The Extent of Our Devotion

The extent of our devotion to Christ is directly proportionate to the awareness of our offences that have been forgiven by him. "But he who has been forgiven little loves little." (Luke 7:47)

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M2MS

"The best course to prevent falling into a pit is to keep at the greatest distance from it." (Thomas Brooks). "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." Romans 13:14

The Pursuit of Pleasure

In 2 Samuel 11, we find the story of David pursuing pleasure in an illicit relationship with Bethsheba. David sins and then commits further sin to cover his original sin. The chapter ends with this summary: "But the thing David had done displeased the LORD." (vs. 27). No matter how much pleasure I may receive from sin, it always displeases the LORD.

The ultimate question is, "Whose pleasure is more important, mine or God's?" Ironically, God desires my pleasure, and He offers it through an eternal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ. His pleasure is that I might find my eternal pleasure in Him. And I can only find it in Him alone. David later wrote, "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:11).

M2MS

What John says about Jack, tells me more about John than it does about Jack. (Proverbs 11:13; 16:28)

Hazards of the Journey of Faith

Our job requires that we are sometimes assigned freight that is considered 'hazmat' (hazardous materials). The law demands that we go through certain procedures to ensure that the freight is handled in the most secure way in order to protect the public and the environment. One requirement is 'placarding', or labeling the substance contained in our trailer.

I wish temptation came with such clear warnings about the potential dangers of pursuing its appeals. I was reading the story of Samson and Delilah (Judges 16) this morning and was reminded of the deceptive and relentless nature of temptation. The ultimate goal of Delilah's appeals was the destruction of her 'lover'. And she wrapped her invitations with 'love' (v.15) and persistence (v.16). All the while, Samson follows her blindly down a path to his own destruction. Such is the nature of all temptation: the world and the enemy of our souls wraps temptation in glittering tinsel that appeals to our basic desires for security and happiness. Then they constantly bombards us with their 'BS'! "And with such nagging they prod us day after day until we are tired to death" (my paraphrase of v. 16).

Two things are necessary if I am to overcome: constant vigilance and dependence. I must be on my guard against the lies of the enemy and I must depend upon Christ for strength (Ephesians 6:10-12). Only in relying on Christ as my Saviour can I find power to win the battle and only in pursuing Him as my Treasure can I see clearly the 'BS' of temptations.

Thank you Jesus for your salvation, truth, protection to overcome sin and your forgiveness when I yield to its lies and destruction.

The Sin-Eater

In his novel, Master and Commander, Patrick O'Brien introduces a very minor character aboard the ship, Sophie, who is rejected violently by his shipmates. In a transparent moment he reflects that he was a sin-eater back in his home town. Upon the revelation of this news the whole crew turns hostile on the unfortunate sailor. They ostracize him and physically harm him. He eventually ends up in the care of the ship surgeon, who is frustrated because the man has refused to eat or drink.

He discovers the significance of his previous role and the reason for the crews enmity for him. It was the common practice to call for an individual, usually a beggar, to come to the wake of a deceased person. A relative would place a piece of bread on the chest of the corpse which would be taken and eaten by the beggar, the act of which would remove the sin from the dead and place it upon himself. Hence the term, "sin-eater." The beggar received a small fee for his service and as he left the presence of the family and friends of the deceased, he would be spit upon as well as stones and abuse hurled at him. This ritual was believed to make atonement for the sins of the dead person and ensure safe passage into heaven.

This ritual is a picture of the perfect sin-eater Jesus Christ. Who, though Himself sinless, took on the sins of the whole world and the wrath of God. The prophet Isaiah paints a vivid portrait of the suffering sin-eater in chapter 53: "But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." Peter quotes this Old Testament prophecy and applies it to Jesus Christ's crucifixion: "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness, by his wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24). However, he makes the application that the Saviour's act is for our victory in this life over the sins that enslave us; liberating us to live a life of righteousness. Thanks be to God for giving us the ultimate Sin-eater!

The Good an the Bad

Pride is insidiously deceptive. I have discovered that even when I do what is good and right I am prone to self-centeredness. This reality was graphically illustrated to me recently while listening to Robert Lewis Stevenson's The Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In reflecting on my own life, it turns out that the case was not so strange after all.

Dr. Jekyll comes to the self-discovery that he has two opposing impulses at work within him: good and evil. Furthermore, his bad nature is holding his good nature back. And so, he develops a potion that can separate the good from the bad. His intention is to free the good self from the influence of the bad self and then he will be able to accomplish all of his good goals. However, upon taking the potion, he comes to the realization that his bad side is far more evil than he expected and he is irresistibly drawn to the evil more than the good. He says,

"I knew myself, at the first breath of this new life, to be more wicked, tenfold more wicked, sold a slave to my original evil; and the thought in that moment, braced and delighted me like wine . . . [Edward Hyde's] every act and thought centered on self."

Dr. Jekyll's confession reminds me of the Apostle Paul's struggle and my own: "I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. . . . I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing." (Romans 7:14-15, 17-18).

Jekyll, determined to overcome his evil inclinations of self-centeredness and pride, resolves not to take the potion anymore. He devotes himself to charity and good works in an attempt to defeat his selfish nature and atone for the wrong Edward Hyde has done.

However, something strange happens while he is alone on a park bench reflecting on all the good he has been doing and how much better a man he was than most people.

"I resolved in my future conduct to redeem the past; and I can say with honesty that my resolve was fruitful of some good. You know how earnestly, in the last months of the last year, I labored to relieve suffering; you know that much was done for others. . . . [But as] I smiled, comparing myself with other men, comparing my active good will with the lazy cruelty of their neglect . . . at the very moment of that vain-glorious thought, a qualm came over me, a horrid nausea and the most dreadful shuddering. . . . I looked down. . . . I was once more Edward Hyde."

For the first time Jekyll becomes Hyde without the potion. This realization that he is unable to control his transformations leads him to despair and suicide. Why would Jekyll become Hyde without the potion? Like so many of us, Jekyll knows he is a sinner, so he tries desperately to cover his sin with good works. Yet his efforts do not actually diminish his pride and self-centeredness, they only aggravate it. They stir up within him prejudice, self-righteousness and pride. The transformation occurs because of his goodness.

The good news is that there is a powerful principle available to overcome the deceitfulness of self-righteousness - it is through the renewing power of the Spirit of God. Jesus Christ has broken the bondage of sin and death upon our lives by his death and resurrection. By grace he has imparted his righteousness to us by the presence of his Spirit in our lives. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2).

M2MS

"There are many angles at which a man may fall, but there is only one angle at which he can stand straight." G.K.Chesterton (Matt. 7:13-14)

M2MS 11/27/09

When you have sinned, don't allow yourself the luxury of self-pity, run to Jesus for forgiveness! (1 John 1:9)

Disordered Loves

In his Confessions, Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.) defined sin as disordered loves. He was the first to suggest the concept that we all operate from a deficit orientation. This is the idea that we have a hole in our souls and it can only be filled by God. All sin is an attempt to fill the void by loving good, created things, when it can only be filled by the only ultimate thing: the love of God. This is the essence of idolatry: making good things into ultimate things.

When we do this disordered loves have three negative results in our lives: They starve us; they emotionally enslave us; and they divide us.

Augustine suggested that the solution is found in true beauty. There is nothing more beautiful than Christ. As this truth is grasped in our souls we begin to reorder our love toward Christ. Our disordered desires become transformed by the grace of God so that we focus our devotion on Him alone. This is a lifetime process: a journey characterized by repentance and faith. Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless, Lord, till they rest in thee." May my life continually be reoriented to the one who alone is true beauty and satisfaction.

You might want to check out David K. Naugle's book, Reordered Love, Reordered Lives: Learning the Deep Meaning of Happiness.