It’s not me, it’s You

I've often heard it said that “it’s not about you, it’s about Him” or “this life we live is not about us, but about God”. But when I’m reading my Bible trying to focus on God, He goes and throws the subject back my way and starts talking about me!  

Why is there hope laid up for me in heaven?   Colossians 1:5

Why does God take delight in me?  Psalms 149:4 
Why does God supply my needs according to His riches in glory?  Philippians 4:19 
Why does God remember my work and the love which I have shown?  Hebrews 9:10 
Why did God choose me in Him before the foundation of the world?  Ephesians 1:4 
Why did Jesus take my sins and heal me?  1 Peter 2:24

Certainly, I understand that we are not to be self-focused but instead Christ focused. I realize our lives have been crucified with Christ, but to claim that this life is not about us would be missing an important part of the Gospel story.

In this world, it is easy to feel insignificant; there just are so many people. Moreover, it is hard to comprehend how God can relate and interact with everyone. I've often wondered how God’s kingdom works with all the angels and people talking at the same time. But if God’s kingdom is not about us, then our lives are significant only as much as they fit in with God’s master salvation plan. We read the passages of scripture that explain how we are all parts of the body working together and so shouldn't complain about our role. But what are we working towards?  Does the greater good outweigh the individual good? Is God even constrained by the amount of ‘good’ available? What is God’s purpose? Somehow I don’t think it is just about numbers...

It is true we are a part of God’s saving work, but our value is not based on our role or what we can do for God. God established our value apart from any act of obedience or kingdom service by redeeming us while we were sinners. To emphasize: our value before anything, even while we were dirty, stinking, rotten and plagued with sin, before we were redeemed, renewed, or made a new creation, was worth the price of His Son Jesus Christ. Knowing this wonderful truth doesn't puff us up, but it does serve to glorify God and leave us in awe. God is glorified in His creative and redemptive work. 

For many of us, it is hard to see the value that God places on us and instead we ask “Why would God save me?” and so we try desperately to perform to somehow make ourselves worthy. But I find, as we begin to grasp God’s unconditional love and grace, it takes the pressure off and we can freely be the person God made us to be. The message of the cross is that God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Even further demonstrating His love, God adopted us as children and made us heirs with Christ.

It is clear the gospel is about God, us, and the relationship between Father and child integrally expressed in Jesus Christ. So yes, we should focus on Him, but all the while knowing He is looking right back at us.

First Principles

Whenever situations arise and I’m stuck, or wondering about why things are happening, or questioning God’s motives, or even if I’m caught in a misunderstanding of a scripture passage, I take a few steps back and start asking questions.  Rather than look directly at my situation, I look at what the reason is for everything!  I revert back to what started it all:  Why did God make us?  What is our purpose? What is His purpose?  Yes, I simply ask myself the most deeply profound question in all philosophy:  ‘Why?'

I like to refer to this approach as first principles, an expression I took from the field of mathematics.  Back when studying calculus, if there was ever a complicated problem that I could not solve easily I could always apply first principles and arrive at a solution.  First principles are the basic definition, the root starting point under which all the other theorems are based. 

So I ask the question ‘Why?’, not out of desperation, but as remembrance, for God has already revealed the answer.  

Some say we were created to worship God. But that leads to the topic of free will.  Why do some people choose not to worship God?  Why make man in the first place?  Why not just let the angels worship as we see in the Book of Revelation?  Others say, we were created to serve God, but the same applies. Are angels not ministering spirits?  While it is true, we are to worship and serve, this is still not the root purpose. Instead, worship and service are mere branches that express what is at the root.  What about fellowship? Were we created to be God's friends? What was wrong with God just hanging out with the angels (apart from the whole Lucifer thing)?  

More so than fellowship, God reveals that our purpose is about a love relationship. True love can exist only when there is freedom of choice. We were created out of an expression of God’s loving nature, as one with whom He can fellowship from the vantage point of love. Our fellowship with God isn’t just casual, but with One who loves us: As a parent loves a child, as a friend loves a friend, as a brother loves a brother, as a husband loves a wife.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16) This passage does not say that God started to love the world at a particular point.  Instead, He loved us from the beginning (Jeremiah 31:3). It is clear from the Gospel story that we are the object of God’s love; the subject of God’s heart.

So I encourage you , if you are ever stuck wondering about God’s will or are in a difficult place questioning if it is really God at work, revert back to first principles. God created you in His image for love, and when He couldn't love us freely as He wanted (Hosea 14:4), He gave everything in Jesus Christ to fully restore that which was broken and lost.

Sweet Emotion

I've been rethinking my views on how to treat emotions as believers. I'm the type of person who appreciates reason, study and good theological understanding, while not placing much emphasis on emotional experience; or in other words, I'm a typical guy. That's not to say that I don't have feelings, but they are something I keep in check. 

There is an emphasis I find taught in many circles that emotions are somehow inferior to understanding. This teaching sometimes is in response to over-emotional displays where everything is about 'feeling' and if we don't feel anything, well, God is not moving!  So to correct this, we say and reassure those who do not feel anything "It is not about how you feel, but what God's Word says about you" which is true and reasonable.  But I often wonder can you have an encounter with Jesus and receive His life without an emotional response (...at some point)?  In scriptures we see those who receive Jesus filled with wonderful excitement, joy and encouragement "Walking and leaping and praising God!" (Acts 3:8)

Still, a lot of time we reject emotions or place them on a lower scale of importance because we have been hurt in the past.  We could experience wonderful happiness and excitement over something new only to get our hopes up.  We have felt a strong passion and desire only to have our hearts broken.  So we guard our hearts as the Bible tells us to do.

The dangerous extension of this teaching is when emotions are something we deny if they contradict how a good Christian should be, ie. Always Rejoicing.  Back 13 years ago when my grandfather passed away, my grandmother was deeply saddened.  But believing that good Christians are always to rejoice, my grandmother tried so hard to make herself be happy.  This only worsened things and led her to guilt, condemnation and greater sadness.  She too passed away only a year later.  

So how are we to use emotions?  Emotions are often a more powerful force in our lives than reason.  The unconditional love of a parent willing to put him or herself in harm's way for a child.  The pain of a broken heart even though we know the relationship wasn't meant to be.  The mourning over the loss of a loved one even though they are with Jesus in Glory.

I find that grief and sadness are powerful emotions that draw us near to Jesus in close intimacy.  We know that Jesus can sympathize and relate for He too wept and cried for Lazarus. (John 11) Jesus full-well knew and stated that He would raise Lazarus from the dead, but still let reason and understanding subside to emotion.  Jesus' tears were an emotional response. 

My new outlook:  Don't be afraid of emotions.  When I'm open and honest with God I can allow my emotions to guide my prayer and reveal the concerns of my heart.  We have a great promise that the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth and reveals Jesus. God created emotions for us to enjoy, utilize and further strengthen our relationship with Him.