We don't have to live very long to get "a history", do we? When I think about this, I am reminded of my younger brother's forehead. You can't see it now, because he wears his hair down over it. But, when he was little he had a crew cut, which let his forehead be on full display. This is a relevant memory because he had (as I recall) five rather significant mishaps, which resulted in five bold scars marching across his forehead by the time he was in grade school. Thank goodness for bangs, huh?
Along the way, we all get banged up, here or there, with scars short or long. It is these experiences which often keep us from enjoying the fullness of life. This morning, I had so much fun! A very early work assignment necessitated my leaving home before 6:30 (hence the lateness of today's blog post, and from the car service department waiting room, no less!). But then, after finishing, I found myself near a state park I'd never visited. In the 32 degree cold, I hiked close to a mile, in order to see and hear a waterfall which defies my ability to describe. So beautiful! I said to the Lord, "Is there anything in Heaven to compare?" "Better", He said. What a marvel!
This earthly life truly is no comparison to Heaven, no doubt. But, it can be wonderful - - - not because of waterfalls or buckeyes (another sweet treat from this morning - - I confess!) or kisses from your spouse or rocking your child. These are foreshadowings of Heaven, to be sure! However, I'm talking about that way of life which is a heart-to-heart relationship with the One who created you, who designed you with all your beauty of soul, before the dawn of Time. The One who knows that you smile crooked and pass gas a ridiculous amount, that you snore and think the Coen Brothers are geniuses.
Why do we sacrifice an endless love, a perfect one which knows no measure, because of our former way of life?
Paul could have done that, and he probably did, those first few days after his conversion. Who could have been more amazed than he when he found himself literally slapped facedown on the Damascus Road, grit in his teeth, rips in his cloak and tears in his eyes? Who could have been more flabbergasted to be addressed from Heaven by the One and Only, King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Look what Paul said in Galatians 1:13-24.
13For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; 14and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. 15But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased 16to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
18Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. 19But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20(Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) 21Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; 23but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24And they were glorifying God because of me.
Here we have a Church Killer, a Believer-Buster, a Tradition-Trumpeter, who was doing what he thought right at the time. Many of us have been there - - often deceived by the enemy and making foolish choices, choices with seemingly life-long consequences. We think that we are irredeemable. Our view of God is too small. We don't believe He can transform the worst of souls. I've been guilty of thinking that, haven't you? If not yourself, o prideful one, have you ever looked into the dead eyes of the person in the newspaper ... seen that person who committed the most heinous crimes and thought, "There is no way, no way the love of God could touch the soul of that one." How sickeningly short-sighted! If God, who knew, KNEW while Paul was in his mother's womb that he would have killed even Jesus Himself, had Paul been given that chance....knowing even that, God also knew that Paul would go on to become not just a saint, but indeed a giant for Jesus.
But.When.God. (vs. 15) ... These three words catapult out of scripture to crush all of our excuses, self-recriminations, despair. But.When.God.
Consider some of the things God was able to do through Paul1:
- wrote most of the New Testament (authoring 13 or 14 of the 27 books, some minor disagreement there...)
- made 3 long missionary journeys, all over the Roman Empire
- preached to kings/rulers (Festus, for instance, in Acts 25)
- experienced miracles (survived shipwreck, handling the snake at the campfire, etc.) Acts 27:27-28:5
- started and discipled the churches from which the whole world has been evangelized.
The question for us today is this: What does God want to do with each of us? From this moment forward, all of our past, is past. All of it is "former life". Whether your "former" is full of fabulousness or failures, it is still the past. From this day forward, how will you choose? It is not our "call" to decide what God can or can't, will or won't do with each of us. Surrender to Him, even "doing a 180" (degree turnaround), begins with our "YES".
This I do know: anything He has conceived for each of us will be far better than any cheap imitation we can create on our own. As the Lord has promised - - His way (both now and hereafter) is so much better! (Psalm 18:30)
"And they were glorifying God because of me." (vs. 24) Wow! Isn't this what you want? It's the desire of my heart: that all who hear of me will glorify God because of what God does through me....that people will say, "What a mighty God she serves!" That right there is just about the best earthly compliment, right? Rather than Paul's past holding him back from coming to God and serving Him, God used that past to bring Himself greater glory! This God! THIS is the One and Only! There is nothing, literally nothing (and no one), He cannot redeem, transform, transcend.
Lord, the fatalists claim that choice is a mere product of our imaginations, and the Calvinists are not far behind. But, I believe that, although You know all, You also find glory in giving us the ability to choose. Our mothers used to say, "Make good choices", because life IS a series of choosing Your way or our own. May we always, ever, over and over again....choose You. In Jesus' name, amen.
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