Yours to Define: February 2012

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Suffering (Submission Part Deux)

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:16-18 ESV

Suffering is the ultimate submission.

If we are in Christ, and Christ is in us, then we will suffer with Him.

Usually, this is assumed to mean some sort of religious persecution. Often times it is. In 20th century United States, it is not. I repeat, it is not. I do not suffer persecution daily for being a Christian. At most, someone may think less of me, but I really don’t think that counts. Does it?

What I have realized this to mean, fairly recently, is that we are to do this. Take suffering upon ourselves, as Christ did for us. Voluntarily. To daily choose suffering instead of comfort, in to suffer along with our Christ.

Its not easy, to choose suffering. It goes against everything. Submit yourselves to everything, and suffer with Him.

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. - James 1:2-4 MSG

Monday, February 20, 2012

Submission

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

Isaiah 53:7

I don’t have a perfect marriage, because it's made up of two imperfect people. It works, because we both make every attempt to be humble before each other (and God). We submit to one another.

But wait, I don’t see anything in the Bible that says a man should submit to a woman, that’s preposterous! Inconceivable! What about Genesis 3; "and he shall rule over you"? The man is the lord of the house, and all that.

Well, that is true. It does say that in Genesis 3. But lets look a little deeper into that. What is God saying to Adam and Eve in that section of Genesis? He is cursing them for their disobedience. He curses Eve with pain in childbirth (and child-rearing, in my opinion), and he also curses her with the desire to rule her husband. In turn, he curses the man with the curse that he will rule over the wife. So its not a command, it's not even a suggestion, it’s a curse. We are cursed with sinful desires; Jackie wants to be in charge, and so do I. It's part of our sinful nature.

How do we deal with it? By being submissive to one another. It works, because we both do it. It works because that is how God intended it to work. But it all seems so backwards, doesn’t it? How can no-one be in charge? No one is in charge, because God is in charge.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said (I'm paraphrasing) that we only have one relationship as a Christian, and that is to Christ. All of our other relationships are mediated through Him. I don’t interact with my wife, I interact with my wife though Christ, because I am Christ and He is me.

It also works because it was designed to work in another way. Back to Genesis, now.

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” 2:18

Helper here means something more like ally or comrade, not like assistant. But the key word is 'fit for'. The Hebrew here means complimentary. My wife and I are two halves of a whole. I don’t pretend to know it all, and neither does she. We both submit to someone greater than ourselves.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Indifference

Politics.

Anymore, I care, but I don’t really care. I get fired up about issues that are important to me, like anyone else. I have those that I support, I diligently research my vote. I advocate my position when asked. I think it is important to be informed about politics, because you are involved whether you want to be or not.

But overall, I just don’t care anymore.

I have more important things to care about.

“There are some Brothers who, in preaching, are as timid as mice—but on a political platform they can roar like lions! Had not

they better take to what they like best and give up the work at which they are not at home? For my part, I believe that I am like

Paul when he says that he was “separated unto the Gospel of God.” I am set apart unto the Gospel, cut off from everything else so

that I may preach the glorious Gospel of the blessed God to the perishing sons of men!

—C.H. Spurgeon. 1892, Sermon #2257

Monday, February 6, 2012

Gwen's Lullaby

Every night, in this order, these verses, exactly.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound,
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believ'd!

Thro' many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise,
Than when we first begun

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder

Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;