Dante and Scot McKnight on the love of the Triune God

In the deep and bright essence of that exalted Light,
three circles appeared to me;
they had three different colors,
but all of them were of the same dimension;
one circle seemed reflected by the second,
as rainbow is by rainbow,
and the third seemed fire breathed equally
by those two circles.

Eternal Light,
You only dwell within Yourself,
and only You know You;
Self-knowing, Self-known,
You love and smile upon Yourself!

...The reason we are special is that we came from this three-circled splendor of loving Light that also draws us back into that Light so that we might be restored by embracing grace.

The story of the Eikon derives absolutely and only from the very beginning. God's own inner perichoretic dance of love, Dante's three Circles of Light dancing amongst themselves in such a manner that one is not sure which is which. We can now slightly modify our opening definition of the gospel: the gospel is the work of the triune, interpersonal God to restore Eikons to God and others into that divine communion, and to unleash it into the rest of the world.

Scot McKnight, Embracing Grace, 36, first quote from Dante's Divine Comedy: Paradiso.

more grace

Although James 4:6 in context means something different, we can know in our struggles that "more grace" is available to us, in Jesus.

We've all been in situations that were difficult, because of the people we have relationships to. Not to say that none of the difficulty is due to us. But I'm thinking of those who may be domineering, critical, harsh, judgmental, etc.

Sometimes I figure I'm near "the end of my rope." There's nothing left, and I'm read to bail out.

But God's call to us in Christ is higher. After all, isn't it a call to love even our enemies? We are told "as much as lies in us" we're to live at peace with all people. This is not just a "live and let live" kind of peace. But more than that, it's a peace that longs for the blessing of the other, the ultimate, lasting blessing being found in Christ.

So we need to pray and ask God for "more grace." I've found he gives it to us, and that there are "grace moments" when his love again can reign supreme, even if our capacities for it are still small.

This prayer, and need for "more grace" will be ongoing, no doubt. We can never think we've arrived in this life. But this promise along with faith presents opportunities for not only personal change, but relational change, akin and even attuned to the reality we have in the God who is love.

What would you like to add to these "notes"?

the problem of evil - a comment from yesterday's post

Yesterday, I touched on "the problem of evil." As one of my commenters, ESI pointed out, the heart of the solution is in Jesus. Here are his words, well spoken:

I think theodicy is about the "justification of God"...and the problem of evil is one of the great philosophical challenges. But here's what God has done in the realm of theodicy - He sent His own Son, the only Blameless One, crucified for the sins of those who rebelled against Him. The greatest "injustice" is the cross of Jesus Christ. God's answer to the problem of evil is self sacrificing love.

the problem of evil

One of the issues atheists like to hoist as evidence against God's existence is theodicy, or the problem of evil. If there is a god who is both great and good, than why is there genocide and starvation? Why are there earthquakes and tsunamis which can kill thousands upon thousands of people?

Of course theologians and philosophers have grappled over this, but no one can give a satisfactory answer which pleases all. Even though some good work has been done on it.

Scripture takes the problem of evil quite seriously. Humankind was created to be in fellowship with God. This is not coercive/forced, but free in that God wants love returned freely. Humans are meant to be in a fellowship of love with each other. Of course sin is a power in the world in this existence. And with that comes grave consequences.

In the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament) we see the story of Job. One gets glimpses of evil at work from those doing evil and from nature itself. Add to that an opposer to God and humankind, Satan, and you have a profound story of human suffering, which though having a happy ending, does not resolve the loss of Job's children.

Fastforward to the New Testament and we find the story of Jesus, God becoming flesh, one of us as a human. Jesus lives a life in our shoes, so that we can live a life in his shoes, so to speak. A life of love in giving one's self for the world. Of course Jesus is unique in this; he is the Savior. But in that salvation is opened up the new way in Jesus, for those in him to help humans in this world physically and spiritually. In Jesus a kingdom comes which is not about "navel gazing", but is meant to be lived out for others. Of course at the heart of this is "the Jesus Creed" of loving God and loving our neighbor.

Scripture does not promise followers of Jesus an easy life. Quite the contrary, starvation may even be a part of our existence, while living in and seeking to live out the love we have in Jesus. It's a love that will not pass the sufferer by in the name of religion. But recognizes that this is what true religion is all about.

Of course there's more to this. Jesus took on himself the full brunt of the world's evil and sin, so that the world could be given the gift of the kingdom of God in him. Christianity should major on mission and not on our own salvation and holiness. The latter is essential, but not complete. We must seek to follow Jesus by the Spirit in mission, starting in our own neighborhoods, or with some needs we see around us. Getting our hands dirty to do what we can, in the name of Jesus. And in that seeking to both live out and proclaim the good news of Jesus and God's kingdom come in him. A gospel that proclaims the forgivness of sins and eternal life, in Jesus.

In the end, God does intervene, righting all wrongs and making all things new. There is coming both judgment and grace. That is the hope we have in Jesus. We can rest assured in that, in God's promise to us through Jesus. But in the meantime we need to keep praying this prayer, and do our part in seeing it being answered here and now.

What would you like to add to these few thoughts?

banned

In Scripture we read in Joshua of certain things devoted to destruction. They were under God's judgment and sentence. Yet Achan sinned in regard to those things, taking some of them for himself.

I wonder what we take that is banned from us. Things that are under God's judgment. Of course there's a whole host of obvious things. And this gets into the area of addictions.

But what can end up being just as draining on us are more subtle areas, yet also addictive. This is where we need the direction of God, the guidance of the Spirit, in accordance with the word- in Jesus. We need by grace to set our hearts on truly following God through Christ.

While to say no to some things is obvious, other areas are harder to negotiate. God knows our hearts and we do well to keep asking God to search us to uncover anything wrong in us, and lead us in the way everlasting. To be led in that way is important in helping us avoid what is banned from us.

What would you like to add to this?

a taste of heaven

I find it wonderful when in conversation with someone as with my mother yesterday on her birthday, there is in the air something like a taste of heaven. This happens among us in Jesus when we enjoy each other's company, and especially so when we're together to meet before the Lord. Of course by grace and through the Spirit we're always living in God's presence.

Sadly in this life we can experience a taste of hell, as well. I think of sins of the tongue here. Of course both the good and the bad begin in the heart. We think unworthy thoughts of others, maybe with some truth in them though surely distorted. And sooner or later if we don't deal with such thoughts through repentance and prayer, we find ourselves acting and speaking from them.

The grace found in Jesus is what can make the difference here. It is a grace which by faith realizes that in Christ our own sins have been forgiven, and God therefore deals with us in love as God's dear children. And so we are to see others in Jesus in the same way, as those of our family in Jesus. And look at those outside of Jesus as ones for whom Christ died. And who are invited through Christ to join us.

What would you like to say about this?

trials

Yesterday was as good for me, as the day before was bad. Good to have those days of laying down in green pastures and being led by still waters, in having our souls restored and refreshed by the Shepherd of our souls.

I was wondering why all "hell" so to speak had broken loose the day before. I was trying to understand before God just where I had went wrong, why God's disciplining hand was evidently at work in my life. 

There is mystery we can't unravel in our troubles. Just living in a fallen world, and seeking to truly follow God in this world brings all the troubles one might imagine. Of course we are told to accept all hardship as discipline from our Father's loving hand for our good.

I think it's key to learn to embrace the good and the bad. All God sends or allows to come our way. I don't mean we're to accept the flaming arrows of the evil one. Not at all. We have the shield of faith to fend those off, etc. But we have to arm ourselves to suffer in our bodies for our faith, just as Christ did, Peter tells us. And we have to remember that troubles beset us for a number of reasons. Just a cursory, quick glance at Job and others in Scripture makes that perfectly evident. But that God is doing his great, mysterious work in it all. Not Satan, or our own doings to our undoing. God is great and good and sovereign in it all.

And we must remember, to whom God entrusts much God gives much. But for us to be like Christ in this world will involve suffering. Some of the "richest" saints/Christians I know are those who have suffered and are suffering the most. So that in the end, along with the apostle Paul we can say that we worked hard, but not us, but the grace of God with us.

What would you like to add to these scattered thoughts on trials?

one problem with self-pity

What often brings self-pity on is the sense that we've been wronged by someone. Sometimes that is indeed not without justification. And it can be quite hurtful. Or it may be that we are in a "woe is me" attitude. Believing all is stacked against us, and our lot in life is difficult at best, and certainly undesirable, not what we wanted.

When we fall into this, we're no longer living in the grace and truth as it is in Jesus. We begin to see all the bad around us, rather than in grace overlooking many things, and finding the good by God's grace that is present. As well as looking for that good in others. Instead, contrary to Scripture we really begin to look down and grumble to ourselves about others. Something God warns us against (even in the face of true suffering at the hands of others, in the passage linked).

We must beware of a self-help, kind of "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" mentality. Instead we need the truth as it is in Jesus. That truth to bear on everything. And thankfully with that truth comes grace, grace for us all, in Jesus.

What would you like to add to these thoughts?

self-pity

I wonder how many times in my life I've been in a self-pity party. Yesterday for me was one of them. For too long. But God picked me up, and now I'm encouraged and going on.

People of God in Scripture had such parties themselves. I think of Elijah and Jeremiah. God picked them up as well, and helped them to continue on in faith, and in service for God to the people.

There are dangers when one is down. We should always keep a close watch on what we say, and it's particularly important during these times that we keep our mouths shut, and that we be careful not to express ourselves nonverbally, either, in regard to any grievances we may have. We've all stumbled in this regard. But we can learn and by grace do better.

But most of all, we need God's grace to lift us out of that, and into his grace and love, the truth as it is in Jesus. To try to work with God in this life is not easy, either in regard to ourselves, or in seeking to help others. We do well to seek to major on prayer and on being quiet (the quiet is important in my case, since I tend to have plenty to say most of the time). And I do well during such times to keep busy, which just before God broke through to me yesterday, was precisley what I was able to do.

Of course much more can be said on self-pity. I've just touched on it a little, from my experience yesterday. What would you like to add on it?

a friendly word

I'm not into a lot of the psychological babble that is present and popular, and against some of it. Although we will pick up truth here and there akin in some cases to wisdom, even if not measuring up to the full wisdom found in the Proverbs.

But I think a good word spoken in season can't be underestimated. Early yesterday at work I was grilled by someone over what I consider a trivial matter and not a sin issue, who later apologized. That got me to thinking about how I've been wronged in the past, and just how much I hate loveless fundamentalism. The kind that goes after people regularly, and is always finding others on the short end (and they, evidently, on the longer end). So I stewed over that to a good extent, an extended portion of the day. Of course noting anything around me, that I could imagine fitting into my complaint.

By and by a person came and simply said a few friendly words in reference to the Ohio State- Texas game, in which my Buckeyes lost (a heart breaker). Just to hear his friendly words took me out of my stew and reminded me of God's grace which in Jesus transcends and overcomes all. And how apart from grace, we're all in a bad fix. Right along with that, I was grateful for the companionship of a fellow worker, one who is soon to leave us and who I will truly miss.

A friendly word. Let's reach out even to those who may seem unreachable. And even at odds with us. Maybe even as this person did to me yesterday. Seeing God's grace in Jesus prevail, a grace that will win out fully in the end.

What would you like to add to this? Have you seen this play out in your life?

coming back

I find God's grace amazing in how God not only converts sinners to his way, but how he brings them back in his grace time and time again. How many times in big and little ways do we get off the way onto our own way? Plenty. But God puts us back on, not with us kicking and screaming, but by his work of grace, so that we want to get on and are sorry when we fail to remain there.

What we do does matter. We need to keep that in mind. Sometimes that means confession, and I mean confession of sin to others and before God. If I sin in front of someone, then I need to confess it to God. On Saturday I was quite peeved as we were stuck in a parking lot in which we could hardly turn around due to snow drifts that had not been cleared out. I wasn't in the best of moods, because in spite of the good in the movie we saw, I was put off with all the wrong in it (But why should I be surprised? What should we expect from "the world" and from sinners?). And then this. But my words and attitude were quite unedifying to Deb, and when I saw how it was grieving her, I apologized and led us in prayer to God confessing my sin. We ended up continuing on with a nice day in celebrating her birthday.

But over other matters as well, I am thankful to see God's hand and heart of grace touching my life. So that I want to rise and sin no more. And I know I'll continue to need that grace throughout this earthly sojourn.

What would you like to add to these thoughts?

despair

For Martin Luther despair, or the word "he...coined...for the black periods he experienced so often...his Anfechtungen" (p. 55) seemed to be a lifelong companion. Initially it was in regard to not finding any sense of peace with God even though he was quite religious and conscientious. But when he discovered (or in his mind, recovered) the truth that "the righteousness of God" in Romans is a gift from God received by faith, and not God's punishment of sinners, this started a revolution which goes on to this day.

But Luther's despair did not end. In fact he came to believe that only struggle, suffering and the cross, along with study of God's word, Scripture, makes one a true theologian and Christian. Satan, out to destroy the faith of Christians, in Luther's view becomes God's tool in God's ongoing work of grace in Christ in believer's lives. Not that one buys Satan's lies, but counters them with the truth of God in Christ. And when one is brought to the point of despair, one learns to no longer trust in themselves, but in God and in his word of promise in Christ.

Of course no one wants to live in defeat. Our victory however is never by our own efforts or resources, but only by grace through faith in God through Jesus Christ. I believe God lets us experience despair both as individual believers, and even together at times to keep us looking to him. We know in words something important of what God is doing in making us into the image of his Son. But just what that really means and what we need to get there is ever beyond us. God is dealing with sin in our lives, and also with our tendency to want to think we've arrived at a good place in our lives, when in reality God knows we need to keep growing.

Despair for me is both good and bad. It's bad if I give up and give in to something less than God's best or revealed will in Jesus. It's good though, when it awakens me again to my sense of ongoing need in God and reception of God's ongoing grace to me in Jesus, by the Spirit.

It's never a good thing to yield to temptation, though we must not forget God's ongoing provision in Jesus for our forgiveness and cleansing. When we are sorely tempted or struggling with temptation and sin, then we can be driven to recognize and acknowledge our great ongoing need for God. This hits me at times in big ways, and often just in little ways, and it does so most often in community. In other words this work of God in my life is most often worked out in community especially with other Christians, whether at home with my wife, at work where I'm with alot of other Christians or at church with the fellowship of believers there (or even in the blog world with Christians).

I've hardly touched on this, though it has been a factor in my own life. What would you like to add to this from your own life or thoughts?

(After reading from The Consolations of Theology, edited by Brian S. Rosner, the chapter, "Luther on Despair," by Mark D. Thompson.)

do not be discouraged

It is easy to become discouraged when we see in ourselves things that shouldn't be. Perhaps in wrong attitudes or struggles from temptations, or whatever it may be. God tells us in his word, by the Story, not to be discouraged. Why? Because of his grace to us in Jesus.

The journey of our lives is ongoing and in that journey there is God at work in us to change us by grace, for our good and for his glory. As Christians or those on whom God is working, we can be quite sensitive to our sins and sometimes down over the temptations we encounter. Of course temptation is a part of life, though we can lessen them to some extent by not letting ourselves be exposed to that which we know is likely to bring some temptations on. In my life it's not so much a matter of avoiding those kind of things as it is about filling my life with the good things of God found in Jesus and from God's word, Scripture.

Our journey in this life is partly about being changed from glory to glory into the resemblance of Jesus. In ourselves we see blotches on that, and we can therefore be tempted to just give up and throw in the towel, giving in to something far lesser or even abandoning the journey altogether. But we must not think or act in this way.

Instead we must see our lives as in part, God's good work in Jesus, which he will carry on to completion the rest of our days in this present life, to be completed at the unveiling of Jesus in his second coming at the resurrection, when the new creation in Jesus is completed. We in Jesus will all be a part of that. Let's be those who keep on keeping on in the grace of God we find in Jesus.

What would you like to add to this?

blessing from evil attacks

In Job's story, we see in the end how that even though Job had spoken what was right about God, and his friends had not- and I take it that somehow Satan was behind the words of his friends in their misapplying God's truth and their lack of understanding in it- and in spite of all Job suffered in losing seven children, as well as losing his health, yet through it all God blessed Job, not only temporally (of course he never got back the first seven children), but also spiritually. Job gained new insight as to who God is and thus who Job was, as well. Not merely a head knowledge, but an encounter with God in seeing God through his great works, as well as anew and afresh in his own life.

I want to give a plug for a new blog of a friend of mine at work, Dean Ohlman. He joins Mart DeHaan, who has an equally fine blog, blogs from RBC Ministries. I'm especially excited about Dean's blog, because it addresses a deficiency I have, and a longing. To know God more through his creation. Creation is so wonderful, "the natural world." The older I get, the more I love it. Dean is an amateur naturalist, and a wonderful thinker and writer. Take a good look at his blog and just see the beauty there, both in pics and in words.

Back to Job. God is at work even in Satan's attacks. Yes, Satan was attacking, not God. But God uses all, including Satan's attacks, to work to draw Job closer to himself. Through the encounter, Job sees God and himself in a new way. Though righteous and no one on earth like him before, he is closer to God after this trouble and encounter.

I think this is true for us. It involves both the impact of life itself, which often includes our sin and consequences that follow, be they little or big. And it involves the new way in which we learn to live as a result. Not based on feelings, but based on a relationship with God through Christ in which we seek to live in God's way for us in Jesus. Thankfully grace is there to help us. The goal being that living in the way of Jesus becomes more and more natural to us. That this is more and more who we really are, as we increasingly grow in conformity to the image of our Lord.

Just a few thoughts related to the post yesterday. What would you like to add here?

posture of grace

On Scot McKnight's blog, Jesus Creed, the phrase "posture of grace" from Marilynne Robinson's new book entitled, Home, was mentioned on a posting, yesterday. I like that phrase, "posture of grace". It got me to thinking and really kind of wondering just what it might mean.

All too often it may mean to many that we simply choose to "live and let live." That we tolerate whatever our neighbor does, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, though we know better. Or that we simply stand by, rightfully not wanting to be among those Christians who seem to want to force feed "truth" down people's throats. Or something else which really doesn't measure up to Biblical faith.

Just what might "posture of faith (grace, I meant)" mean in a sense that does measure up to Biblical faith, and would be fitting in the Story of God found in the Bible? One of the first things I think of now is just the posture of receiving from God. This speaks of dependence and is expressed in a lived out faith in God that he will keep his promises to us in Jesus. Promises to help us through all our troubles and enable us to live in him.

Another aspect of "posture of grace" might be one of gently giving to others in the attitude of loving one's neighbor as ourselves. Beginning in prayer, as well as in deeds and words. The heart of the faith is that God in love gave his Son to the world. Jesus told his disciples that just as they had freely received, so they were to freely give. We must do so even as God does, who gives sunshine and rain to both the just and the unjust. So this posture of grace is to be not just for our friends, or for those we get along well enough with, but even for our enemies.

A posture of grace will be difficult to be in at times. It is something that is to be characteristic of our lives and is all about God's blessing through us to others. Jesus was full of grace and truth. We must simply seek to live this out in Jesus, in God's grace to us in him.

I don't know what this looks like quite often. That is understandable when one is tired or feels like they've been ridiculed and misunderstood. But this is where the rubber meets the road as to whether or not we're in this posture of grace. It's the way of the cross in this life before friend and foe alike. All of life is meant to be lived in a posture of grace, for us in Jesus.

What do you think "posture of grace" could mean?

truth a part of us

In Scripture truth is both said to necessarily dwell in us in Jesus, and we in the truth (as found in Scripture and in Jesus). Truth must become nothing less than a part of us.

Head knowledge can be both underrated and overrated. It's important that we keep working at loving God with all our minds, along with all the rest of us. But head knowledge alone is not enough. We must work the truth of God in Jesus into our lives. We must seek to live out the truth as it is in Jesus. Both individually in our private and public lives, and together with other people in Jesus in this world.

Christians are notorious for professing truth yet not living it out well. Hypocrisy is the word here. This is why we're to keep working at getting rid of all deceit in our lives. The truth of God in Jesus we find throughout Scripture can help expose us so that we can deal with the lies in our life. If my heart is moved in a certain direction away from God's will then I must repent and believe in God's deliverance for me in Jesus. It's important to see not only the truth exposing us, but the grace of God in Jesus bringing forgiveness, cleansing and new life. Grace and truth together in Jesus is what can change us. Only by grace can truth become a part of us.

Of course this is ongoing. We don't arrive in this life, and we do need both private and corporate confession of our sins.

Sometimes I grow weary of what I know is wrong inside of me. I know that my heart or my life is not measuring up with the truth revealed in Scripture. Sometimes I can feel as hopeless as humankind in Adam, rhetorically depicted in Romans 7. But I must not give in to that. We're not in Adam, but in Christ. It's a matter of life and nothing directly to do with how we're feeling or not feeling. And it's available to us through God's grace for us in Jesus. And it takes time; this is ongoing.

What might you like to add to my meandering thoughts on this, here?

must we sin?

I used to believe that Romans 7 was part of the normal Christian experience, and while that interpretation may be correct, I now accept the interpretation that in keeping with the rhetoric of that time, and with earlier Ante-Nicene church fathers, it reflects all humankind in Adam, breaking a single command not to covet the fruit God forbade from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and in so doing- yielding to deception of the serpent.

I have good friends just as knowledgeable and equally committed to Scripture who disagree with me on this. And I can find good in thinking through ramifications if the interpretation they hold to is true. That when we're struggling over a sin issue in which we seem bound, or can't or won't get victory- and such can be over long periods of time, as most all of us know firsthand- we can be assured we're still in the grace and favor of the Lord. That he is working, and even can be pleased with us. Though for me, it can make a most murky and troubling experience.

I also know that they agree with what I'm going to say in this post that follows, with the exception of this thought: a seminary professor who is part of our church recently told me something like this: there is a perfectionist tendency in Paul's writings in how Christians are to live with the possibility of them fulfilling that. That seems to fly in the face of Paul never being able to do what he wants to do, and doing the very things he hates. When talking about himself in Scripture that would never occur to a reader as a problem he had. Unless of course, you interpret Romans 7 in an Augustinian/Luther and hence afterwards the traditional way.

I believe in Jesus that we can be shaped more and more into his image. That we are no longer under the law, but under grace. A grace which transforms us. That we are no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of Christ lives in us.

For me this makes a big difference. I no longer have to sin in thought, word and deed all the time. Though I actually believe we do sin in thought, word and deed daily. There is a true tension between what we already have in Christ, and what is yet to come. Remember that sin includes not only what we do that is wrong, but what we leave undone, or fall short of in God's will. Why do we still sin? Because in a certain sense we still are sinners. If we still sin it's hard not to deny that the sinner label fits us. But one distinction between those born of God and those not born of God is that the former practice righteousness, while the latter practice sin- as general characteristics of each. In another way we're now righteous in Christ, and this righteousness, while legal in justification is also accompanied by a righteousness in our lives which is a part of what we call progressive sanctification, or holiness.

I believe we're all helpless unless we walk in the Spirit, unless we know it's all of grace, and not of the law, in fulfilling the requirement of the law. As we learn to abide in Christ, the life we live is no longer our own, but of Christ in us. Yet we live it, it's unique to each one of us, and expressive of Christ in unique ways from each of us in his Body.

Those who hold to the other, Augustinian view (but see all of Augustine's work on Romans 7) of Romans 7 do not deny any of this truth. And indeed their understanding of Romans 7 may give them more hope in the midst of sin than those who deny that interpretation. Like disputed passages each interpretation has its difficulties as well as its strength.

But the point here is that in Jesus by grace through faith we can live lives that are pleasing to God and fulfill the requirement of the law, to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Limited by our creaturely status and perhaps by sin (many believe even our best works are always tainted by sin, though while I think that's often true, I don't see why it always has to be so).

Kind of a heavy post, and especially for a Friday as we look forward to weekend. But what thoughts might you have on this?

pain

Pain is good, as we're reminded in a book by Paul Brand and Philip Yancey. Without it we wouldn't know that something was wrong with our bodies or our souls. No pain is the plight of lepers, as explained in that book. Pain in Scripture is the inevitable result of sin. God made that clear to both Adam and Eve after they had sinned. Her pains in childbirth would be greatly increased, and the ground would be cursed over which they would toil, Adam would have to work extra hard in what is at times a losing battle. And they would grow old and die. And their fellowship with God in the garden, would be only a distant and probably fading memory.

God steps in by grace. He pursued the guilty and fleeing pair, and he pointed to the way, right through them, the way of redemption. Yes, they would procreate the seed by whom the serpent's head would be crushed. It is moving that God in his grace would use the very ones who sinned and through whom came the fall, to bring redemption and restoration to all things in the end. But such was, and is the nature of God's redemptive work. It is incarnational. In the incarnation, God in his Son, becomes completely human while remaining completely God. And to the undoing of the serpent and all that was done in their very sin. God used them, the guilty pair, they were not set aside as useless. And he uses us today, even in the midst of our own sin and guilt. God brings redemption in the Seed, Christ. Through faith we enter in and become part of what God is doing in Jesus, even in the midst of all our pain, struggle and doubt.

Some of us do seem to go through so much more pain than others, whether physically or emotionally. And for all kinds of reasons. But by faith we can see the pain work for the glory of God if we'll just let it point us in the direction God has for us. God can take the pain away in answer to prayer, but it may be present for a good reason. More often God wants us to learn to live through the pain and honor him in it. That is the real miracle, as I read recently, and I believe that's true. That is experiencing God's grace and walking by faith. To keep looking to God even when all our being is impacted in some kind of ongoing pain. That is pleasing to God.

What would you like to add here?

Tomorrow: "Climbing - justice" from L.L. Barkat, Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places

"Sugar Face - forgiveness" from L.L. Barkat

Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places, by L.L. Barkat

Forgiveness seems elusive. We can say we forgive someone and really mean it, but in our hearts we may not have. And if we haven't in our hearts, then Jesus says we haven't done so at all.

L.L. shares her struggles in forgiving both her father and her grandmother. She found herself holding grudges against each of them, and as we read the story, we can understand why. How she came to really forgive them involved both seeing something of her father's own grief over mistreatment in his life by his father, and a revelation as it were, from God about her continued anger over her grandmother's deriding words.

While L.L. was stewing with contempt over her grandmother's past steadied, principled in her own eyes criticisms of her, these questions "rolled into [her] mind: 'What if the people whose love you cherish held you to the standard to which you hold her? What if your loved ones only saw your faults, of which you have many? What is your unforgiveness but an idol set on a pedestal - the idol of you set in perfection against others?" (p. 119) L.L. had never imagined herself as having a problem with idolatry. But the thought that she was looking at her grandmother with an exaggerated and untrue image of who she herself was, made the charge of idolatry ring true. She really was no better herself than the "sugar face" she and her children had seen of the sculpture of a man, eventually to melt away in the humidity of the day. It was finite and limited, not marble like she first thought- and we all are, as well.

I wonder about my own heart towards others, at times. People who are out and out sinners, I can readily identify with, because in my heart I know I can fit in that category. "There, but for the grace of God, go I." But people who look down on others I struggle with, because I am angered over the hurt they inflict on them, some of that directed at me. I find myself in my heart at times striking back against them, and often holding a grudge against them, or wanting to avoid their company.

But with L.L. I have to wonder if I'm actually viewing them with some exalted image of myself in view. An attitude of: "I thank God I'm not like them!" In fact, I can be the judge over them! Rather than seeing God as the only one who can judge. And seeing them "in Jesus" so that we're all taken up in him in our need for forgiveness and reconciliation to God and to each other. Do we extend the forgiveness through Christ we've received, even to our enemies, or those who have deeply hurt us? As we by grace are enabled to do that, they will begin to see not us, not the idol of ourselves we've concocted, but the Lord in all his beauty and glory, in his grace and truth. And as we all see the Lord, we will then begin to recognize and can acknowledge our own utter sinfulness, and God's grace in Jesus for each of us.

Again another chapter which hits home for me, and helps us look at forgiveness in a new, fresh way.

How can a true view of ourselves help us forgive others? How can a true view of God in Jesus help us forgive others? Is forgiveness just a one time act, or might we ordinarily have to do it over and over again? What did Jesus say on that? Or what thoughts would you like to share on this?

1. Stepping Stones - conversion
2. Christmas Coal - shame
3. Tossed Treasures - messiness
4. Heron Road - suffering
5. Sword in the Stone - resistance
6. Howe's Cave - baptism
7. Palisade Cliffs - doubt
8. Holding Pfaltzgraff - inclusion
9. Indiana Jones - fear
10. Old Stone Church - love
11. Goldworthy's Wall - sacrifice
12. Clefts of the Rock - responsibility
13. Olive Press - gratitude
14. Forest Star - humility
15. Seedstone - healing

Next week: "Lava Rock - witness"

the Lord's strength in our weakness

Recently through my activities, I've once again been reminded, but anew and afresh, of the Lord's strength for us, in our weakness. I did a couple of "ministries" this weekend: meeting a brother at a coffee place, and doing a "service" at a nursing home. Before and during both occasions, I felt plenty of weakness, not really wanting to go, and thinking during the "discipling" visit it was rather a loss, as I felt like so much of our time was wasted, and I hadn't prayed sufficiently, nor did I have the best attitude.

Interestingly though, as I sought to honor God during that time, it seemed to turn out quite well. The store closed an hour earlier than I thought it would, so we were out on the table and chairs with alot of traffic nearby, and noisy. The brother was distracted, and we couldn't always here over the noise. But interestingly, it still seemed, especially afterwards, to have God's approval and looking back on it, I just sense God in it. In all my weakness, there.

Yesterday I went to the nursing home. Lately I've felt the need for a kind of sabbatical, a rest as well as a need to get some new direction in my life. So I really preferred just to stay at home and rest. I tuned my guitar and headed out. Went there, and for whatever odd reason there was such a small group this time around. I wondered if somehow the date was off- I don't go every Sunday- as one person in the room was not normally there and it seemed different. But no, people were just sleepy today a worker told me, which sometimes does seem to happen during these times with older folks.

We started to sing some songs and hymns, and not long into it a guitar string broke! I tried to strum on, but a good sound from the guitar was gone. So we sang accapella the rest of the time, and I just shortened it a bit. I gave a message on the first and last "strophe" or section of Psalm 119, talking about the importance of God's word in our life, of seeking after God, wanting to keep his commands while knowing we don't keep them perfectly, and also knowing we need the Lord, our good Shepherd, to seek us when we go astray, as his sheep. We sang again, a bit, afterwards with more prayer, and then I visited. Including visiting a very faithful sister in her room who is probably near her homegoing, along with her daughter, afterwards.

In all of this there was plenty of weakness. But it seemed like the Lord was with us, in spite of that. Of course he always is, but we want his blessing and grace in what we do. And a key for me is to realize again and again that his strength is made perfect in our weakness. This plays out in God using our efforts which may be weak at the time, and often strengthening those efforts so that we sense strength from him in what we're doing.

This is also significant in that the Lord wants to use what seems to be insignificant, for his kingdom. This is quite encouraging since so much of what I do, including opportunities like these, seems to some extent rather insignificant in themselves. And yet with Jesus present by the Spirit to help us, none of it is insignificant at all.

How have you found this to be true in your own life, or what thought would you like to share on this, here?