Can you imagine if our Lord had abandonment issues? Or rejection issues? What would it be like if Jesus was over sensitive and took everything way too personally? Two Thousand Years of people leaving your church,leaving YOU, blasheming your name, mocking those you love, your heart, your mission, your ultimate purpose and on top of it all dissing your Dad . 'Wasn't it enough I died for you all?, that I have to go through this emotional agony over and over again until that final day?' Thank God that is not our God.
It's hard to fathom in our broken world, in our own undone-ness, in the brokeness we see of the Body of Christ and in the lack of mature whole (spiritually AND emotionally)leadership today, that we serve an emotionally healthy God. He is not reacting to you. He is purposefully responding.
He is not trying to control you to protect himself from being hurt again. He is not overwhelmed by you. He will never throw in the towel on your life. He shouts from His word this promise, I will Never leave You Nor Forsake You! He will not squelch you and push you down to get back at you for hurting His feelings today. He is for You and not against you. He is not afraid of you and He knows already what will manifest from your heart on your best and worst day. He made a committment for the duration of your Life when you said Yes.
Our God doesn't judge the way we do eachother, sometimes without hope, without restoration, without mercy. We see through a glass dimly, But our Father has 20/20 when it comes to you and me.
The Psalmist declares and welcomes God as a judge...the good judge, the judge who counsels us and who will base His verdict everytime in Love, Mercy and Hope. I can delight in This Judge and cast myself upon His Court with great confidence. For I now see the heart of the Judge. I can run into that court room and cry for mercy, for I always have an audience. I always have an advocate. I always am covered by the Law of Grace; and yet even more wonderful Grace Upon Grace.
I came from an emotionally broken home with parents who came from an emotionally broken home. When I came to Christ I was in need of healing in many area's. It was hard to fathom that God could or would deal with me, all of me, all that came along with knowing me. The Stuff that was stuffed deep within. It wasn't even till years later that I became more aware of the scars that the balm of Gilead would demand to touch. For many years I was performing for Him, trying in my own strength to keep this measure of love, just in case He would finally have enough of me and leave me.
It was a great season when my puny heart began to grow to believe on this Love of Christ for myself in greater measure. I was preaching about His love to others even in 6 different nations with great confidence of the Hope the Gospel offered. He overwhelmed my own sin and darkness with His great Light, and I had a new song to sing with a thankful heart. Still, my infant heart had a skued incorrect self casted upon Him idea of what His Love was. I came to learn that He is not like us. Our heavenly Father is not like our earthly role models in anyway. His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways. His ways and His Love are Higher and perfect. The steadfast Love of our Lord never ceases. It will never come to an end.
"Martha, Martha", "Kim, Kim"
I am so grateful that when the Lord chose to instruct Martha, He did it in love. He was commmitted to her in relationship and to His work in her. Though with purpose He did not respond directly to her question he did give her an answer that would redirect and correct. He responded. He was not silent. He did not act co-dependent or passive aggresive trying to control her abusively. He did not condemn her, judge her harshly, put her down or reject her. He was not a Puzzle Maker setting the Jig-Saw pieces before her and telling her that she had to figure it out alone. He was honest in His communication. There was no wondering how He felt, He was transparant. Jesus who knew all her thoughts and motives didn't shove them in her face. He did not humiliate her though He rightfully corrected her. He redirected Her to Himself. Had He not responded in Love or ignored her she would have wondered of His Love for her. She would have lived in condemnation, being accused by the Accuser who would also accuse and point to her mute God who rejected her. But Jesus loved, valued and repsected Martha despite the serious need in her life for a motivational transplant. It was His choice to deal with her. He is the God that wrestled with Jacob..The God that puts the limp in each and everyone of us as we are being perfected unto Him for right service that reflects His own. He chose Love. He called to her, "Martha, Martha,"... often we read this with the imagery of a harsh corrective frustrated irritated tone that expressed how Jesus just had enough of her.get off my back for pity's sake!..Maaaaarrrthahhh Maaaarrrthaaahhh!.. We can just feel his angst with her. But in contrary to what we have been taught ritually, I believe it was a very strong corrective loving tone..The sound of a father who sees His child playing in the street..one that called her back out of herself to His Voice. Pointing to the way her sister chose, the way He chose for her too and to this truth: that service had to begin in Him. The mirror of this correction revealing her heart that would lead to life. "Martha, Martha," The Voice of wisdom, The Voice of Peace, The Voice that Loved her. "Martha, Martha," The God that said her name twice..The perfect Father that cared enough to speak, to invest, to risk..He knew her name. He not only knew her weakness' but all He had wrought and was being made within her. "Martha, Martha," Jesus chose to respond to her.
When Peter in His anger cut the ear off the soldier that was to take the Lord to die. Jesus didn't blast Peter in a fury...'You stupid disciple, when will you get it? What kind of witness are you?, You are ruining my good name and the testimony of my ministry.' No he reached down and put the ear back healing him. Jesus knew the depth of Peter's betrayal before Peter did, He knew the cock would soon crow three times. Yet in Love, in all gentleness though the strike to the wayward soul would bring the very death blow that lead to the Life He was after. He foreknew Peter's response to His dealings.
(To be Continued, add/look up all references)
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