Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
~Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
~ paul, The Least of the Apostles in 2 Corinthians 9
What would you do beloved? What would you do if you knew you could not, would not, shall not and will not fail?
It is already true.
May this fool share a bit?
There is a Love so deep and wide that it stops time in our Lives. It does things to us that we never thought possible. It breaks down the barriers to the frontiers of our faith. It pushes at the edges of who we think we are. It smashes our conceptions of what is – and what is not – possible.
For this is a Love that has pursued us across eternity. It is a Love who tore His very own Triune self apart, slaughtering His own Son, that we might live.
Yeah, that kind of Love.
Could we, for just one moment, consider the truth that this Love has not acted in vain? Could we, for just one moment, have (as the preacher Graham Cooke says) the decency to be intrigued?
What would we do if we knew we absolutely could not fail?
Might we cast aside any puny desire we had in the past for bright and shiny and curvy and crinkly things – and simply begin to desire to know this One who has already poured out such a precious investment in and for us?
Might we, in knowing this Love, begin to live and move and be people who simply do the things that lovers do when they are in love? Wouldn’t there be the moments where we do lavish and even seemingly wasteful things just to celebrate the Love in which we are now entwined?
Might we begin to reach out and share the astounding peace and joy we have found? Wouldn’t we even share with those people who will – most certainly – reject our sharing as foolish rambling?
Might we begin to give away our earthly wealth in such a manner as to be seen as imprudent by the world? Wouldn’t we do this knowing, really knowing, that the investment in the Kingdom is more sound than any potential play in precious metals?
Might others begin to look at us and see that there is some different, really different about us? Would we not expect that others, like Nicodemus visiting Jesus in the night, would begin to seek us out to try and figure out the mystery of our life and happiness?
Might the circumstances around us begin to yield to the power of the Spirit who works so mightily in our bodies and souls and spirit. Wouldn’t we expect to see pain and death begin to yield to the Life and Peace that now courses in us and through us?
Might we begin to see that suffering is only a sign that we are going in the right direction. Wouldn’t we begin to think like Paul – who had seen the end game – and knew beyond any shadow of doubt that everything was going to be incredibly fine in the end?
Might we begin to take the steps He is leading us to take down the path He has set before us with ever-growing quietness and confidence? Wouldn’t we look back over our spirit’s shoulder and be increasingly and incredibly convinced that G_d has not failed us once. Not even ever once?
This writer has had the distinct privilege of having enough of his old life crushed so as to come to the realization that he had no life apart from Him. he realized that he had died and that his life was now wrapped up in Christ. G_d does not provide the energy for my next breath and heartbeat – He is my Breath and Blood. And in coming to see the that He is my Way, my Truth, and my very Life, i have (by His grace) abandoned fear, and simply rush off to do whatever He leads me to do – whenever He leads me to do it.
May this fool share a bit more?
Beloved, this space is the only place where life really happens. For in abandoning fear, and abandoning ourselves to to Him alone, we come to understand and perceive His very near Presence in our lives. And it is in His Presence where the Joy – that yields utterly overwhelming strength to live – is full, complete and utterly real.
And it is in this place, this timeless moment of His Love and Joy and Peace and Strength that we begin to actually experience the eternity He is still preparing for us. We begin to understand the “Blessed Hope” scripture clearly tells us is there.
Someone is reading this tonight and considering the Joy they know they could have if they just let go of that one last thing….
Time to let go dear friend.
And this writer cannot wait to be regaled with the story on That Day. That Day, when we praise Him together… and everything only gets better, forever.
