What Now? Recap for the Trapped
Let me back up for just a moment to recap the direction we are pursuing. We began by using the example of folks who have needed an additional ear as a sounding board and someone to ask the right questions for them to be able to think through their circumstances and process their situation. We call that counseling. I do that occasionally. And on more than one occasion when it seems to me like we have arrived at a pretty healthy acceptance of the truth of a situation invariably the question comes which lets me know there is so very, very much yet to be done.
Although we can accept our circumstances and own for ourselves and our conscience, what is our proper level of participation for what we are dealing with, there is this haunting question which comes forth. “What next?” This comes after I have clearly understood that we have said all the right things and determined a future which (always) follows the leading of the Spirit and involves reading His Word. Suddenly they act like they do not understand forgiveness, restitution, restoration, or agape love.
Yep, I think that is where we are at. So, what IS next? How am I going to intellectually, mentally and Spiritually get them over the hump that I struggled with not so very long ago. It was indeed a process of divine illumination, self examination and a struggle to ascertain who was going to get to be the Lord of my life. And this was years after I became a Christian. So let’s start with perfection. God who is perfect, created a perfect world, including perfect people. Genesis 1:31 says it was very good. I think that indicates the most Godly goodness it is possible for us to know. This then would be the acceptable standard. It would be a Godly expectation in our relationship to the perfect creator that His creation would be perfect. If at any time it ceased to be perfect then it would be the perfect expectation that the perfect relationship would be restored; to perfection.
The restoration cannot be accomplished by that which is no longer pure for only perfection can beget perfection. When sin entered the garden, the consequence was separation. When Christ died on Calvary and rose again after three days in the grave that was completion. The price for restoration had been paid; completely. Therefore we can establish that perfection is once again the expectation. Our difficulty is in our inability to see through God’s eyes. We want Him to see the world and our lives and our shortcomings through our eyes with our filters restraining Him and defining our version of perfection.
Our backward approach to His perfection keeps us from understanding the purpose of allowing us to fall in the first place. This is an area of God study that doesn’t get a lot of press. God study is Theology. It is what we know about the way He thinks and acts and relates to His creation. From my previous statement you can surmise that the fall of man into sin did not surprise God but was allowed by His grace for His eternal sovereign purpose. He has purpose in all He does. He purposes for us to fellowship with Him eternally. And we know sin cannot enter into His presence. Therefore for Him to have eternal fellowship with us, we must be perfect. Adam and Eve were perfect. He allowed their fall in sin. His purpose is our perfection in eternity. Are you feeling perfect yet? No, I suppose not. And yet looking forward we know we will be and must be. So then at some point He must apply the completion of redemption to us. I wonder if, when He does, will we recognize it? And if we do, will we see it for the first time or as an old friend. That is the answer to “What next?”
More tomorrow…
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say fantastic blog!
thanks for share!
thanks for the post buddy.
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