Dear Trekker,
I begin to write on the twelfth day of Christmas, January 6, 2011… known as Epiphany throughout the Christian world. Epiphany is a time of divine revelation or manifestation, the supposed date the wise men (wealthy astrologers from Persia) arrived in Bethlehem to worship the Christ child. And this month also is the completion of six years writing MEN (model, encourage, nurture) Passing the Baton. As I continue to live and trek, at age 76, my goal for 2011 is to “grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ”, as St. Peter puts it.
But what does that phrase mean, trekker? Well, we never can fully know God, because we are not God. But we can get to know Him more deeply no doubt as He reveals Himself to us through His Spirit. But the grace part… growing in grace implies growth in action, graceful application of the good and exquisite character of God as revealed in the Man Jesus. I must apply and reveal grace in my life if I am to “grow in grace”. Is it not true?
St. Augustine said it well seventeen centuries ago: “Knowledge alone cannot save us.” Converted to Christ intellectually at age 25, it took him many more years to align his life with his intellectual conviction. During this journey, he was also known for a famous prayer, no doubt often uttered, “Lord, make me a good and chaste Christian, but not yet.” A bit humorous one might say, but it underlies the intricate struggle between dogma (what we believe) and karma (how we live). The two have a symbiotic relationship… though separate, one is in reality meaningless without the other.
For this reason, a question caught my attention which was posited by a noted Christian preacher, writer, and widely respected intellect, John Piper, to the recently concluded, 22,000 Passion Conference to young Christians in Atlanta. (Please note: Piper is a “good guy”… we are alumni of the same Christian liberal arts college in the Midwest, etc.) Piper asked this question of the youth, as reported by the press, “Do you feel more loved by God because He makes much of you or because He enables you to make much of Him?” I read this question, read it again, and then shuddered. My friend in Christ whom I respect highly had just unconsciously succumbed (in my judgment) to a gut-wrenching false dichotomy. (I have alluded often in past writings to such dangerous fallacy.)
Let me explain. God is the God of love, grace (expressed to us), and glory (expressed to and in Himself). Yet sooner or later, every human turns “his own way” (as Isaiah explains in Chpt 53, v. 6) or turns and embraces the God who loves him with an everlasting, unconditional love. God makes much of us in the process, as He molds us quite relentlessly into His likeness, which by definition enables us to reflect His glory and then, make much of Him. This thought is contained in Matthew 5:14, 16: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden… In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.” (Italics mine.)
So much of the life in Christ is mystery. We must seek by faith and thought to engage life boldly, but our best efforts will never unravel the mystery of the Gospel. We cannot parse out the God part and the human element of so-called religious experience. They are intricately intertwined. Perhaps we shall know as we are known one day, as the Apostle Paul suggests. But for now, in our time and space, we will know as we are willing to do and engage with the Almighty, and allow Him to change and complete us. To me this is the meaning of Jesus’ words in John 7:17, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out (know) whether my teaching comes from God…” As He makes much of us, we, by entering into His presence and “seeing” His Presence merge with our humanity, will inevitably make much of Him.
False dichotomies are always lurking. True spirituality is not black and white. I challenge all “to fall in love with Jesus.” Can you fully explain that phrase… of course not. Then it would not be love! Love by Christ is so real He died for us. We reveal our love for Him by loving and ultimately dying (to) Him. Lot of mystery here! (Read all of Ephesians 3 trekker, to get a leg up on mystery.)
Finding our way in mystery is a growth pattern. It is not understood simply intellectually. We grow in grace and knowledge, so often imperceptively, certainly by us. Others may see Christ in us. If so, we praise God! Humility has always been a valid marker of a person growing in grace and knowledge of God! Did Piper mean to lead youth astray, or distract them? Of course not! Just the opposite! In fairness to him, in his book “Desiring God”, he speaks wisely, “God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him.” But we must be both wise and harmless as we seek to challenge and energize others. There is no place for false dichotomies in Christ. So much is both/and; conjunctive, not alternative thinking. Complementary, always!
Whether new or old in your trek with Christ, my friend, stay the course. Keep seeking, worshipping and obeying God as did the wise men of old. Remember, they were like those consulting horoscopes or mediums today. Yet God accepted their gifts and worked through them to reveal His will for His life on earth. As an aside, I chuckled recently reading George W’s memoir, “Decision Points”, when he proclaimed in Iowa to the question, “Who was the greatest philosopher of history?”, “Christ, because He changed my heart.”
Trekker, one can never separate the understanding of who God is from what He has done for us. Don’t try… waste of time! Just bask in His Presence!
Have a good New Year trekker. Keep climbing the mountain. And in the succinct words of Brennan Manning, “May your karma run over your dogma!”
Taste and see the Lord is good in 2011!
Your friend,
Jim Meredith