The first humans hid in the bushes when after eating the
forbidden fruit they suddenly realized
they were naked. The writer of Hebrews
understands what the first couple found out pretty quickly. “There
ain't no hiding place from the Father of Creation” (Bob Marley – One Love) So
if all is laid bare and exposed to the One to whom we all will have to give
account how is it that we can approach the throne of grace with boldness? Of
course the answer we know by heart is Jesus because Jesus knows a thing or two
about being stripped naked. But to trust Jesus so completely as to be
comfortable being exposed before the “one to whom we must render an account” is
something else entirely. In many ways we are still hiding but now it is behind the
bushes of religious rules and regulations that clothe us with respectability.
I’m not saying piety doesn't have a prominent place in the life of faith, but
there really is “no hiding place” when even the most pious (in the best sense
of the word) are guilty of thoughts and intentions of the heart far
removed from perfect. If I can be totally honest with you (which is as
close to naked as we come with each other) my greatest fear is that my current
confidence in God’s grace will fail me in the time of my ultimate need i.e. my
last breath when all pretensions are put aside and things done and left undone
can never be corrected and we have to take the last step of life alone, even if
we are surrounded by those who love us and wish us well. The only way I know how to deal
with that nagging doubt is to believe God is more interested in honesty than
piety. And so I hold fast to the confession that I am
afraid and trust that the living and active two edge sword of the scripture is truer
than I am able to believe – Jesus sympathizes with my weakness.
No comments:
Post a Comment