Particlar Atonement, Particular Imputation
Stuck. Foot clamped in a tramp, and tug, pull, push, pray, wrank, wrench.... No good. I can't pull it out by my own bootstrap... tug! a certain temptation you can't resist; pull! a certain sin that you continue to fight against; wrank! a person that always just seems impossible to love; push! a little white lie justifying something again and again at work; wrench! or just a dry season in the spiritual life. These little big sins (after all, do we realize the horror of sin?) or seeming treadmill times in our Christian life can cause us to despair...
But only when WE are the ones wrenching and tugging. When we keep our eyes focused on the foot in the trap.
Lift my eyes from my foot. Straighten up my back to look to heaven. Hear him in my particular trouble, at that particular moment. He has imputed his righteousness to me--at this moment, in this intersection where I am trying to tug. I am in union with him, and this makes all the difference to the daily sticks, stones, and traps. When I sin, his righteousness covers mine. If I am despairing, his hope is my hope--and since he is the firstfruits of this new life, how secure is that hope! I wake up in a bad mood, muscle pain and aches and a stomach that doesn't want to digest, but his patience of his perfect life--given to me and by the Spirit working itself out it me--overcomes my temptation to grumpiness, impatience, self-pity, giving up despair.
At the doctor's and once again contemplating all the what-ifs of health, I feel powerless. In this particular wrench, he is supplying his mighty power and loving care as I am now a child of God, connected to God the Creator in Christ. If I seek control in unhealthy ways, his surrender covers mine, and more than that, he shows me the reason--the great love of the Father--that allows me to surrender control.
If I am angry because my rights were stepped on,because I feel robbed of health and life (and where did I get the idea that I DESERVE a certain amount of energy and health???), his perfect response and humility and only-just anger covers mine; and he shows me the reason that I can surrender my rights, surrender my anger, and trust--God loves justice so much he was willing to uphold it at the cost of his Son, and he will see justice done someday.
I am not loving--his loving life works itself out in me, and when I fail, I am covered.
I sin, I'm covered.
I'm not, he works it in me.
I am, he covers.
In this particular moment. To my particular weaknesses. My particular Savior.
And in those moments, I delight in his intimacy.
Satan's temptations and traps--an invitation to intimacy.
We have a choice! The new life of Christ being worked out in us now allows us to choose righteousness, instead of being slaves to sin. What an amazing fact that he himself helps us respond and choose the way Christ would. He is with me, even when I'm sinning, dirty, silly...What amazing grace! I have felt so stuck, so helpless, so unable to change, so unable to stop doing such and such... but his power is greater, his life in me and you is greater.
When we look up to Christ, our backs straighten, our legs change position, and our foot is free. And we are free to walk in his steps, with him, and in him.
But only when WE are the ones wrenching and tugging. When we keep our eyes focused on the foot in the trap.
Lift my eyes from my foot. Straighten up my back to look to heaven. Hear him in my particular trouble, at that particular moment. He has imputed his righteousness to me--at this moment, in this intersection where I am trying to tug. I am in union with him, and this makes all the difference to the daily sticks, stones, and traps. When I sin, his righteousness covers mine. If I am despairing, his hope is my hope--and since he is the firstfruits of this new life, how secure is that hope! I wake up in a bad mood, muscle pain and aches and a stomach that doesn't want to digest, but his patience of his perfect life--given to me and by the Spirit working itself out it me--overcomes my temptation to grumpiness, impatience, self-pity, giving up despair.
At the doctor's and once again contemplating all the what-ifs of health, I feel powerless. In this particular wrench, he is supplying his mighty power and loving care as I am now a child of God, connected to God the Creator in Christ. If I seek control in unhealthy ways, his surrender covers mine, and more than that, he shows me the reason--the great love of the Father--that allows me to surrender control.
If I am angry because my rights were stepped on,because I feel robbed of health and life (and where did I get the idea that I DESERVE a certain amount of energy and health???), his perfect response and humility and only-just anger covers mine; and he shows me the reason that I can surrender my rights, surrender my anger, and trust--God loves justice so much he was willing to uphold it at the cost of his Son, and he will see justice done someday.
I am not loving--his loving life works itself out in me, and when I fail, I am covered.
I sin, I'm covered.
I'm not, he works it in me.
I am, he covers.
In this particular moment. To my particular weaknesses. My particular Savior.
And in those moments, I delight in his intimacy.
Satan's temptations and traps--an invitation to intimacy.
We have a choice! The new life of Christ being worked out in us now allows us to choose righteousness, instead of being slaves to sin. What an amazing fact that he himself helps us respond and choose the way Christ would. He is with me, even when I'm sinning, dirty, silly...What amazing grace! I have felt so stuck, so helpless, so unable to change, so unable to stop doing such and such... but his power is greater, his life in me and you is greater.
When we look up to Christ, our backs straighten, our legs change position, and our foot is free. And we are free to walk in his steps, with him, and in him.
Comments
Post a Comment