Dusty Paths to Glory III

“So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom's house” (2 Samuel 13:20b).

The dust never was washed away. The dust was flung at her, quenching heart and soul and spirit. The dust of rape and violation. The dust of betrayal. The dust of shame, injustice, silence, secrecy, outcast, crushed dreams, being shoved away a skeleton in the closet. “Do not take it to heart my sister,” said her brother. Her father was angry but silent. She was alone. The dust of shame clung thick.

Ten weeks, ten months, ten years—shame can linger. We all know it to some degree. Shame which whispers slyly sometimes and other times batters in our brains, “You are not enough.” Its lies are gilded in objective facts—“He did this to you,” “You were not enough,” “If only you were…” And the facts are twisted.

Heat, thorns, cross, and fruit provided a simple scheme to address heart issues and wash away the dust, pointing us to Christ and allowing us to easily process a circumstance in the light of Jesus’ work. Here is another simple way to allow the Spirit to wash off the dust in the light of Christ. This helps us particularly to get behind the actions and response to our unbelief and pride. It helps us see how our sins are against God or how—in the case of Tamar—God himself is for us in our suffering and the sins done against us.

Who is God? –What might Tamar have believed about God in her suffering? She probably knew on one level that God was good, just, sovereign, present, etc. Yet, often behind the professed creed we live as if something else was true. The dust chokes the heart and thwarts the connection between tongue and heart. Perhaps Tamar believe God was like her father and brother, angry but not doing anything. Perhaps he was disappointed in her. Perhaps he asked more of her than she could be or do. Perhaps she saw herself as evil, dirty, defiled in the eyes of a holy God. Perhaps she thought he was angry at her and let this evil occur to her because she had done something bad, or was something bad….

Who are we? –We are created in God’s image. Our being, our identity, flows out of our belief in him. Who did Tamar believe herself to be?

A just but distant god—Tamar was alone. Forgotten. Not worth having anyone stand up for her. Shame.

A disappointed god—Tamar was not good enough, couldn’t clean herself up. Shame.

Holy ungracious god—Tamar was not able to measure up. She had lost holiness. Shame.

Angry god—Tamar was bad. Deserved her suffering. Sinner. No hope. Shame.

(This is true for even the non-Christian. Really? “God doesn’t exist; therefore, I am on my own. I am lonely. I am my career. I am sports. I am wife. I am guilty but I don’t know why.” “God doesn’t exist. My ancestor was an ape. I have no meaning.” “I believe in many different gods of nature; I worship the sun and moon. I must strive to appease the gods; am I enough? Do I do enough? I must do something to try to get their individual attention. I’m alone. I’m on my own.”)

What has God done?—In speaks the cross. God’s acts flow out of his character; they reveal him. We see himself, his character, in his acts. Objective facts that penetrate past our dust. The cross speaks to shame. What would Jesus say to Tamar?

“I bore judgment on the cross—is God just but distant? I got involved for the weak.”

“I gave compassion, I touched the outcast, I forgave the adulterous woman—is God just but distant? I touched the shamed.”

“I loved so much I came to wash you myself—is God disappointed? He is so in love with you he sent me. I am so in love with you I died for you. The Spirit is so in love with you he indwells you. Disappointed? We give, we supply. You feel you lack, but we pour forth. You feel dirty, but we wash and cleanse. All of me is for you.”

“I make you holy—I sanctified myself, maintained a perfect holy life, so that you could be clothed with my holiness. No longer dirty or defiled, you are my cleansed, washed, bride. You are my treasure whom I have set my love upon.”

So who is God? Just. Defender of the weak. Loving. Gracious. Giver of holiness. Shame-remover and Shame-bearer. This is our God.

Who are we?—Once again, in light of what God has done, we return to who we are. Tamar—beautiful, beloved, cleansed, clothed with Christ’s holiness, bride, jewel.

What is our response?—How do we respond? Let grace sink in. Let Jesus wash our feet. Let the dust fall off. Praise. Rest. Sweet, sweet Jesus.