they also transform.
Much of the Christian life involves using this new closet. We must take off our old clothes (sinful deeds) and put on the new ones (traits of Jesus). When Christ redeemed us from slavery to Sin and moved us to our home in Him, He filled our closets with the finest garments fit perfectly for our freed hearts. One such article of clothing is compassion.
Mother Theresa comes to mind. She spent her life loving the poor in Jesus’ name. With the courage of love she hugged on, prayed for, lived with those in physical, emotional and spiritual pain. Truly, she exemplified compassion.
But we don't have to spend our lives in another country to live compassionately. Webster’s defines compassion as "a sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it." How difficult, though, to move myself on behalf of others. I see a homeless person or a single parent struggling, and my heart moves on their behalf; not too often, however, do I respond to that sympathy. Compassion requires that I learn to act.
Our culture, unfortunately, idolizes the self. Seeking one's own gain and profit surpasses the value of caring for the needs of others. We have lost sight to much of the suffering in the world by following the American dream, pursuing wealth, pleasure, happiness.
How moved are we by the starving children in Africa? The gang-rapes in the ghetto across town? The family next-door who can’t pay their mortgage? Or, even the men and women who sit next to us in church struggling to make sense of this world?
There are plenty of people to whom we can show compassion. Finding people is not the problem; our hearts are the problem. Though a follower of Christ, I often still wear an old, torn-up shirt of selfishness, leaving a beautiful cashmere sweater of compassion hanging in the closet. In order to take it off the hanger, I need to see it modeled.
Christ calls us to wear compassion because He Himself is compassionate. He talked with the outcastes and lepers, healed the lame, fed the poor, gave sight to the blind, ate with sinners, hugged children. He felt sympathy for us, and He did something about it.
In the greatest act of compassion, He "alleviated" the "distress" of our sin as He crucified His Son on the cross. When He saw us dead in our transgressions, He responded according to His love and mercy by sending us His Son to rescue us.
As recipients of this love and witness to the perfect Model, so we should live. As we get dressed in the morning, let us remember to dress our hearts. This day, may we take compassion off the hanger and wear it as we respond to those in need.
What does it look like to don your new sweater? As you go through today, to whom can you show compassion?
I love clothes. Especially new ones. I love the way they feel soft and fresh. I love the brightness of color, the unwrinkled fabric, the new look added to my familiar face.
What good news then to read that we Christians have received a new wardrobe, one designed especially for our hearts. These garments not only beautify, but they also transform.
Much of the Christian life involves using this new closet. We must take off our old clothes (sinful deeds) and put on the new ones (traits of Jesus). When Christ redeemed us from slavery to Sin and moved us to our home in Him, He filled our closets with the finest garments fit perfectly for our freed hearts. One such article of clothing is compassion.
Mother Theresa comes to mind. She spent her life loving the poor in Jesus’ name. With the courage of love she hugged on, prayed for, lived with those in physical, emotional and spiritual pain. Truly, she exemplified compassion.
But we don't have to spend our lives in another country to live compassionately. Webster’s defines compassion as "a sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it." How difficult, though, to move myself on behalf of others. I see a homeless person or a single parent struggling, and my heart moves on their behalf; not too often, however, do I respond to that sympathy. Compassion requires that I learn to act.
Our culture, unfortunately, idolizes the self. Seeking one's own gain and profit surpasses the value of caring for the needs of others. We have lost sight to much of the suffering in the world by following the American dream, pursuing wealth, pleasure, happiness.
How moved are we by the starving children in Africa? The gang-rapes in the ghetto across town? The family next-door who can’t pay their mortgage? Or, even the men and women who sit next to us in church struggling to make sense of this world?
There are plenty of people to whom we can show compassion. Finding people is not the problem; our hearts are the problem. Though a follower of Christ, I often still wear an old, torn-up shirt of selfishness, leaving a beautiful cashmere sweater of compassion hanging in the closet. In order to take it off the hanger, I need to see it modeled.
Christ calls us to wear compassion because He Himself is compassionate. He talked with the outcastes and lepers, healed the lame, fed the poor, gave sight to the blind, ate with sinners, hugged children. He felt sympathy for us, and He did something about it.
In the greatest act of compassion, He "alleviated" the "distress" of our sin as He crucified His Son on the cross. When He saw us dead in our transgressions, He responded according to His love and mercy by sending us His Son to rescue us.
As recipients of this love and witness to the perfect Model, so we should live. As we get dressed in the morning, let us remember to dress our hearts. This day, may we take compassion off the hanger and wear it as we respond to those in need.
What does it look like to don your new sweater? As you go through today, to whom can you show compassion?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Christmas Wonders
I wonder what Mary thought as she held God’s Son for the first time. Did she reverently hold such a holy baby, fearing disappointing God if she made Him cry? Was she perplexed by raising her Savior, knowing she would one day submit to Him? How did she respond to the scowling faces that surrounded this scandalous, glorious birth?
I wonder what Joseph thought as his virgin wife nursed the Son of God. Did he feel overwhelmed at having to provide for his family’s needs, for the divine baby? How would he rear Jesus when His true Father reigned in heaven, ruling the earth? Did he often think back to the angel Gabriel, trying to convince himself all this had really happened, that Mary truly did give birth to God’s Son, that they are responsible for the Savior of the world?
I wonder what God felt when Mary delivered His Son, now in human form. Did He excite as He saw His salvific process coming to a climax with the birth of Jesus? Was He saddened to see His Son restrained by human body? Did He wince with pain at the thought of the agonizing, lonely life that awaited Him?
I wonder what Jesus thought when He left heaven to become a baby. Did He ponder what living like a human being, His prize creation, would feel like? Did He look forward to hugs and kisses, dinners and parties, smiles and laughter? Was He sad to leave the intimacy of the Father’s presence in order to bring salvation to the world?
I wonder what life would be like today if this baby was never born. Would people still live on the earth, or would God have already brought His judgment of fire and emptiness? Would we know only fear, anger, depression, loneliness, sin? What hope would remain of life and freedom and joy?
But the Wonder of all Wonders is that He did come to earth. He humbled Himself out of love to become a baby, who would become a man, who would become a sacrifice for sins. Our sins. He took on human skin to have whips lashed across His back, to have nails driven into His wrists, to have His blood drop to the ground. All to pay our debt, reunite us with the Father, give us life.
Our salvation has begun but it is not yet complete. So we wait. We look to the dawn of the everlasting day, where again the Son of God will come to earth and finally complete this salvation He has begun. And so I wonder.
I wonder what it will be like for humans to be born anew, sharing in His divine glory, enjoying life forever. How will relationships work without sin? What does unending joy feel like? What will we see when we look into the Savior's eyes? I wonder…
I wonder what Joseph thought as his virgin wife nursed the Son of God. Did he feel overwhelmed at having to provide for his family’s needs, for the divine baby? How would he rear Jesus when His true Father reigned in heaven, ruling the earth? Did he often think back to the angel Gabriel, trying to convince himself all this had really happened, that Mary truly did give birth to God’s Son, that they are responsible for the Savior of the world?
I wonder what God felt when Mary delivered His Son, now in human form. Did He excite as He saw His salvific process coming to a climax with the birth of Jesus? Was He saddened to see His Son restrained by human body? Did He wince with pain at the thought of the agonizing, lonely life that awaited Him?
I wonder what Jesus thought when He left heaven to become a baby. Did He ponder what living like a human being, His prize creation, would feel like? Did He look forward to hugs and kisses, dinners and parties, smiles and laughter? Was He sad to leave the intimacy of the Father’s presence in order to bring salvation to the world?
I wonder what life would be like today if this baby was never born. Would people still live on the earth, or would God have already brought His judgment of fire and emptiness? Would we know only fear, anger, depression, loneliness, sin? What hope would remain of life and freedom and joy?
But the Wonder of all Wonders is that He did come to earth. He humbled Himself out of love to become a baby, who would become a man, who would become a sacrifice for sins. Our sins. He took on human skin to have whips lashed across His back, to have nails driven into His wrists, to have His blood drop to the ground. All to pay our debt, reunite us with the Father, give us life.
Our salvation has begun but it is not yet complete. So we wait. We look to the dawn of the everlasting day, where again the Son of God will come to earth and finally complete this salvation He has begun. And so I wonder.
I wonder what it will be like for humans to be born anew, sharing in His divine glory, enjoying life forever. How will relationships work without sin? What does unending joy feel like? What will we see when we look into the Savior's eyes? I wonder…
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Santa and Jesus
Jesus is coming to town. You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout. He sees you when you’re sleeping; he knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so please—be good. He’s making a list, checking it twice, going to find out if you’re naughty or nice. Jesus is coming to town.
Don’t we often live like Jesus is Santa Claus? Like children who want gifts instead of coal, we think we can convince God to save us by our good deeds. We attend church, give our change to the Salvation Army, pay our taxes, abstain from wine, obey the 10 Commandments. We work hard to be good, to right our wrongs, to keep our behavior excellent under His watchful eye.
But the message of Jesus differs dramatically from the reward system of Santa. If God had a good and bad list, He would write all our names under “Bad” (Is 53:6; Rom 3:10-18). None of us is good enough to warrant any presents from Him. And the punishment we deserve far surpasses a lump of coal.
But while Santa has a list, God has a book, the Book of Life. In this book are written all the names of those to receive the gift of eternal life (Rev 21:27). To get your name in this book, you have need of one thing only: grace.
At Christmastime we remember the baby Jesus born to live for God and die a sinner’s death. He, the Son of God in human form, took upon Himself our sins, those actions and rebellious attitudes against God and humanity that put us on the “bad” list. At the cross He bore the penalty for us. In His Son’s life, death and resurrection, God offered forgiveness, pardon, and redemption. Grace.
Because of His great love, God sent us this most marvelous gift wrapped in swaddling clothes. His message is not one of judgment according to a good/bad list, but a message of salvation (John 3:16-18) to all who believe. Grace.
To unwrap this beautiful gift we need only have faith. We believe with our hearts, profess with our mouths, confess that Jesus is our Savior (Rom 10:9, 10). Grace.
Since then salvation comes through God’s grace alone, let us stop living as if He is a type of Santa Claus. Why do we think that somehow our behavior will influence His favor toward us? The way of Santa is the way of the law, which Christ fulfilled and did away with ushering in the new covenant (Rom 8:1-4; Heb 8). The Gift has already been given, God’s favor on us bestowed. It is ours to receive, taking hold of Him through faith.
Instead of trying to gain God’s favor through our efforts, we need to rest in His mercy through Christ. Jesus labored for us, giving us what we could never earn. And as we tarry in His grace, His mercy and love will transform our hearts (Col 2:6).
So then let’s again rewrite the old Christmas tune.
Jesus came to town. He was watching out. He heard your cries. He never uttered a pout. He still sees you when you’re sleeping; He knows when you’re awake. He knows you’ve been bad but He’s been good for you, so please—trust in Him. He has the Book of Life, offering eternal life, the work is already done, take and receive, rest in His mercy. The Savior came to town.
Don’t we often live like Jesus is Santa Claus? Like children who want gifts instead of coal, we think we can convince God to save us by our good deeds. We attend church, give our change to the Salvation Army, pay our taxes, abstain from wine, obey the 10 Commandments. We work hard to be good, to right our wrongs, to keep our behavior excellent under His watchful eye.
But the message of Jesus differs dramatically from the reward system of Santa. If God had a good and bad list, He would write all our names under “Bad” (Is 53:6; Rom 3:10-18). None of us is good enough to warrant any presents from Him. And the punishment we deserve far surpasses a lump of coal.
But while Santa has a list, God has a book, the Book of Life. In this book are written all the names of those to receive the gift of eternal life (Rev 21:27). To get your name in this book, you have need of one thing only: grace.
At Christmastime we remember the baby Jesus born to live for God and die a sinner’s death. He, the Son of God in human form, took upon Himself our sins, those actions and rebellious attitudes against God and humanity that put us on the “bad” list. At the cross He bore the penalty for us. In His Son’s life, death and resurrection, God offered forgiveness, pardon, and redemption. Grace.
Because of His great love, God sent us this most marvelous gift wrapped in swaddling clothes. His message is not one of judgment according to a good/bad list, but a message of salvation (John 3:16-18) to all who believe. Grace.
To unwrap this beautiful gift we need only have faith. We believe with our hearts, profess with our mouths, confess that Jesus is our Savior (Rom 10:9, 10). Grace.
Since then salvation comes through God’s grace alone, let us stop living as if He is a type of Santa Claus. Why do we think that somehow our behavior will influence His favor toward us? The way of Santa is the way of the law, which Christ fulfilled and did away with ushering in the new covenant (Rom 8:1-4; Heb 8). The Gift has already been given, God’s favor on us bestowed. It is ours to receive, taking hold of Him through faith.
Instead of trying to gain God’s favor through our efforts, we need to rest in His mercy through Christ. Jesus labored for us, giving us what we could never earn. And as we tarry in His grace, His mercy and love will transform our hearts (Col 2:6).
So then let’s again rewrite the old Christmas tune.
Jesus came to town. He was watching out. He heard your cries. He never uttered a pout. He still sees you when you’re sleeping; He knows when you’re awake. He knows you’ve been bad but He’s been good for you, so please—trust in Him. He has the Book of Life, offering eternal life, the work is already done, take and receive, rest in His mercy. The Savior came to town.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Hand You Hold
A regrettable decision. A missed opportunity. A failed relationship. A wound from childhood. A great loss. It could be any number of things, but for many of us the thoughts of the past plague us. Some try to deny the thoughts, never dealing with the sin or the pain. Others may scrutinize the past to a point they fail to live in the present and move into the future. Both of these approaches hinder us from experiencing the joy of Christ.
Events in the past have affected who we are and often need to be processed and worked through. But there comes a point after we mourn the loss, grieve the wound, or repent of the sin that we must move on.
We hurt ourselves when we dwell in the past. We have no control over what has already happened. All we have is the present, which is full of future hope.
In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul writes, “…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” To reach ahead, Paul had to let go of all the things he once prized (i.e. self-righteous pride). He had a new identity in Christ, and to take possession of this newness, he had to leave the old.
So too we cannot reach forward when we cling to our past wounds, past failings, past sin. In Christ, we are completely new. Our hearts wiped clean. But we cannot live out our new identity if we live in the past.
That does not mean our pain has ceased or we do not feel remorse. It’s a matter of focus. Do we dwell on the past? Or, do we allow God to mend our broken hearts, learn from our mistakes, repent of previous sin?
Daily, we have a choice about where we let our hearts dwell. Our future hope and present activities are closely connected. The promise of Christ’s second coming gives us the courage to live with faith, hope, and love today. And how we live today determines who we are tomorrow. So then, learning from the past, living in today, and looking towards Christ’s return helps us live out our divine call as imagers of God.
As we cease from the despair which results from looking at our past, and turn to hope through Christ’s return, we will live more fully, with joy and with peace. Focusing on that day helps us move forward in life, trusting and resting in His grace. Let us then let go of the past and join Paul in reaching forward to the hand of Christ.
Thought(s) of the day:
What of the past do you cling to? What keeps your grip from letting go? What would it look like if you dropped the past and took hold of your future with Christ?
Events in the past have affected who we are and often need to be processed and worked through. But there comes a point after we mourn the loss, grieve the wound, or repent of the sin that we must move on.
We hurt ourselves when we dwell in the past. We have no control over what has already happened. All we have is the present, which is full of future hope.
In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul writes, “…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” To reach ahead, Paul had to let go of all the things he once prized (i.e. self-righteous pride). He had a new identity in Christ, and to take possession of this newness, he had to leave the old.
So too we cannot reach forward when we cling to our past wounds, past failings, past sin. In Christ, we are completely new. Our hearts wiped clean. But we cannot live out our new identity if we live in the past.
That does not mean our pain has ceased or we do not feel remorse. It’s a matter of focus. Do we dwell on the past? Or, do we allow God to mend our broken hearts, learn from our mistakes, repent of previous sin?
Daily, we have a choice about where we let our hearts dwell. Our future hope and present activities are closely connected. The promise of Christ’s second coming gives us the courage to live with faith, hope, and love today. And how we live today determines who we are tomorrow. So then, learning from the past, living in today, and looking towards Christ’s return helps us live out our divine call as imagers of God.
As we cease from the despair which results from looking at our past, and turn to hope through Christ’s return, we will live more fully, with joy and with peace. Focusing on that day helps us move forward in life, trusting and resting in His grace. Let us then let go of the past and join Paul in reaching forward to the hand of Christ.
Thought(s) of the day:
What of the past do you cling to? What keeps your grip from letting go? What would it look like if you dropped the past and took hold of your future with Christ?
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Give Me Happiness, er, I Mean Joy
Often times I confuse happiness with joy. I’ve heard the differences between the two emotional experiences from pastors and teachers, but I still find it difficult to alter my desires. I want happiness more than I want joy. See, happiness tends to be based on our circumstances, whereas, joy occurs in spite of our surroundings. Most days, I want peace in my world, not just peace in my heart.
But I must face reality. God assures us we will struggle while on earth. I cannot trust then that I will find happiness. Perhaps there is more to joy than I realize.
Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, was a man well acquainted with grief and with joy. He had a sense of peace, contentment, well-being that sustained him more than his circumstances rattled him. Daily Paul faced trials such as beatings, imprisonments, hunger, poverty, shipwrecks. Yet he had peace. He had hope. He had assurance.
In his letter to the Philippians he shines the light on his pathway to joy. He writes, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (4:13). His source of contentment? His relationship with Jesus.
Many of us have experienced relationships that gave us strength to endure struggles. Perhaps a close friend, parent, mentor, coach, spouse. Paul had the relationship of all relationships. He knew intimately the Son of God.
Knowing Jesus surpasses the experience we have with our closest connections on earth. In making Him our travel guide, spending time with Him in His Word and in prayer, relying on the mystery of His Spirit in us, we too can have enduring joy through any and all trials.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials; knowing the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (1:2-3). In all trials then we can experience this peace and joy that surpasses knowledge.
Life brings pain. Christ brings joy. We receive it as we learn to walk through life clinging to His hand.
Thought for the day: What are some circumstances in your life that have you down? How can you enter into the presence of Christ with your struggles?
But I must face reality. God assures us we will struggle while on earth. I cannot trust then that I will find happiness. Perhaps there is more to joy than I realize.
Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, was a man well acquainted with grief and with joy. He had a sense of peace, contentment, well-being that sustained him more than his circumstances rattled him. Daily Paul faced trials such as beatings, imprisonments, hunger, poverty, shipwrecks. Yet he had peace. He had hope. He had assurance.
In his letter to the Philippians he shines the light on his pathway to joy. He writes, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (4:13). His source of contentment? His relationship with Jesus.
Many of us have experienced relationships that gave us strength to endure struggles. Perhaps a close friend, parent, mentor, coach, spouse. Paul had the relationship of all relationships. He knew intimately the Son of God.
Knowing Jesus surpasses the experience we have with our closest connections on earth. In making Him our travel guide, spending time with Him in His Word and in prayer, relying on the mystery of His Spirit in us, we too can have enduring joy through any and all trials.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials; knowing the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (1:2-3). In all trials then we can experience this peace and joy that surpasses knowledge.
Life brings pain. Christ brings joy. We receive it as we learn to walk through life clinging to His hand.
Thought for the day: What are some circumstances in your life that have you down? How can you enter into the presence of Christ with your struggles?
Sunday, November 2, 2008
One of Those Days
You know those days when everything seems to go wrong? Today was one such day for me. I had problems at work, issues with peers, frustrations over broken appliances. Even the sprinkler system soaked me as it watered the autumn ground. Nothing went right; everything went wrong.
In my angst, I turned to God, “God, how can I deal with this?” In that moment I realized I spoke to One who knew my struggle. Not much has gone right for God either, so to speak.* He made us to image Him, to enjoy Him, to know and share His love. But ever since the bite of the forbidden fruit, this divine call and gift shattered. God’s world broke, His creation started decaying, death took over. He subjected His creation to futility. Ever since then He pursues us, broken and rebellious image-bearers, many of whom refuse to acknowledge His presence.
How did He respond when things didn’t go His way? One word: redemptively. Even though He subjected His creation to futility, He did so in hope. Starting in Eden, He began fixing what went awry, what we broke. He initiated. He pursued. He engaged. He forgave. He loved. He went so far as to send His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, to restore His image in us.
God didn’t and doesn’t give up. What He started, He will finish. When people failed to respond correctly to Him, He refused to abandon us. Instead He engaged with the broken pieces, seeking out restoration, and will one day finalize His glorious redemptive masterpiece. That’s what God does; He restores. In a broken world full of broken people, God brings hope through His creative redemptive work in Christ.
A recipient of this restorative love, I want to respond as my Maker. Today that means forgiving and loving those who hurt me. It means I interact with friends and family in view of God’s grace imparted to me. It means when the heater fails to usher out heat, I look to heaven where moth, rust, time cannot destroy.
When things go wrong, we can find hope through knowing we have Savior who empathizes with our groanings. Through His Spirit, we learn to respond as He does—in engaged love in view of the hope of restoration.
*It should be noted that from the beginning, God determined to carry out His plan of salvation. Humanity’s rebellion did not catch God off guard and cause Him to rethink His plans. His plan has always been a plan of redemption culminating in Christ’s return and entrance into the eschaton. Eden is not perfection; heaven is perfection. It is a great mystery that God should plan to create the human race with the ability to rebel, only to have a salvific plan installed from the beginning. Surely His wisdom, His grace, His love none can fathom.
In my angst, I turned to God, “God, how can I deal with this?” In that moment I realized I spoke to One who knew my struggle. Not much has gone right for God either, so to speak.* He made us to image Him, to enjoy Him, to know and share His love. But ever since the bite of the forbidden fruit, this divine call and gift shattered. God’s world broke, His creation started decaying, death took over. He subjected His creation to futility. Ever since then He pursues us, broken and rebellious image-bearers, many of whom refuse to acknowledge His presence.
How did He respond when things didn’t go His way? One word: redemptively. Even though He subjected His creation to futility, He did so in hope. Starting in Eden, He began fixing what went awry, what we broke. He initiated. He pursued. He engaged. He forgave. He loved. He went so far as to send His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, to restore His image in us.
God didn’t and doesn’t give up. What He started, He will finish. When people failed to respond correctly to Him, He refused to abandon us. Instead He engaged with the broken pieces, seeking out restoration, and will one day finalize His glorious redemptive masterpiece. That’s what God does; He restores. In a broken world full of broken people, God brings hope through His creative redemptive work in Christ.
A recipient of this restorative love, I want to respond as my Maker. Today that means forgiving and loving those who hurt me. It means I interact with friends and family in view of God’s grace imparted to me. It means when the heater fails to usher out heat, I look to heaven where moth, rust, time cannot destroy.
When things go wrong, we can find hope through knowing we have Savior who empathizes with our groanings. Through His Spirit, we learn to respond as He does—in engaged love in view of the hope of restoration.
*It should be noted that from the beginning, God determined to carry out His plan of salvation. Humanity’s rebellion did not catch God off guard and cause Him to rethink His plans. His plan has always been a plan of redemption culminating in Christ’s return and entrance into the eschaton. Eden is not perfection; heaven is perfection. It is a great mystery that God should plan to create the human race with the ability to rebel, only to have a salvific plan installed from the beginning. Surely His wisdom, His grace, His love none can fathom.
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