By Jothany Blackwood
One of the most powerful lessons that has been translated from the pulpit to the front porch is that we must die to the things of the flesh in order to live as Christians. And while that is not always an immediate transformation, it provides a model for the dichotomy of Christian living. And it is found in this conflicting idea; that in order to live a life of purpose, you must first die to the ways of the world.
And the challenge for many of us is not with the death of a thing, but it is in the mysterious act of living afterwards. We have all had some experience with death; whether from the intimacy of its embrace of loved ones or the recognition that it waited patiently for us like an unwelcome visitor with no place to go.
We recognize, however, that we have experienced the emotional death of relationships that promised so much and friendships that summoned our trust with ease. And after they ended, we were left with the pain of here's another one that didn't love us and we readjusted our masks with a heavy sigh.
Many of us have shouted, prayed, cried and danced our way through spiritual death as deliverance revealed that which had quietly offered promise underneath. It left us with a transparency that not only allowed us to see what we had survived, but even greater it offered the reflection of who God said we could be.
As I was dealing with my grandmother's death, my soul cried out from the uncertainty of how to live without her. And many of us are in that place of ambiguity that seeks clarity on how to live again without the familiar issues or behaviors that accompanied us until we met Christ.
Yet the resurrection indicates that after the death of certain behaviors and ideas, it is followed by living in fulfillment of one's purpose. If we can allow our hunger for the things of the world to die, then surely God will sustain us in every way. We can be confident in the knowledge that the essence of this dichotomy is not simply that we must die to live, but that all that we are belonged to God all along.
And since Jesus died and lived to tell about it, perhaps our story can also tell of how we rose again from our circumstances and challenges and lived a renewed life. Each day we get the chance through Christ to rewrite and create our own story and as my grandmother would often say, "You just make it a story to tell!"
Friday, April 16, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
His Only
By Jothany Blackwood
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Nothing expresses the concept of God’ love more comprehensively than John 3:16. It’s a scripture that children are taught to learn and adults learn to lean upon. When the Scripture speaks of God’s love, we must embrace the fact that it is not limited to a selected few or one favored group. If that was the case, it’s a real possibility we would not be included. But it is an inclusive love that has the breadth to go beyond our failings and the depth to lift us from our falls.
When John declares this gift is for the whole world, it’s inspiring because it means that even folk like us still benefit from its reach. Folk that may not be where they need to be yet but are pressing forward are renewed by His presence. And His love transforms the possibilities in our lives into purpose and we are simply better because of it.
Think of the ways in which we share our love for our mates, family, friends, even in our giving to strangers. We may choose service, affection, gifts, or simply language to transfer our feelings to that individual. But God’s love is expressed in the giving of his most priceless gift, His only son Jesus Christ.
When I reflect on the reality that He gave His only, I realize that normally we wouldn’t give people our only of anything. Human nature would caution us to keep back something for ourselves. Even the most benevolent spirit that freely shares would hesitate on giving away their only coat, their only car, or their only dollar.
I recall as a child, if there was only one of something left in the refrigerator, you asked for it. The only slice of pie or only cup of milk had special significance because it might be needed for something important or promised to someone else. If you dared take the only of anything without permission, it was certain that you would bring the wrath of Big Mama upon your little head.
And so I’ve always been encouraged that John reveals that God “so loved” us that his love is solidified with action and not just in words. It moved beyond rhetoric to the reality of giving that which He valued most, Jesus Christ. And we are all beneficiaries of that wonderful gift.
And so the immense power of God’ love is that He says, “I’m not just going to give you what I have, I’m going to give you all I have.”
God chooses to love us even when we aren’t that loveable and gently looks beyond our faults. And therein rests the power of love. That it gives us not only the chance to become better, but to become a part of something greater than ourselves through His love.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Nothing expresses the concept of God’ love more comprehensively than John 3:16. It’s a scripture that children are taught to learn and adults learn to lean upon. When the Scripture speaks of God’s love, we must embrace the fact that it is not limited to a selected few or one favored group. If that was the case, it’s a real possibility we would not be included. But it is an inclusive love that has the breadth to go beyond our failings and the depth to lift us from our falls.
When John declares this gift is for the whole world, it’s inspiring because it means that even folk like us still benefit from its reach. Folk that may not be where they need to be yet but are pressing forward are renewed by His presence. And His love transforms the possibilities in our lives into purpose and we are simply better because of it.
Think of the ways in which we share our love for our mates, family, friends, even in our giving to strangers. We may choose service, affection, gifts, or simply language to transfer our feelings to that individual. But God’s love is expressed in the giving of his most priceless gift, His only son Jesus Christ.
When I reflect on the reality that He gave His only, I realize that normally we wouldn’t give people our only of anything. Human nature would caution us to keep back something for ourselves. Even the most benevolent spirit that freely shares would hesitate on giving away their only coat, their only car, or their only dollar.
I recall as a child, if there was only one of something left in the refrigerator, you asked for it. The only slice of pie or only cup of milk had special significance because it might be needed for something important or promised to someone else. If you dared take the only of anything without permission, it was certain that you would bring the wrath of Big Mama upon your little head.
And so I’ve always been encouraged that John reveals that God “so loved” us that his love is solidified with action and not just in words. It moved beyond rhetoric to the reality of giving that which He valued most, Jesus Christ. And we are all beneficiaries of that wonderful gift.
And so the immense power of God’ love is that He says, “I’m not just going to give you what I have, I’m going to give you all I have.”
God chooses to love us even when we aren’t that loveable and gently looks beyond our faults. And therein rests the power of love. That it gives us not only the chance to become better, but to become a part of something greater than ourselves through His love.
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