Day 74 - It takes time
Scripture focus: "This is the meaning of the parable. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away." Luke 8:13
"When God does come to embrace us, to meet us face-to-face, to bring us into relationship with him, we far too often find ourselves betraying love ["falling away"]. Soul Cravings, by Erwin McManus, entry 20 INTIMACY
Years ago my heart would break when a time of testing would result in a "falling away." Sometimes this "falling away" would happen to me or someone I loved and respected. Once in a while it would be the predictable "falling away" associated with addiction (called relapse). Even today I think "falling away" is yukky and I'd prefer that it never occur. "Falling away" no longer has the power to break my heart; "falling away" is NOT the end of the story. We were created by God to be a passionate people. We were destined for a love relationship. Sadly, we sometimes lose our way and end up looking for love in all the wrong places. We substitute cheap thrills for the pleasure life brings when we discover our place in God's story. Life lived independently of God is inherently stressful - it runs counter to every fiber of our being. In our inmost being, we are designed for a love relationship with God. It's in him and through him and with him that we find out who we are and what we are created for (see Ephesians 1:11). Nothing else satisfies the body, mind, and spirit. But plenty of imitators try to steal, kill and destroy our destiny - the abundant life (see John 10:10). The hopeless and helpless lady with the three hungry kids had plenty of reason to doubt the existence of an abundant life. And although I'd love for this story to have a fairly tale ending - it's a work in progress. Bolstered by a hot meal and a couple of hours with her kids cared for by others, she left the women's recovery and spirituality support group that night filled with joy. She had met others with similar stories who are making it - finding their way back to God and the abundant life. She took some phone numbers and reported to one friendly face that she had hope "for the first time in many years." We hope for her too. We know that it takes time. Sometimes more "falling away" follows the initial joy encounter. She may leave the building and we'll never know the rest of her story. She may return, only to disappear after months of steady improvement. We may read about her untimely demise in the obituaries. How can we live with the "falling away" experiences of ourselves and others without becoming hopeless and helpless? It requires the spiritual discipline of right remembering. For me, I've found that it's when I remember HIS story that I'm given renewed strength and hope - even in the midst of a "falling away."
"When God does come to embrace us, to meet us face-to-face, to bring us into relationship with him, we far too often find ourselves betraying love ["falling away"]. Yet his love is undeterred. He still pursues us with his relentless compassion. God is the passionate lover of humanity. He created you for love. You cannot live without love, and you do not have to. Yes, there is an insanity to love. You will go mad in pursuing it. You will despise life itself if you do not find it. Your soul craves love and will find satisfaction with nothing less. You shouldn't be surprised that as you look for love, you keep running into God. Listen to your soul. You have not given yourself to a futile search. You are not alone in your pursuit. Love searches for you. Two thousand years later and somehow it is still strangely compelling. On a cross, Jesus of Nazareth hung naked and beaten for love. Talk about rejection. It would be easy to conclude that God made a fool of himself. What was he thinking to die for love? He gambled everything on the power of love. That love was more powerful than hate. That love was more powerful than death. What was he thinking to die for us, to give himself for you and for me, knowing we might just kiss him in the face and then walk away [like Judas]? Love's just crazy like that." Soul Cravings, by Erwin McManus, entry 20 INTIMACY
On any given day it's hard to judge the receptivity of the heart embedded in our chests to the word of God. It's my prayer that we will earnestly seek to rightly remember, placing our hope in His heart - a guy who was willing to get naked and die on a cross so that we might live large.
Recommended reading: Numbers 21 and 22 in the morning; Psalm 56 and 56 in the evening
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