An Ideal Husband, Part 2 (read part 1 first)
I want to apply the first part of this post to our walk with God. But before I do, I need to clarify the paradigm.
(credit here must go to our mentor, Rick Moser, for explaining it so nicely!)
500 Years ago Galileo Galilei was burnt at the stake by the Roman Catholic Church for declaring that the earth was not the center of the Universe, but that it in fact revolved around the sun, which was not the center of the Universe either, but merely one of many stars. Just before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, the Roman Catholic Church apologized to Galileo (talk about belated ...) and declared that he spoke the truth. Because the world accepted his statement, many advances in Science, Math and Astronomy, were made possible. More accurate descriptions of how things really
are could be made. More truths about the universe could be uncovered. All because the world accepted the way God had set things in place, an absolute truth that was not influenced by relativity, our emotions, perceptions, etc.
Many Christians today read the bible from the perspective of their own needs, emotions, desires and perceptions. The bible contains, according to this view, the “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth”. Yet, many fail dismally in carrying out those instructions. But fortunately, God is gracious and after all “a high priest who is not callous to our weaknesses, but was tempted in all things just
as us”. So God understands, right?
Furthermore, the Bible is said to contain wisdom on every aspect of our life on earth. If we live by the principles it sets out, we will be blessed. If we don't, well... many different opinions on the consequences.
I have come to understand that we have looked at the bible through the mistaken assumption of our life on earth as its centrifugal force, meaning that all the scriptures and all the wisdom of it revolves around us. COTU-syndrome. I am the Center of the Universe. Think for a moment. Is this true? I believe we have been misled. The bible is PURE CHRISTOLOGY. From Genesis to Maps. The centrifugal force in it is the person of Jesus Christ. Everything in it speaks of Him. Creation and humankind is founded on Him as the central truth. The new testament confirms this.
(Col 1:16) For in him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by him and in him. (Col 1:17) And he is before all: and by him all things consist. (Rom 11:36) For of him, and by him, and in him, are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen. So allow me to bring to you the Christ as he is revealed to me through the sacrament of marriage. Marriage is ordained by God. It's like the way the moon and the stars and all the things in the heavens are just the way they are. If we accept this as absolute truth, we can allow ourselves the
opportunity to submit to the way God ordered things. The marriage custom is universal in all cultures. Given it is done differently, but the concept of a man being devoted in love and possessions unto a woman, undertaking to care for and provide for her, is as old as creation (and before the foundations of the world). Few people are unmoved by a bride arriving at the official ceremony. Few people escape the joy on the bridegroom's face when he takes her to his side, standing proud and tall. And I believe no-one is unmoved by “that kiss”, or first public display of affection after the officiation, where he declares: My beloved is mine, she's all mine. Traditionally, the church in which I grew up have taught that the church is the Bride of Christ, and that there will one day be a “wedding feast of the lamb” when all things will come to an end. And the few parables of Jesus on the topic have been interpreted to mean that only the purest and most devoted and steadfast of believers would “qualify” to be invited to the “marriage supper of the
Lamb”. I'm not going to venture into an explanation of these parables (yet!), but I would like to challenge some of the concepts that I grew up with, which has really held me back spiritually, because they have been extrapolated from our limited understanding of our immediate reality, and applied to spiritual concepts.
I grew up believing that Jesus and his Bride would one day marry and live happily ever after. Just like the classic fairy tale. I also grew up believing that the wedding dress of the Bride would have to be without spot or wrinkle, before this wedding could take place, and that the preparation of the Bride was one long, painful process through which she would be refined and tested, until she attained some sort of acceptable perfection, which would make the bridegroom's Father say, yes she is acceptable now, the wedding may take place.
Then I got married. And started living with Johan my “happily ever after”. And as I shared in Part 1 of this post, I realized that I live the Union and not the wedding. Everything can be perfect on that special day, but the proof of the quality of the celebrated commitment is only in the years that follow. It is in how much the one lover remains central in the thoughts of the other. It is in how sacrifices are made by one for the good and the glory of the other. It is in how one lover thinks the
other increasingly more important than the needs of the self. A Happily married elderly man revealed a secret to marital bliss on his 70th wedding anniversary: “you have to say Yes Dear a LOT”.
Now, If I may refer back to Part 1 again. Concerning the issue of respect. I believe that the Church of God on earth needs to regain a respect for the person of Jesus Christ, who IS the word of God. He is the Alpha, the first word, and the Omega, the last word. Compare Heb 1: (Heb 1:1) Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, (Heb 1:2) but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. (Heb 1:3) He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
(Heb 1:4) having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. We have taken the Word for a manual to supercharging our own life. That is a bit like marrying a guy for his money. Why is it that most people choose to be united to Jesus Christ? We are drawn by His lovingkindness to commit, but why are we so often then driven by something else in our relationship toward him? I want to argue that we are driven by our own perceptions of what perfection is. And this is very often not related to His idea of perfection, not founded on Him as He is revealed in the Bible, but founded on our own thoughts, feelings and desires. A Standard that we create ourselves and achieve ourselves, much to delight of our flesh, who loves to “perform “ , because then we can take the credit. The fact is that the “standard height of Christ's own perfection” is the one He created, and we are powerless to attain this standard, if not by the Blood of Christ and the supernatural empowering of the Holy Spirit. We realize this soon enough, but then we are left with the dilemma of our own imperfections, and how overwhelming they can often seem.
I quote from Part 1 of this post, where I speak about my relationship with my husband. “I often took matters into my own hands, subtly insinuating that Johan would never lead anyway, and that it was my duty to keep this ship afloat, on my terms of course. Little did I realize that this act of defying his God given spiritual leadership, was confirming to him that he was indeed the impostor he thought himself to be, and that I was probably right. Consequently, he withdrew
increasingly to a point where we just did not see eye to eye any more.”
The Holy Spirit wants to lead us into the Life that is hidden in Christ Jesus. It's a mystery. But don't we too often take matters into our own hands, believing that we never really hear His voice, (it's all so mysterious and will never happen to me,) making Him feel like an impostor, and having to live with the consequences of His withdrawal from our day? There where we don't see things from an eternal perspective, not grounding our perceptions in revelation knowledge but settling for
our own perception of situations based on our thoughts, feelings and actions? (Bless God His mercies are new every morning!!)
“I've learned how to ignore my blemishes and focus on how he makes me feel when he looks at me “like that” - beautiful. Truth is, I don't think he notices my shortcomings half as often as I do. This is liberating, because I strive to be more like he sees me, which is different from striving toward my own standard of perfection. In his love for me, I am truly liberated from my own perceptions of
what I should and should not be in order to please him. He's often content with merely my undivided attention, my heartfelt demonstrations of devotion... and of course my respect. He just wants me to notice him, to talk to him more often about us and not about all the stuff ...”
He doesn't want me to try and be perfect, He wants me to be enamoured with Him, in love, there I will be perfected. “I've also come to know how unflinchingly he is committed to our life in union with one another, how he strives to provide for us and how burdened he is for things to work out right for us. This not only financially, but how he takes up his responsibility to love us, often depriving himself ...”
Jesus Christ is committed to a life in Union with those who believe that He is the Son of God, the centrifugal force in the Universe. He has already provided all we need to live that life in Him. Can we just love Him? Can we just respect His spiritual leadership in the church, trust Him more to work this thing called “faith” out in the constraints of time and space? He's calling to us today: “All I want is that you believe me when I say how much I love You, and that you believe me when I
tell you that you are beautiful and everything I want.”
Why is that so hard for me?
Please Holy Spirit, help me to see myself through your eyes. Free me with Your love to live the life you are calling me to. Help me to not try so hard, and just love you. Amen
(credit here must go to our mentor, Rick Moser, for explaining it so nicely!)
500 Years ago Galileo Galilei was burnt at the stake by the Roman Catholic Church for declaring that the earth was not the center of the Universe, but that it in fact revolved around the sun, which was not the center of the Universe either, but merely one of many stars. Just before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, the Roman Catholic Church apologized to Galileo (talk about belated ...) and declared that he spoke the truth. Because the world accepted his statement, many advances in Science, Math and Astronomy, were made possible. More accurate descriptions of how things really
are could be made. More truths about the universe could be uncovered. All because the world accepted the way God had set things in place, an absolute truth that was not influenced by relativity, our emotions, perceptions, etc.
Many Christians today read the bible from the perspective of their own needs, emotions, desires and perceptions. The bible contains, according to this view, the “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth”. Yet, many fail dismally in carrying out those instructions. But fortunately, God is gracious and after all “a high priest who is not callous to our weaknesses, but was tempted in all things just
as us”. So God understands, right?
Furthermore, the Bible is said to contain wisdom on every aspect of our life on earth. If we live by the principles it sets out, we will be blessed. If we don't, well... many different opinions on the consequences.
I have come to understand that we have looked at the bible through the mistaken assumption of our life on earth as its centrifugal force, meaning that all the scriptures and all the wisdom of it revolves around us. COTU-syndrome. I am the Center of the Universe. Think for a moment. Is this true? I believe we have been misled. The bible is PURE CHRISTOLOGY. From Genesis to Maps. The centrifugal force in it is the person of Jesus Christ. Everything in it speaks of Him. Creation and humankind is founded on Him as the central truth. The new testament confirms this.
(Col 1:16) For in him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by him and in him. (Col 1:17) And he is before all: and by him all things consist. (Rom 11:36) For of him, and by him, and in him, are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen. So allow me to bring to you the Christ as he is revealed to me through the sacrament of marriage. Marriage is ordained by God. It's like the way the moon and the stars and all the things in the heavens are just the way they are. If we accept this as absolute truth, we can allow ourselves the
opportunity to submit to the way God ordered things. The marriage custom is universal in all cultures. Given it is done differently, but the concept of a man being devoted in love and possessions unto a woman, undertaking to care for and provide for her, is as old as creation (and before the foundations of the world). Few people are unmoved by a bride arriving at the official ceremony. Few people escape the joy on the bridegroom's face when he takes her to his side, standing proud and tall. And I believe no-one is unmoved by “that kiss”, or first public display of affection after the officiation, where he declares: My beloved is mine, she's all mine. Traditionally, the church in which I grew up have taught that the church is the Bride of Christ, and that there will one day be a “wedding feast of the lamb” when all things will come to an end. And the few parables of Jesus on the topic have been interpreted to mean that only the purest and most devoted and steadfast of believers would “qualify” to be invited to the “marriage supper of the
Lamb”. I'm not going to venture into an explanation of these parables (yet!), but I would like to challenge some of the concepts that I grew up with, which has really held me back spiritually, because they have been extrapolated from our limited understanding of our immediate reality, and applied to spiritual concepts.
I grew up believing that Jesus and his Bride would one day marry and live happily ever after. Just like the classic fairy tale. I also grew up believing that the wedding dress of the Bride would have to be without spot or wrinkle, before this wedding could take place, and that the preparation of the Bride was one long, painful process through which she would be refined and tested, until she attained some sort of acceptable perfection, which would make the bridegroom's Father say, yes she is acceptable now, the wedding may take place.
Then I got married. And started living with Johan my “happily ever after”. And as I shared in Part 1 of this post, I realized that I live the Union and not the wedding. Everything can be perfect on that special day, but the proof of the quality of the celebrated commitment is only in the years that follow. It is in how much the one lover remains central in the thoughts of the other. It is in how sacrifices are made by one for the good and the glory of the other. It is in how one lover thinks the
other increasingly more important than the needs of the self. A Happily married elderly man revealed a secret to marital bliss on his 70th wedding anniversary: “you have to say Yes Dear a LOT”.
Now, If I may refer back to Part 1 again. Concerning the issue of respect. I believe that the Church of God on earth needs to regain a respect for the person of Jesus Christ, who IS the word of God. He is the Alpha, the first word, and the Omega, the last word. Compare Heb 1: (Heb 1:1) Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, (Heb 1:2) but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. (Heb 1:3) He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
(Heb 1:4) having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. We have taken the Word for a manual to supercharging our own life. That is a bit like marrying a guy for his money. Why is it that most people choose to be united to Jesus Christ? We are drawn by His lovingkindness to commit, but why are we so often then driven by something else in our relationship toward him? I want to argue that we are driven by our own perceptions of what perfection is. And this is very often not related to His idea of perfection, not founded on Him as He is revealed in the Bible, but founded on our own thoughts, feelings and desires. A Standard that we create ourselves and achieve ourselves, much to delight of our flesh, who loves to “perform “ , because then we can take the credit. The fact is that the “standard height of Christ's own perfection” is the one He created, and we are powerless to attain this standard, if not by the Blood of Christ and the supernatural empowering of the Holy Spirit. We realize this soon enough, but then we are left with the dilemma of our own imperfections, and how overwhelming they can often seem.
I quote from Part 1 of this post, where I speak about my relationship with my husband. “I often took matters into my own hands, subtly insinuating that Johan would never lead anyway, and that it was my duty to keep this ship afloat, on my terms of course. Little did I realize that this act of defying his God given spiritual leadership, was confirming to him that he was indeed the impostor he thought himself to be, and that I was probably right. Consequently, he withdrew
increasingly to a point where we just did not see eye to eye any more.”
The Holy Spirit wants to lead us into the Life that is hidden in Christ Jesus. It's a mystery. But don't we too often take matters into our own hands, believing that we never really hear His voice, (it's all so mysterious and will never happen to me,) making Him feel like an impostor, and having to live with the consequences of His withdrawal from our day? There where we don't see things from an eternal perspective, not grounding our perceptions in revelation knowledge but settling for
our own perception of situations based on our thoughts, feelings and actions? (Bless God His mercies are new every morning!!)
“I've learned how to ignore my blemishes and focus on how he makes me feel when he looks at me “like that” - beautiful. Truth is, I don't think he notices my shortcomings half as often as I do. This is liberating, because I strive to be more like he sees me, which is different from striving toward my own standard of perfection. In his love for me, I am truly liberated from my own perceptions of
what I should and should not be in order to please him. He's often content with merely my undivided attention, my heartfelt demonstrations of devotion... and of course my respect. He just wants me to notice him, to talk to him more often about us and not about all the stuff ...”
He doesn't want me to try and be perfect, He wants me to be enamoured with Him, in love, there I will be perfected. “I've also come to know how unflinchingly he is committed to our life in union with one another, how he strives to provide for us and how burdened he is for things to work out right for us. This not only financially, but how he takes up his responsibility to love us, often depriving himself ...”
Jesus Christ is committed to a life in Union with those who believe that He is the Son of God, the centrifugal force in the Universe. He has already provided all we need to live that life in Him. Can we just love Him? Can we just respect His spiritual leadership in the church, trust Him more to work this thing called “faith” out in the constraints of time and space? He's calling to us today: “All I want is that you believe me when I say how much I love You, and that you believe me when I
tell you that you are beautiful and everything I want.”
Why is that so hard for me?
Please Holy Spirit, help me to see myself through your eyes. Free me with Your love to live the life you are calling me to. Help me to not try so hard, and just love you. Amen
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