The Holy One calls to me this morning with a deep sense of worship flooding the atmosphere. Yesterday was a Resurrection Day Celebration as each Sunday has become, for me, the day to remember that historic event and what the "Church" has instituted as "Sunday Service". It reminds me to worship the Risen Savior each week as we gather together wherever that may be.
So much has been lost over the generations since the Disciples and the Church saw Jesus Ascend, up into Heaven, out of their physical sight, to take His eternal position and receive the Glory that was His before the foundation of the world.
These days, there is some worship, but mostly teaching and some of that has become error leading us even further away from Christ and the worship of our God. Perhaps the point of Holiness toward the call to worship, is that today is NOT Sunday. It's Monday. A work day. A get up and out and onto the treadmill day. The mood, if it ever was worship, is surely different on Monday.
Thoughts flood my mind about the One sent to save all of us. Jesus is the Son of God, a distinct One of Three who make up the Tri-une or 3 person God Head we know as our Creator. His role was to make the personal sacrifice and to suffer the death that was made necessary at the fall of humanity.
Holiness cannot and will not be compromised without the ultimate consequence being suffered and penalty for it's violation paid. God said, in essence, "If you choose the forbidden and eat of it's fruit, you will die". The forbidden tree was there to give man's free will a choice. What would be the privilege and responsibility of free will if there were no choice.
The choice given was life or death. The choice given was between a relationship with or separation from, the Creator. The choice given was to live in the wonder of God's abundant and permissive blessings or to take the freedom and use it to defy God's Sovereignty and merciful warning.
Thus began the treachery of a dark, defiant evil and the loss of innocence. The peace of God fled along with the innocence and man found himself knowing more than he could handle with the knowledge of good and evil now flooding his finite mind and soul.
That is really at baseline what true death is, after all: The rebellion that led to Holiness withdrawing Himself from relationship with man. Knowing about things beyond our control, creates a climate of fear, worry, and anxiety. Having to discern between good and evil without the appropriate wisdom and courage leads to judgement, unforgiveness, rejection and then ultimate isolation.
If we stop the story there, then all hope is lost. But God, in His unconditional love for His Creation, was never out of Sovereign control. In His eternal plan, there was always a rescue in mind. Awaiting the perfect time in the history of man's days upon the earth, Jesus was set to enter our world (the fallen one) and reclaim the turf surrendered by Adam and Eve. He was the chosen One of the Three Person God-Head to make the sacrifice that would "redeem", as in "pay the price" required to re-establish man's relationship with the Holy Creator without compromising Holiness Himself.
Jesus said, "I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness. As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come into the world to judge the world, but to save it.. There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept my words." (John 12:44-48)
Judgment is the flip side of Salvation, and God, the Father, has been preparing men for that day and giving men, individually, the choice since the garden and Adam and Eve. While none of us chose the forbidden tree, each one of us today can and does choose life or death. The Tree of Life that stood in the garden of God, left behind when the pair chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is still being offered today.
Jesus, the Christ, is the Tree of Life. He came without judgment to be the One to take all judgement upon Himself. Holiness poured out the severe consequence for it's violation on the Son of God. Since all humanity is guilty and no one could be found to take away the sin of the world, God Himself stepped in. The Creator took the form of His created to redeem what was lost. He took up flesh to die for the souls of all men. And that is why we worship Him.
But God did not leave the One He sent to rot in a human tomb. In a miraculous intervention, the Holy Spirit (Who is the 3rd Person of the Tri-une God-Head) entered into the drama of creation to renew and resurrect the Life and Body of the Savior of the world.
Jesus came and accomplished the entire purpose for which He was sent. Now, our access to the Heavenly Throne of our Creator, whom we have the privilege of calling "Our Father", is assured. The connection lost so long ago has been re-established and made possible for all who call upon His name.
With our eternity secured and our relationship with the Living God established, earthly life takes on a whole new joy and freedom. Judgment is gone and with it goes all the fear, frustration and performance anxiety of our flesh. Life with Jesus is full of Divine purpose and the peace that was lost in the rebellion.
The reminder to worship is a blessing in more ways than one. It opens my heart and mind to the much more there is to celebrate and experience in the Sacred Romance with my King.
What does He have planned for us today? I find that as I set my heart to worship, it doesn't really matter. because it's all going to be sweet in fellowship with my Beloved.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
So much has been lost over the generations since the Disciples and the Church saw Jesus Ascend, up into Heaven, out of their physical sight, to take His eternal position and receive the Glory that was His before the foundation of the world.
These days, there is some worship, but mostly teaching and some of that has become error leading us even further away from Christ and the worship of our God. Perhaps the point of Holiness toward the call to worship, is that today is NOT Sunday. It's Monday. A work day. A get up and out and onto the treadmill day. The mood, if it ever was worship, is surely different on Monday.
Thoughts flood my mind about the One sent to save all of us. Jesus is the Son of God, a distinct One of Three who make up the Tri-une or 3 person God Head we know as our Creator. His role was to make the personal sacrifice and to suffer the death that was made necessary at the fall of humanity.
Holiness cannot and will not be compromised without the ultimate consequence being suffered and penalty for it's violation paid. God said, in essence, "If you choose the forbidden and eat of it's fruit, you will die". The forbidden tree was there to give man's free will a choice. What would be the privilege and responsibility of free will if there were no choice.
The choice given was life or death. The choice given was between a relationship with or separation from, the Creator. The choice given was to live in the wonder of God's abundant and permissive blessings or to take the freedom and use it to defy God's Sovereignty and merciful warning.
Thus began the treachery of a dark, defiant evil and the loss of innocence. The peace of God fled along with the innocence and man found himself knowing more than he could handle with the knowledge of good and evil now flooding his finite mind and soul.
That is really at baseline what true death is, after all: The rebellion that led to Holiness withdrawing Himself from relationship with man. Knowing about things beyond our control, creates a climate of fear, worry, and anxiety. Having to discern between good and evil without the appropriate wisdom and courage leads to judgement, unforgiveness, rejection and then ultimate isolation.
If we stop the story there, then all hope is lost. But God, in His unconditional love for His Creation, was never out of Sovereign control. In His eternal plan, there was always a rescue in mind. Awaiting the perfect time in the history of man's days upon the earth, Jesus was set to enter our world (the fallen one) and reclaim the turf surrendered by Adam and Eve. He was the chosen One of the Three Person God-Head to make the sacrifice that would "redeem", as in "pay the price" required to re-establish man's relationship with the Holy Creator without compromising Holiness Himself.
Jesus said, "I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness. As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come into the world to judge the world, but to save it.. There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept my words." (John 12:44-48)
Judgment is the flip side of Salvation, and God, the Father, has been preparing men for that day and giving men, individually, the choice since the garden and Adam and Eve. While none of us chose the forbidden tree, each one of us today can and does choose life or death. The Tree of Life that stood in the garden of God, left behind when the pair chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is still being offered today.
Jesus, the Christ, is the Tree of Life. He came without judgment to be the One to take all judgement upon Himself. Holiness poured out the severe consequence for it's violation on the Son of God. Since all humanity is guilty and no one could be found to take away the sin of the world, God Himself stepped in. The Creator took the form of His created to redeem what was lost. He took up flesh to die for the souls of all men. And that is why we worship Him.
But God did not leave the One He sent to rot in a human tomb. In a miraculous intervention, the Holy Spirit (Who is the 3rd Person of the Tri-une God-Head) entered into the drama of creation to renew and resurrect the Life and Body of the Savior of the world.
Jesus came and accomplished the entire purpose for which He was sent. Now, our access to the Heavenly Throne of our Creator, whom we have the privilege of calling "Our Father", is assured. The connection lost so long ago has been re-established and made possible for all who call upon His name.
With our eternity secured and our relationship with the Living God established, earthly life takes on a whole new joy and freedom. Judgment is gone and with it goes all the fear, frustration and performance anxiety of our flesh. Life with Jesus is full of Divine purpose and the peace that was lost in the rebellion.
The reminder to worship is a blessing in more ways than one. It opens my heart and mind to the much more there is to celebrate and experience in the Sacred Romance with my King.
What does He have planned for us today? I find that as I set my heart to worship, it doesn't really matter. because it's all going to be sweet in fellowship with my Beloved.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
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