Sunday, July 28, 2013

(Reprise) Dead Man: A Dead Man in the Tomb

The grief-pierced mother.

The traumatized beloved disciple.

The final cries of agony as the sickening thud and crunch of leg bones being deliberately broken on either side of the central crucifix.

The mocking crowd silenced by darkness and the trembling earth.

The spear-pierced chest of the Son; His heart emptied of blood and water.

The two respectable old men coming with servants and releasing the Body from the blood-blackened wood of the crosspiece and lowering it gently to the ground. There, in the trampled dirt, they wrap it in linen and spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

The bemused Roman soldiers, battle-hardened and immune to the bleeding and broken flesh of the dead, marveling at the convulsions of earth and sky coinciding with the death of this Man; the same Man who had uttered words of forgiveness as they brutally nailed Him to the Cross.

In the precincts of Jerusalem, some of the dead are made alive again and walk among the living. Not as zombies, but with resurrected life, soon to be led into Heaven by their King. The foot and a half thick veil of the Temple on ancient Mount Moriah rent in two from top to bottom.

All these images, sounds, and sensations assailed my mind as I looked over the edge of existence from the Balcony. I had wished to see Jesus. My prayer had been granted.

The Tomb to which they transported the pale, lifeless Figure was a cave hollowed into the side of a granite hill near a garden intended to serve as a rich man's burial chamber.

A few men and women followed, overwhelmed with heartbreak and grief, wailing and sobbing in despair from the depths of their souls.

The Body placed lovingly inside on the chiseled granite shelf. The massive stone gate rolled into its permanent place sealing the cave from all light and life.

Before sunset, just as the observant Jews left to comply with 1400-year-old Sabbath regulations, a cohort of Roman guards arrived to prevent anyone from entering the Tomb and stealing the body.

The corpse lay lifeless and cold; God become Man become sin become sacrifice.

Did I continue to gaze on that scene for three planetary days and nights? Was time telescoped in some fashion? I cannot say.

What I do know is that as I watched I was somehow transported to the place of the righteous dead; a temporary abode deep within the earth where those who had died in faith - from ancient Cain to the repentant thief on the Cross - awaited the Promised Seed of the Woman, the One who would lead the captives free.

And there I saw Him, the Glorified One, His raiment shining as white as the sun, announcing His victory over Death and Hades and proclaiming the magnificent Gospel of grace. He bade them wait just a little while longer, and He would bring them to their longed for place of rest.

After this, I observed and heard the disciples, less one, hidden away secretly behind locked doors, gathered together fearfully in mourning and utter discouragement. These were men and women sorrowful beyond words, feeling as orphans suddenly bereft of all hope and comfort.

Although I knew the sun rose the next dawn, and the dawn after that, the light that it brought to the earth was pale and without real warmth. And though most of the planet went on as it had from the beginning, those few who knew of the momentous events of the last three years, and especially the last three days, looked upon life and the future as those who had lost a firstborn to an untimely and violent death.

They were filled with sorrow upon sorrow, wondering whether or not what, and more importantly, Who, they had believed was true. Was it all a dream? A deranged vision? What of the miracles? And the glorious teachings? What of this Man who could still the storm, give sight to the blind, heal the sick, make the lame whole, and raise the dead?

And where was God to allow such horror and disillusionment to occur?

Perhaps it was understandable that in their grief and fear they did not remember the words that He Himself had graciously told them about these events before they unfolded, so that they might believe.

Perhaps in their mere humanness and self-focus, these men, who had been His closest disciples day in and day out for more than three years, could not see beyond their own personal brokenness and horror.

And while they were immersed in mourning and bitter disappointment at the immensity of the loss suffered, the world around them rejoiced in raucous discord. The troublemaking rabble-rouser had finally received His just reward; destroyed on the Cross as a vile blasphemer and criminal.

Then in the darkness of that cavern Tomb, unseen by human eyes, a light burst forth like that which had been at the start of Creation, and Life returned to that lifeless Body.

He who had died in such agony, made Himself alive again, just as was foretold according to the ancient Scriptures. He who was the Light of the World, the Word of God, the Bread of Life, the Door, the Good Shepherd, the Way the Truth the Life and the Resurrection, became alive again forever more.

And as the entire Host of Heaven raised their voices as one in glorious angelic praise to the One who is, Who was, and Who is to come, all the defiled Legions of Hell screamed in demonic agony and terror, knowing that their days were short, and their end in eternal destruction assured.

And then the cry of “HE IS RISEN!” went forth to all the world forever changing, not only the course of history, but the very human heart itself. 

© Bill Lilley 2011, 2013

Saturday, July 27, 2013

A Way in the Will of God


For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. (Romans 01:09-10, NKJV).

The popular worldly view of God is that He is a cosmic killjoy, delighting in prohibiting us from doing what we want, and compelling us to do what we don't want. This is an ignorant and lazy view, one based on hearsay (repeated gossip), and misinformation.

The truth is that God's will for our lives is one of peace and safety, pleasure and joy, and most importantly, for us to be conformed (molded into) the image of His magnificent Son. While sometimes that does mean he prevents us from doing what we want, it is never to deprive us of something good, but to prepare us for something better.

Repeatedly in the New Testament, Jesus talks about us being equal participants of His joy. In the Gospel of John especially, He emphasizes that His coming, His life, and even His death on the Cross, were intended to make our joy full.

In the Old Testament, particularly in the Book of Psalms, God reveals that His delight is to give us, His Children, the desires of our hearts. When this doesn't seem to be happening, it is because He knows more than we ever could, what is best for each one of us.

This is really no different than a loving earthly parent denying a request from his or her beloved child, not because the denial is some ruthless exercise of parental authority, but because granting the request would do harm, either now or in the future.

Throughout Paul's letters, he constantly acknowledges that wherever he is, does, or says, is in, according to, or by, the will of God.

Consider each of the following verses, written by Paul, the writer of Hebrews, Peter, and John.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

...not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;

...in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--

For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

...that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

(Romans 12:2; Ephesians 6:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:18; Hebrews 10:36; 1 Peter 2:15; 3:17; 4:2, 19; 1 John 2:17, NKJV).

From these we can obtain a deeper picture of some of the aspects of God's will for us.

For instance, it is impossible to even know the will of God for our lives if our primary concern is fitting in (being conformed) to the world, and the things the world considers important. Instead, by steeping our minds in God's word, and thus renewing our thoughts and attitudes with the truth, we prove (confirm) what is that perfect will of God. Note that word, perfect. It means God's will is complete, lacking nothing, and the greatest good imaginable.

We can also know how we are to comply with His will – from the heart, meaning not out of obligation or fear, but out of love and sincerity.

It is His will that we are to be sanctified, meaning “set apart for His service”. Part of that means abstaining from (not taking part in) sexual immorality, not to deny us pleasure, but to ensure our pleasure. This entails really only three things: no sexual activity before marriage (fornication), none outside of marriage (adultery), and only with one life partner of the opposite sex.

Lately, the world has declared war on these simple restrictions, but the world is full of stupidity, evil and selfishness. It is God's word that counts.

We already covered in the previous study that being thankful is God's will for us, as well. Not because He needs it, but because we do. Thankfulness is, in fact, the best remedy for depression, bitterness, anger, and envy. It is an automatic acknowledgment of our dependence on Him for everything.

You can also see that the will of God is active, not passive. It is not just something you think or feel, but it also entails the “doing of His will”. Don't be fooled. Paying lip service to obedience is NOT obedience. Expressing merely the desire to obey, is NOT obeying. Word and deed must match. It is easy to say you care about God's will, but the proof is in how you behave and decide to take action.

Now by doing good, which is the natural outworking of actively performing God's will, we put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. In other words, their bad-mouthing God and the things of God (including us) are stopped as with a cork, which cannot help but be a satisfying thought.

Know this too, Jesus promises that in this world we will have tribulation, but know that because we are His children, even that suffering serves His purposes in transforming us into the image of God's Son, and is therefore in His will. We can see that is is far better to suffer in , and for, the will of God than for our own evil.

Furthermore, when we are not serving the will of God, there is only one other state of being: serving the lusts (wants and desires) of our flesh. Though having the potential of being deceptively satisfying at first, prolonged selfishness is a guaranteed recipe for despair and loneliness. There is no more tragic a figure than a human being whose self-centered hardness of heart has made him or her unreachable in regard to normal human relationship. He or she is like an animated stone, with no interior, only granite-like superficiality (surface).

Of course, since we will suffer in this life, and since suffering in His will is far better than suffering for actions or circumstances outside His will, when we do suffer, we have the privilege of committing ourselves fully to Him, knowing that He is faithful to see us through, even unto death. He created us for Himself, and will, in the end, bring each of us who believe in Jesus to Him as a faithful Creator.

Finally, the Apostle John tells us that being saved in Christ is also God's will for us, and the only means to obtain eternal ife, as opposed to our default destiny of eternal punishment.

So you see, the will of God is not onerous (distasteful and tedious), but exciting, life-giving, satisfying, and the best possible strategy for joy and fulfillment. Without it, left to our own sorry devices, we would have no hope at all, and live lives culminating in emptiness and misery.

Love,

Dad

Monday, July 22, 2013

(Reprise) Dead Man: A Dead Man on the Cross

I knew in my heart what must come next and I did not want to see. But I could not look away.

The birth at Bethlehem? Yes. It was magnificent in its austerity, majestic in its overt simplicity, and so very representative of the humility and grace of the Royal One who was born to die.

I was admittedly sentimental about His humble entrance into this world because of the many memorable Christmas celebrations where those very images were symbolic of the joy and familial love of both my childhood, and especially the precious times with my own wife and children.

The years pass so very, very quickly, and those poignant moments, though often bittersweet, with memories sometimes hard to bear, are yet beyond price.

But what was coming next made the most heartfelt ache of any human life absolutely nothing in comparison.

Though still on the Balcony, I was standing again. Next to me stood my guide. And though I was very far away in time and space, my experience was that of an eyewitness to the horrific events on the darkening planet below.

I was there, yet not there. The tumult of the crowd and the cruel hysteria of the rabid participants were overwhelming.

I smelled the fetid human stink of hatred and fear, and my soul was weighted down by the oppression of spiritual darkness so dense and tangible that it felt to me as if I were being physically crushed.

Then I heard the sickening crack of the torturous lash against the back of a Man who was utterly undeserving of punishment, human or Divine. I saw the flecks of blood and skin flayed into the air by the well-practiced arm of a professional killer.

His skill was diabolically evident in the precision of his ruthlessly placed blows. The sound of each nauseating strike shattered the very fabric of the Universe from earth to the highest Heaven, and yet it seemed of almost no significance to the majority of those in attendance.

Soon after these things there came the demonic cry of the mob, "CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!"

Then the horrible efficiency of the iron-headed mallet driving the spikes through innocent human flesh, the dull thud barely audible above the largely satisfied murmuring of the onlooking crowd.

The victim was resolutely silent, as a Lamb led to the slaughter.

This was followed by the collective groan of the leather-clad Roman soldiers as they laboriously hefted the cross piece onto its stanchion.

The blood of redemption flowed copiously from the thorn-pierced brow and the merciless wounds of lash and nails.

Vicious mocking defiled the human audience with its cruelty and utterly compassionless intensity. Hatred welled up in a vile explosion of purest evil.

And still the Sufferer neither cried out nor cursed.

Then the Voice, that same Voice that created all Time and Space and Matter, finally uttered Words of Power far more profound than even those that caused every galaxy to leap into existence from absolute nothingness.

These were the utterances that the whole of Creation was groaning and longing for since the Fall in the Garden millennia before. This was the most significant moment of all the countless moments past or future. It was the culmination of the eternal counsels of the godhead from before the foundation of the world.

"Father!" the Voice called out with surprising strength, "Forgive them for they know not what they do!"

I did not know whether it was unspeakable sorrow or infinite joy that gripped me in a vise so tight I could barely breathe. I was beyond all weeping or expression, except for one solitary, spirit-breaking thought. I did this! I made this necessary! He is dying so that I might LIVE!

Awe and love and eternal gratitude annihilated all further thought of me. There was only One who is worthy of all praise and blessing and honor and power.

Then this heart-stopping cry from the Cross, "My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me!"

How could this be happening? Why was not all the Host of Heaven exacting perfect vengeance on the human vermin responsible for the most heinous act conceivable?

But then I remembered that the vermin included me and I knew the answer: love stayed the Holy Hand of vengeance; love for each despicable sinner from Adam onward.

To hear the broken-hearted cry of the One who came to save, to imagine the infinite grief of the Father as He heard the sorrow and pain of His Beloved Son and denied Him the mercy He so freely gives to each of us every moment; this should have undone everything!

But it did not! Instead, through the unimaginable grace of the One hanging in agony on that cursed wooden Cross, IT MADE ALL THINGS NEW!

Then came the crowning moment of redemptive history.

The Voice once more spoke with the magnificent certainty of complete and undeniable victory. The Words rang out from one end of Creation to the other, and across all time, as well.

"IT IS FINISHED!"

Now my heart SOARED with the incredible beauty and brilliance of it all!

By His death conquering Death.

By His undeserved judgment, judging sin FOREVER.

By His sacrifice for sin TAKING AWAY the sin of the world! My sin!

And then the final victorious cry.

"Father! Into Your hands I commit my Spirit!"

And I looked and saw a Dead Man on the Cross, and knew beyond all doubt that He died for me.

© Bill Lilley 2011, 2013

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Ceaseless Prayer


For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. (Romans 01:09-10, NKJV).

We so underestimate the value and efficacy (effectiveness) of prayer, often because we fail to understand that it is more than a specific activity, but rather an attitude and a constant state of mind.

The Apostle Paul implies repeatedly in his letters that he was in constant communication with his Lord and Savior, and implored believers to do as he did: live each moment of our lives with God as our witness, in dependence on Him.

If taken literally, this encouragement seems impossible, but is it really? If prayer is less a specific action and more a continuous attitude, then isn't it possible to fulfill Paul's command here? If we live our lives in acknowledged dependency on Jesus, and purpose in our hearts to always maintain awareness of His Presence, then isn't that the essence of prayer?

Now, I am not at all saying that we should neglect the purposeful act of prayer, for this same Paul writes that we should:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for YOU. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NKJV).

And,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6, 7, NKJV).

And,

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, (1 Timothy 2:1, NKJV).

And,

I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; (1 Timothy 2:8, NKJV).

And,

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-- (Ephesians 6:14-18, NKJV).

You can see from these verses, that the specific activity of prayer is also a large part of what Paul wrote us about so long ago. For prayer is the very will of God in Christ Jesus for us.

It is also the most powerful remedy that we have against something that plagues us throughout our lives on this fallen world: anxiety and fear. Think of all the prescription drugs that are dispensed in this country in the vain hope of controlling and alleviating fear and panic.

If we allow it, prayer provides us with the peace of God that passes all understanding; peace that nothing else can provide.

We are also to make intercession (prayer on behalf of others) for all people (even political leaders), giving thanks always, since prayer and thanks are the two most effective antidotes to wrath and doubting.

This means that there is a huge aspect of prayer, regardless of anything else about it, that is intended for our good in conforming us to the image of Jesus. We, not just our circumstances, are changed by prayer.

For it is impossible to maintain anger at anyone while sincerely praying and giving thanks for them; even those who cause us pain and heartache. In fact, especially those people, understanding that God allows them in our lives for His perfect purposes.

Prayer is also a large part of the armor of God in the incessant (never ending) spiritual warfare we are engaged in this side of Heaven. It has been likened to the “directed heavy artillery” that is used from a distance to weaken enemy strongholds.

Know this too, prayer is not an onerous obligation, but a remarkable privilege we are granted in Christ. If we look at it any other way, we lose awareness of what it really is – an incredible gift.

God has promised to hear and respond to the prayers of His children, His saints, which the Bible likens to a sweet-smelling incense filling all of Heaven. Sometimes His answer is “no”, sometimes “yes”, and sometimes the apparent silence is His telling us to wait. But Jesus promises that whatever we ask in His name (meaning, according to His character and essence), the Father will give us.

He makes no such promises to those outside the faith.

One final point, as a Father, I delight in giving my children the desires of their heart, if it is in my limited human power and provided that it does not result in harm. It is one of my greatest joys. But I cannot reward them in this way if their behavior or attitude is wrong, for that would be rewarding them for bad behavior, and thus encourage its continuance.

How much more than does our Perfect Father in Heaven delight in the same thing, with His illimitable (without end) power, and with all-wisdom?

So pray, dear one, and keep praying. Do not consider it a strategy of last resort, after all your resources are exhausted, but consider it the first thing always and everywhere.

Love,

Dad

Thursday, July 18, 2013

(Reprise) Dead Man: From Before the Foundation of the World

"Look to the Cross…"

His last words reverberated through the corridors of time, and as I lay collapsed on the cool, marble of the Balcony floor, I could somehow still look over the edge of existence, even through my tears. And instead of the Blue Marble of our Home World, or the expanse of star-filled space, I saw a vast undifferentiated void of darkness. I could sense, but not perceive with my eyes, a roiling cauldron of raw energy. Something entirely unique and inconceivably powerful was taking place.

In the background, barely audible at first, but growing rapidly and steadily in volume, was a chorus of increasingly thunderous song, splitting the darkness in galaxy-sized wave after wave of pure melodious joy. If sound had form and color it would be this. If music could shape reality, it would be this music.

I forgot my shame and my relief. I forgot who, and even where I was. I forgot everything about me, and was carried along inexorably in what I came to realize could only be the Symphony of Creation at the very dawn of Time.

And then, and then… the Voice.

It exploded across the vast infant Creation so that all else was rendered mute and invisible and insubstantial. It filled all existence with something, or perhaps Someone, so vibrant, so very alive, that life itself, from that instant onward, became something separate and distinct from the Voice, but still inextricably of It, and from It and through It; sourced and sustained by It.

And I heard the very first Words of Power spoken into the void and roiling darkness.

"LET THERE BE LIGHT!"

And all darkness fled into nothingness and all around and through everything was light!

It was a light so all-encompassing, so gloriously radiant that it was somehow tangible and solid and more real than anything before or since.

And I witnessed and heard the commanding hymn of Creation, and saw the foundation of the world and time and space and energy being spoken into existence by the Voice Himself in a marvelous crescendo of love and power, as I sat enthralled and self-forgotten.

I was audience to the Sons of God continuing their chorus of joyous praise at the Dawn of Creation.

And then, somehow, before and behind everything, and yet at the very center of this new Creation, I saw the image of a Lamb, as if He had been slain.

In the next instant, the Blue Planet, the vortex of God's eternal focus and attention, filled my viewpoint, as my consciousness was thrown through layers of time and space, deep down into the atmosphere blanketing the world.

And there I was, at the very navel of the planet, where all the slipstreams and incredibly complex threads of redemptive history wove themselves into a brilliant and complicated tapestry of human history.

And I saw outside the City of David, the very same all-encompassing Light of Creation condensed and concealed within an oh-so-human Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, laying atop a rough food trough in a Shepherd's Cave.

And the Sons of God were once more assembled in a chorus of resounding joy that filled the heavens and shook the earth.

And I heard the Voice, yet again, authoritative and powerful, speaking ageless words of prophetic comfort.

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel; God with us!"

And the same Voice, again,

"The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined."

Then I came back to myself, not willingly, but because I had no choice, else I would have stayed content (and more than content) as awestruck witness to events so majestic and powerful that I could have spent eternity immersed in their everlasting significance.

I knew by the wonder on my companion's face that he had shared with me all that I had just experienced.

"Why has He done this for me?" I whispered. And by that I meant everything, from the Creation, to the end of the Age, and on into Eternity.

"Because He loves you," he said, with unshakable conviction.

"Look to the Cross," he repeated, “and let your heart soar on wings of eagles!”


© Bill Lilley 2011, 2013

Gospel of the Son


For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. (Romans 01:09-10, NKJV).

From before the foundation of the world, from before there was time or space or matter or energy, from before there were angels or demons, there was God; the Uncaused Cause; He who inhabits eternity; the I AM THAT I AM.

In Him were Three: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; three Persons in One God, an ineffable (too great or extreme to be expressed or experienced) mystery; the Godhead.

Within the Godhead is utter and inexpressible perfection and completeness; perfect harmony, relationship, love, glory and power. This power is beyond mere mortal comprehension, as are the other attributes of God, but it includes the ability, purpose and will to create – to create ex nihilo, “out of nothing”.

Understand that God, in Himself is complete, lacking nothing. He is within the Godhead the fulfillment of whatever needs He may have forever.

Yet, for reasons known only fully to God, but surely encompassing all knowledge, and the desire to share Himself, and all that He is, in glory and majesty and love, He made man and woman in His own image.

It is impossible to know all that that means this side of Heaven, but I believe we can know this much about it.

First, God is the ultimate expression of Personhood (the quality or condition of being a complete and rational individual – in fact He is three distinct, coequal Persons). So each one of us created in His image, are persons.

Second, God has free moral agency, meaning He has the capacity to choose actions, thoughts, and words, to exercise His will, for good or evil. So too then do we. But because God is the very definition of good, his actions and choices are always, only good. But because we are fallen, our choices are almost never only good.

Third, God is love. There is perfect relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit, bound together eternally in utter and complete love. Thus, we have the capacity for love.

Fourth, God is Spirit, so we are comprised of spirit.

And from before time began, God purposed to become Man in Himself, to send His Son to be born of woman and to become one of us in the flesh. So we are partakers of flesh and blood, as well. We are body, will and spirit because that is the ultimate expression of His image.

Now in His Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, who became one of us to save us – in Him, we are more than images. We are His poema, His masterpiece.

And that last is the essence of the gospel of His Son, for by His sacrifice we are saved and destined to be transformed from death to life, from darkness to light, to be saved from Hell and made citizens of Heaven. At this moment, as you are reading this and as you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have eternal life. It is your gift from Him that can never be taken away.

Can you understand a little bit more why the gospel is “good news”; in fact the best possible news that could ever be?

It is the Gospel of the Son. Jesus is the Person who has made the good news of salvation possible for us fallen, and helpless sinners. Without Him, without His incarnation as a Man, without His sinless life and voluntary sacrifice for our sins on the Cross - there would be no good news, no hope, for all of Adam's descendants. There would never be a way of escape from the punishment of Hell, no matter what we did, no matter how long we did it... ever.

That Jesus loved the Father so much that He obediently went to the Cross at His behest is amazing, but understandable. That He loved us, and proved it, in that same act, is nothing short of a miracle.

We are totally undeserving of that love, but He loved us anyway.

Remember that when you meditate in your heart about the Gospel of the Son. Aside from everything else that it is, what it proclaims throughout creation is this:

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, NKJV).

Love,

Dad

Sunday, July 07, 2013

(Reprise) Dead Man: Dead Man Undone

I felt like I had just run up a mountain. My dead heart was racing, my lungs heaving. What had I done?

What I felt most was shame and horror. How could I, qualified only for a brief visit on the most extreme outskirts of Heaven, have the unmitigated gall to ask an audience of the King!

On-planet I had thoroughly studied the passages in Scripture where man met God, and in every instance - every instance - man was undone.

John fell down as if dead at a mere vision of His Lord.

Daniel's vitality was instantly drained, as if he were a balloon being emptied of air.

Peter cowered in the bow of the very boat he captained.

Isaiah fell down in abject shame at the sight of the LORD high and lifted up.

Moses had to be hidden in the cleft of a rock to protect himself from the glory of God as He condescended to reveal to him the afterglow of His glory.

These mighty men of faith, heroes, warriors, prophets, priests, lawgiver, and holy apostles, all rightly knew their utter unworthiness when confronted with He who inhabits eternity.

And here was me, Dead Man, boldly asking to be in His presence. No, more than that; shouting out my presumption in self-immolating desperation. I was clearly insane.

"What have you just done?" my companion asked me, much more gently than I would have expected.

I could not look up from staring at the rich marble floor of the Balcony, let alone lift my face to see my questioner. I did not think I would be able to hold up my head again. Ever.

"What have you done, Dead Man?" he repeated when I did not answer. I could not speak in my shame to tell him I could not speak.

"I have sinned against God," I finally managed to croak. My voice was dust and ashes.

"What have you done?" he asked for the third time.

"I have forgotten my place," I whispered, tears of humiliation now streaming down my face. I was shaking as if in the aftermath of some horrible accident that I had barely survived, certain of impending destruction.

He was silent then for a timeless time. That he was not upbraiding me, or cursing me, or decrying my arrogance filled me with ever greater anxiety. And still, I could not face him.

The next instant my knees gave out and I dropped like a meteor. One moment I was upright and trembling, the next I was nanoseconds away from collapsing in a boneless heap.

That is when he caught me in arms rippling with understated strength, like cushioned steel. And he lowered me to the floor, gently, compassionately. I felt like a little child rescued from a precipitous fall.

"No," he said, as he cradled me to the smooth, lustrous floor. "You have not forgotten your place," he said quietly. "You have voiced the deepest cry of your old, world-weary heart, and by so doing, you have remembered your place."

Those words unleashed within me a flood of relief and gratitude like I have never known before, and I sobbed uncontrollably in his arms. He simply held me without condition, or the slightest hint of recrimination. It was the very definition of safe.

"He purchased you forever with His blood; lovingly, willingly, asking nothing but your faith and love in return. He died on that Cross in your place precisely, emphatically, exclusively, so you could be in His Presence for all eternity. You are His child. His beloved. His inheritance. His priceless treasure.

"Do not think for even a blink of an eye, do not even let it enter into your head, that He does not want you near Him. That is why He suffered the penalty you rightly deserved. He sacrificed Himself for you!

"He loves you with an everlasting love. Don't you see? Don't you understand?

"This place, this magnificent Balcony He prepared just for you, just as He has prepared a place for you when you return to remain forevermore, so that where He is, there you will be also."

All this was said to me so gently, so quietly, almost in a whisper. He spoke as if I were a child overwhelmed by longing and grief. He spoke as a father comforting a broken-hearted toddler brought to the utter end of himself by thoughts and emotions beyond his ability to bear.

"Our Lord, our King, our Sovereign God, longs for your company, my son," he said. "If you have the slightest doubt, look to the Cross!"

© Bill Lilley 2011, 2013

Saturday, July 06, 2013

(Reprise) Dead Man: Who Do You Miss Most?

After a last few eternal moments with my old friends, Clyde raised his noble head, and lifted his silky black ears. Something only he could hear was gently demanding his attention, and I somehow knew that he and the other two animals would be going soon, heeding the call of Heaven in joyful obedience.

He allowed me a final (for now) tear-filled ruffling of his broad, furry, snow-white chest, and a quick hug, and then he and the others bolted off into the Forest in the direction they had come.

He stopped at the edge of the trees for one last look back, and I could have sworn that his gaze embodied a very un-doglike intelligence. Then he turned and followed the others into the magnificent woods, and I watched them recede quickly out of sight, marveling at the energy and flawless grace of their movements.

The last time I had been with Clyde in the world below, he had been a helpless, and pain-wracked cripple.

"Why no people?" I asked back on the Balcony. I took the instantaneous translocation in my stride by now. I was amazed (and more than a little proud) of how quickly I had grown accustomed to thought-travel. I mentally patted myself on the back.

My companion did the same to me, physically.

"Do you want the truth?" he asked in response.

There is a choice, here? I thought, forgetting it made no difference.

"That depends. Is it bad?" I spoke my thought out loud this time, and what I really meant was, “did the reason reflect poorly on me?”

"I will only ever tell you the truth, or nothing at all. There are many things I could say to you, but you cannot bear them now. This item is borderline. It is not what you will think as complimentary, but it will be helpful, if you allow the truth to have its perfect work."

"Shoot," I said, "I can take it. I'm a big boy." I was not at all sure that was true.

He nodded, and then took a moment to form his words carefully. He hadn't done that before: uh oh.

"You are not really a 'big boy'," he said. I waited for the trademark smile. It didn't come.

"You are, instead, quite fragile. And your level of fear and insecurity is matched only by your desire to appear otherwise. While wanting with your whole heart to have faith in the One who made and saved you, you have what they call on-planet, trust issues. You think they are justified, and you hold onto them like a security blanket. In human terms, they are justified, based on the experiences of your past. But those experiences, and everything else about your earthly existence, all the scars and dents and scrapes inflicted upon you by yourself and others, are utterly transcended by your King. They melt away into vapor and nothingness in the Light of His Presence. But you are stubbornly thick-headed, and fail to surrender your heart to knowledge that your brain knows all too well."

Then finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the smile. Oh how quickly I had become an addict!

I relaxed then, because as broken and disqualified as I felt at that moment by his relatively gentle criticism, I knew he still approved. I was completely embarrassed by how vitally important that was to me.

Then it struck me how perfectly orchestrated this last interaction with my companion had been, starting with my long-lost dogs. His words had instigated the very reactions he was so carefully delineating, illustrating the objective truth about them undeniably, and with exceedingly, abundant grace and gentleness.

As I thought this, his smile grew wider and, well, more.

"You're very good at this my friend!" I said laughing.

"I am so much more than your friend, Dead Man. I am so much more than 'on your side'. But that perception will do for now. Well done!"

His actual praise of me just then, while filling an emptiness that seemed to be there forever, simultaneously felt very, very risky.

Ah! All part of the same lesson! I realized, sheepishly. Nothing's simple.

"Indeed!" he said still smiling. "Indeed."

Then he looked at me with those ageless eyes.

"I don't want to mislead you into believing that complicated is inherently good," he continued.

And this, just when I started to think I was getting somewhere.

"Mistrust builds walls and takes an aggressive posture as a reflex. Threats appear where they really aren't, and since the best defense is a robust offense, some people," he looked at me pointedly, "get fierce."

"Fierce sounds better than fearful," I said.

"Neither one is very useful, frankly" he said. "Both evidence lack of faith. Truly brave and heroic people do what they do because they believe what they say they believe about God and His Son. Truly calm people are like that, too."

"You're bringing me down," I whined. "Is all this why I'm only allowed to be visited by my deceased dogs here, and no actual people? Well, besides you, er, me."

"Has anyone ever told you that…" he began,

"Don't finish that, please," I interrupted quickly. "And yes, whatever it is, I'm sure they have."

"…you are precious," he finished anyway.

I didn't see that coming. First fearful, now precious. It was ridiculous. Here I was telling me deep, absurd things about me. Time travel - you just can't keep it straight.

"Who would you like most to see?" he asked then.

"Is this a trick question, or a test?"

He shook his head from side to side.

"I'm assuming that means no, even here. Yes?"

He punched me in the shoulder. Were you allowed to do that in Heaven?"

"Do they have to be dead like me?" I asked. "You know, like a departed relative, or somebody famous from the past?"

"You can ask to see whomever you'd like, as long as they're here."

That brought me up short. Anybody? I got the sense this was probably a one-time grant. I anticipated a flood of names and faces streaming through my consciousness as my highly developed intellect and perceptive abilities kicked into gear.

Crickets.

Maybe I should approach it from a different angle? Who, out of all the people in my life, did I miss most?

Sadly, nobody came to mind. (Was that true?) Everyone, and I mean everyone, that was most important to me was still alive down below. The truth was, I missed my wife and daughters most. And I was very sure they missed me, as well. But since I was guaranteed a return trip, there was no immediate urgency to see them. Had one of them died before me, that would have been my first choice. Other than that, no one really came to mind. Was I actually that pathetic?

He smiled.

"Take your time," he said.

Parents? What if they weren't here? Other relatives? Long lost friends? OK, there was a vague interest in one or two names from the past, but none evoked any intensity. I truly was pathetic.

Underneath all this, was an idea that had suddenly popped into my head, but which I just as quickly dismissed before I even really acknowledged it. Then it bubbled up again. I tried to suppress it, exactly like an impossible longing you know is there but can't bear to look at.

His smile widened. I knew he was mind-dropping again.

The thought became increasingly irrepressible, demanding that I face it fair and square, like a deep wound, or an ancient wish that could not possibly be fulfilled, and was all the more painful because its absence, once acknowledged, would become unbearable.

I think I was clenching my jaw by then. I was gritting my teeth fiercely trying not to voice the very thing that had to be said. Not because the desire would be granted, but precisely because I knew it couldn't. Sweat began running down my forehead into my perfectly functioning eyes; the salt burned just as fiercely as on-planet. Finally, I could do nothing other than blurt it out, the words ripping involuntarily from my throat. I yelled it at the top of my lungs. There was no other alternative.

"I WISH TO SEE JESUS!"

© Bill Lilley 2011, 2013

Spiritual Service


For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. (Romans 01:09-10, NKJV).

Two things can immediately come to mind when confronted by the words, spiritual and service.

We often think that “spiritual” is almost equivalent to unreal, and “service” is almost synonymous (means the same as) tedious work, but while our thinking is very useful, it is sometimes dead wrong; in this instance especially.

From a Biblical perspective, and therefore from the perspective of what is actually true, the spiritual realm is truer, more solid, and more real than what we see, hear, feel and touch in this world. The problem is that we tend to experience life mostly from our physical senses, which barely give a hint of the underlying truth of things.

I am pretty sure that we lost the capacity to live otherwise in Eden when our First Parents fell into rebellion and sin. Not only did that loss cause all the sin and death since, but it made us all mostly blind and deaf to the realm from which physical reality springs.

Oh there are remnants of that level of perception; hints left to us in distorted legends and myths, and even some glimpses into the spiritual underpinnings of things by people with so-called “psychic” abilities, but unless specifically empowered by God, these visions and glimpses are full of distortions and misperceptions.

But that most certainly does not mean that the spiritual realm doesn't exist, just that our perception of it is blocked by the Fall.

You see, the Bible teaches that humankind consists of not just the material body, but the immaterial soul, as well. In fact, it is the soul (the seat of our will, personhood, and emotions) that survives the death of our bodies in this age. And it is the soul that will receive our new glorified and incorruptible bodies at Christ's return.

Many in the world believe that this is just crazy talk, but unless people know the truth as revealed in Scripture, their opinions about things are mostly mistaken.

Remember if something is true, our feelings and opinions about it are utterly irrelevant. It is true whether we like it or not. It is true whether or not it meets our puny expectations of what reality should be all about. It is true simply because it is.

This viewpoint, by the way, the idea that truth exists regardless of how we chose to perceive or feel about it, is called Absolutism, which is the opposite of a truly crazy idea called, Relativism.

Now, Relativists believe that nothing is absolutely true (except, of course that statement, which is why Relativism is “self-defeating”, for if nothing is absolutely true, then neither is Relativism). Adherents (those who hold – adhere – to something) of Relativism dismiss uncomfortable aspects of true reality with the formula, “well, that may be true for you, but not for me,” and by so doing relegate all truth to an elevated kind of preference.

This works quite nicely as a “head in the sand” tactic, until you run head-on into an inconveniently undeniable aspect of life in this world, like gravity, or navigational coordinates, or bodily needs like hunger and thirst. No amount of positive feeling will keep you aloft if you step off the edge of a canyon, get your plane to Rome if it's headed to Antarctica, or slake your thirst if stuck in an arid desert.

All this to emphasize that the spiritual realm, that part of Existence that underpins the material, is real and true, and by definition, eternal, for something that is immaterial cannot be subject to material decay or degradation.

So, how does this relate to “spiritual service”? And where do we go wrong in our idea that service equates to tedium (Latin for boring).

Here's the thing: since anything done “in the spirit” is even more substantial and long-lasting (though in ways we can't see and must often be taken “by faith”) than things done “in the material”, or as the Bible says, “in the flesh”, then in a very real sense, it is worth more in absolute value.

A case in point: evangelism (telling someone about the gospel of Christ, so that they understand that their automatic death sentence of eternal punishment can be forgiven through faith in Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross) is a spiritual service that can result in that person living forever in Heaven, and never having to feel weakness, nor pain, nor sorrow ever again.

Compared to, let's say, feeding that person, or binding his or her wounds - while important and praiseworthy and something that should be undertaken with commitment and enthusiasm – is only temporary. It meets the material needs of the moment, but leaves the eternal need of salvation unaddressed.

And in regard to the mistaken idea that service, or serving someone, is tedious, think about this: what would bring more satisfaction and joy, helping someone knowing that whatever you did was only a temporary good, or helping someone to achieve an unimaginably good destiny that you knew with all your heart would last forever?

Two final points to consider.

As Christians, our service to others must mean something, that is, if they are hungry we are to feed them. If thirsty, we should give them a drink. In fact, Romans later on will say that we are to do those very things even to our worst enemies. So the idea that if someone we meet is in some kind of physical need and all we do is speak to them about being warm or fed in the name of Christ, our words are empty and meaningless and a reproach (an insult) to our Lord.

We must first help them physically before we provide spiritual assistance.

And finally, true spiritual service is not only satisfying, fulfilling a soul-deep need in ourselves by helping someone else, but the rewards we receive from Christ in return are beyond imagining, for He says this in Luke:

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons [and daughters] of the Most High... (Luke 6:35, NKJV).

Love,

Dad