Love cannot make a home where lies and secrets sleep.
I love writing to this column because it keeps me on my toes about the fact we are never full of knowledge. We study, review and learn. Decades ago, a friend recommended I’d read a book by John Eldredge and Brent Curtis – THE SACRED ROMANCE. I was a little skeptical about the title. “Give it a chance.” I said myself. I couldn’t put it down. Reading the book was healing for me. I still pick it up now and then to refresh my thinking and led me to read my Bible more. Learning to live in the larger story — unfathomable love of GOD. Let me share a piece that completely changed my worldview of GOD.
What we hope for shapes what we live for — Love, not fear of punishment can honestly say, “We love you Jesus.”
GRATITUDE & AWE
We know a time will come for us to look back with our Lord over the story of our lives. Every hidden thing shall be made known, every word spoken in secret shall be uttered. My soul shrinks back; how will this not be an utter horror? The whole idea of judgment has been terribly twisted by our enemy. One evangelistic tract conveys the popular idea that at some point shortly upon our arrival in heaven the lights will dim and God will give the signal for the videotape of our entire life to be played before the watching universe: every shameful act, every wicked thought. How can this be so? If there is “now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1), how is it possible there will be shame later? God himself shall clothe us in white garments (Rev. 3:5). Will our Lover then strip his beloved so that the universe may gawk at her? NEVER.
However God may choose to evaluate our lives, whatever memory of our past we shall have in heaven, we know this: It will only contribute to our joy. We will read our story by the light of redemption and see how God has used both the good and the bad, the sorrow and the gladness for our welfare and his glory. With the assurance of total forgiveness we will be free to know ourselves fully, walking again through the seasons of life to linger over the cherished moments and stand in awe at God’s grace for the moments we have tried so hard to forget. Our gratitude and awe will swell into worship of a Lover so strong and kind as to make us fully his own.” (@The Ransomed Heart)
MERCY, LOVE, & HOPE
The LORD desire mercy, not sacrifice. (Hosea 6:6)
My mentor said, “Don’t just take my word at face value.” He was saying not to just accept something as it appears to be rather than studying it more closely. That would be like regurgitating someone’s words. Ngdiua o mongang a teloech. Go find out on your own to see if it’s true. Do your own research and study. Dig deeper. Becoming a follower of Christ is no different. That’s what seeking, asking, and knocking is all about. Just like any other relationship ~ you meet, then you get to know the other person.
I told my daughter that Investigative Judgment doctrine is not biblical. It cancels out the power of the cross and the Redeeming Grace of Christ. See Galatians 2:21 – I do not set aside the grace of God for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.
On that day, God will remind you of what you did to bring joy to a hungry child or you gave a warm jacket to a homeless stranger. God will probably say, “My child, do you remember when you helped that woman who was in line ahead of you at the grocery store. She didn’t have enough money to pay for her groceries. Her children were waiting outside to bring them something to eat. Thank you. You did that for me.” (Matthew 25:40).
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1John 4:18.