Often I have the opportunity to talk people through some of the issues in their lives. Sometimes it is interpersonal relationships. Sometimes the discussions involve money issues, at others it is about criminal activity and even some extremely embarrassing situations. Some things are tragic and insurmountable in their minds and others are just temporary inconveniences. Each person judges their failures and successes by the standards of their own minds filtering the Word of God according to the dictates of their predispositions. They often ask remarkable questions. One of the most interesting to me is when they ask …
“What now?”
Now that we’ve confessed and judged and set a course of restitution or reconciliation or repentance, what do we “do” to make it go away? What is the price, what path must I travel, “What Now?” so that I may have peace?
At this point we have sometimes spent weeks drawing out the truth after establishing a trust and a truce with self condemnation. Yet the question is not “Do I have to tell… ?” You know, my mom or dad, my husband or wife, the pastor, the business partner, the police, a lawyer, the IRS, etc. Those things they have either already decided or will figure out what is right for their situation in their own time. Their problem is grace. Their lack of understanding is the difference between the God who created all and they who denied Him long enough to try to destroy a little piece of it. Thieves and liars and violent people and perverts and children of all ages, all have one commonality which they need more than a little help grasping.
“What now?” as they are asking how is it possible that after what they have so grievously committed can God ever use them again? “What now?” will they do without being able to be used by God? “What now?” will happen when the urge to exercise their God given gifts rises and they know they must restrain it because they are fallen? “What now?” when they can’t explain “why not?” when asked to do what they used to do to the benefit of others. “What now?”, when they have to leave everyone and everything behind because no one will be able to understand and forgive and let it stay in the SFJTDB (something for Jesus to do box). “What now?” when it is forever to remain an untold secret and yet remain the weight which may so easily beset them?
They are asking how to live in their prison when God has given them liberty. I want to scream at them “Have you ever read Galatians chapter five, verse one; or Second Corinthians five seventeen?” “Do you understand the depth and height and width and breadth and season and limit of the love of Jesus?” Screaming is not what they need. It would only cause them to sink deeper into the pit of despair and hopelessness that they cried out from in the beginning. Yet I wonder why is it that they can accept a reasoned portion of God’s Holy Truth and still not get it.
Grace is more than the goodness and mercy and love and compassion and agapao love we think we see in the creator God who freely gave His physical life for each one of us. Ye He is all of that and more but we limit Him when we say “What next?” We declare with those two words that hope is gone reason is the slayer and fear is the conquering spirit. Not true, not true, NOT True!
I want to spend a couple of days developing this in our minds so that we may clearly see Christ in you, the HOPE of glory.