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BREAD FOR THE JOURNEY BLOG@ Rhythms of Grace: a Journey into RestSustenance for the journey into rest and peace
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THIS SERIES: CHRISTMAS TREE DIARIES Trees feature in a number of places in the Bible—and always to make a significant point. Let’s use our Christmas trees, whether natural or artificial, to help us reflect on some of those important images. SOVEREIGNTY [Genesis 2:8-9; 15-17; Genesis 3] The Lord wanted humankind to live in partnership with Him, to draw from Him all that was needed moment by moment. Adam and Eve had to choose whether to live like this, in a deep relationship of trust with God, or whether to choose independence and the ‘freedom’ to make their own decisions. Tragically they believed the serpent’s lies, and not only became dislocated from the Lord, but from their own identity and purpose. They were enticed by the claim that if they chose independence, they would become like God; tragically they didn’t realise that that was already part of the plan! The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is a statement of the Lord’s sovereignty, and it challenges our cravings for independence. The truth is, unless we acknowledge that God is God, and that He is rightfully Lord over all, we will never be at rest, because we miss our purpose in relation to Him. In the Roman Empire, a common greeting was the statement, ‘Caesar is Lord!’ And so, for early Christians, with their allegiance to Christ, the courageous declaration that ‘Jesus is Lord’ often carried a death penalty—and for some Christians around the world this is still the case today. For those of us with more freedom of speech, the issue of sovereignty or Lordship is more subtle. Is Jesus Lord in my life? Does He have the final say in my decisions, both large and small? Are there some subjects I avoid because I don’t want to hear what He says? Am I obedient to His gentle promptings on a daily basis? The Tree of Knowledge reminds us we serve the One and Only, not one amongst many. It also reminds us that the foundation for our faith, and our lives, is the belief that God is good all the time, that He is good to each of us personally, and that He does not withhold good from us. These were the core beliefs which were challenged in the Garden. GOD IS GOOD Often, we believe generally in the goodness of God—because the Bible tells us He is, but can have doubts about His goodness in our personal experience. Sometimes that is because there has been a tendency to ascribe everything evil to God’s discipline, rather than to the fact that we live in a fallen world. If we want to know what God thinks about any situation, we need to look at Jesus, who was the exact representation of the Father [Hebrews 1:3]. So, what did Jesus think about sickness, hunger or distress? What was His reaction to infirmity, sin or disgrace? We can be sure that those reactions are mirrored in the Father’s response to our circumstances. Adam and Eve were also tempted to think that God was withholding something good from them. We are tempted similarly when our prayers are not answered, and our needs go unmet. This is too big a question to address here, except to say that God’s plan for the earth’s redemption includes partnering with mankind [Matthew 28:18; John 15:16; Ephesians 3:20]—and we have largely fallen down on the job. We read that even creation itself, waits with anticipation for the sons (and daughters) of God to step up [Romans 8:19]! And for those of us who want to be willing co-workers, it’s a big learning curve—learning to partner with Him to see the victory won at the Cross enforced in our circumstances. However, we have the promise that even in our failures we have His abiding presence, and His assurance that He will work all things for our good [Romans 8:28]. Sometimes we believe that the Lord is withholding goodness from us because of our unworthiness. And it’s true--none of us deserve the Father’s favour. However, while we were still made grubby by sin, Jesus died for us. Having obeyed all the requirements of the Law on our behalf, He took all our unworthiness and replaced it with His worth. The testimony of Scripture is clear: If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? [Romans 8:32] And in Psalm 23:6, the literal Hebrew text speaks of ‘goodness and covenant love’ pursuing us all the days of our lives. Nothing good is ever withheld! THIS WEEK’S GRACE RHYTHM:
Explore the following questions with Him, recording your thoughts in your journal.
List examples of God’s goodness in Scripture, then add your own experiences of His good interventions, and blessings. Take time to give thanks for all of it.
3. Ask the Lord to show you any areas of your life where you have been feeling, (perhaps unconsciously), that He is withholding good from you? Ask Him to show you the truth, and to help you to renew your mind. 4. When you put up your Christmas Tree, why not use it to make a personal declaration of Lord’s sovereignty and goodness. I declare that there is one God who is Lord over every area of my life. I declare that God is good; He is good to me all the time, and He never withholds good from me. In everything I face right now, He is working it all together for my good. NEXT WEEK: THE TREE OF LIFE The call of Eden remains deep in the subconscious of humankind, and our hearts are restless until we find our way back... GET IN TOUCH!
[Photo credits: Jametlene Reskp (crown); Anita Austvika (sand words); Kelly Sikkema (paper) @ Unsplash, with thanks]
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