Folks,
One of the trips i took, after college, was one forever etched into my memory. Three of my friends and I, over Thanksgiving, wanted to chase each other down the slopes of Crested Butte, CO. You buy one ski pass, and you get another free. We found some coupons and deals, and we actually skied three days for the price of one. We made our van into our apartment/ room for the trip, and we purchased most of our food ahead of time. We were going to ski as cheaply as possible. I owned my own skis, so all i had to do was find some extra coin for the boots, and i could ski, almost free. It was the ideal situation.
The only drawback was driving the van. It was ok if you were in second or third gear, you could find those gears alright and shift. (It was a manual transmission) But if you had to stop and start in first gear, well that was an adventure that was impossible to go through. I got lucky going out, i never had to drive, but i knew, as was our rules, i would have to drive home. It was only fair.
I started off, letting everyone know, that i was ready to drive, when they needed me. They said ok. My friend Sean started the trip, got us out of the mountains, and then turned to me and said, "I'm too tired. I can't go on." It was the time of the night, around eleven, when one gets tired after skiing all day. I was up.
The trip started ok, and i handled the van well. Sean had promised to stay awake, as long as he could, but that was short lived. Before the clock struck twelve, it was me, the van, and the open road that is Eastern Colorado/ Western Kansas. We weren't even on the interstate, it was highway 56 all the way. A desolate, deserted stretch of road, especially early in the morning that can play tricks on one's mind.
As i headed east, as the hours floated into early morning, the sun began to break into the horizon, and nothing could have been more beautful to me, except the reality that just as the sun was coming up, we entered my hometown: Lyons, KS--a small farming community west of McPherson, about 30 miles. I knew this town, and it was like a deep sigh of relief as i pulled into the filling station to get gas. I was close to home.
And now every time i see that gas station, the memory of that long drive, through the night, in that old van, with some of my closest friends, springs back into my memory, and i have to smile.
I wonder if that's how it was for Noah and everytime he saw a rainbow. For Noah, as far as i can tell, a rainbow meant more than prisms of light breaking into what has become ROYGBIV. For Noah, a rainbow was a journey of a year, a failed humanity, and an endless trip. But above all, for Noah, it was a beautiful reminder that God had saved him. The rainbow, for Noah, and all of us that are heirs to the covenant God made with Noah, a rainbow should remind us that God's word, God's promise, is eternal. God never goes back on His promise.
But what do we think about when we see a rainbow? Do our minds creep back to the flood and remember the story of how God desires faithfulness and honors faithfulness? Or do our minds disect the science and physics of the colors, alleviating any "mystery?" Or. When we see sands on the beach do we consider the promise God made to Abraham? Or do we think about how hot sand becomes tomorrow's windows? When we stare into the sky at night, and we marvel at the stars, (as long as we have distance between us and the light pollution of dayton) do we think about God's promise to Abraham? Or are we simply in awe of the gases that create the stars and the distance each star truly is from earth?
And when we take of the bread and cup, or eat any bread and drink from any cup, do we stop and contemplate about the aweness of Jesus' promise and new covenant? Or, which i hope is not the case, has it become so rote, we just consume, as we do so much in our lives, and forget to be in awe of what communion represent? When we see a cross, do we find ourselves back in history to that painful day when Christ suffered? And do we acknowledge His call to raise our crosses and follow? Or. Are we immune to its beauty and ugliness?
How about every time we pass a graveyard and stare at the ground decorated with memories and stories, do we find ourselves running to the empty tomb? Or. Do we stop and lament, forgetting that death has no sting. Death was and is defeated.
Why all these questions? Because our lives should mirror our faith. If we trust and believe that God keeps His promises, then any and all promises hold true. And every time we pass something that takes our thoughts back to God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, i hope that our minds, our hears, our bodies, and our souls are filled with a new sense of awe, reverence, and thankfulness. Because God keeps His promises. That's why each rainbow brought a smile to Noah's face, and why Paul speaks about communion with reverence, because they are holy reminders of God's promises.
So. I challenge us to no longer take rainbows and stars for granted, but stand, sit, and be in awe of the mystery behind them, but also thank God while we enjoy them. I challenge us to walk on the beaches and let the sands fall between our toes, but also pick some up and as the sand falls back to the earth, praise God that we are one of those grains. And i challenge each of us to take up our crosses, break bread, and remember that with Jesus, all the promises of God came together in the form of one person. And that, above all other promises, should send us to our knees in awe. Amen.
Shalom...
For Noah and for us, God showed us His true colors; what He is made of. He is light, He is truth, and He himself gives account across the spectrum of all time and to all mankind. Through the first rainbow, by His own accountability, He gives us hope and promise. We have the hope of a future in which we will not have to endure the wrath of his righteous judgment and the second death and the promise that He would never wipe out mankind to pay a debt that we could not pay. He would judge each individual through covenant law. Covenant law is a binding contract, with terms and conditions between God Himself and His people. Sort of like a modern day contract. Covenants where made spelling out terms so that no miscommunication would exist. It is no wonder that it is written in Psalm 50 ‘to him who orders his conversation (or way) aright I will show the salvation of God.’ We can choose in our free will to do it our way in disobedience or His way in obedience. The choices we make do dictate the life we lead.
ReplyDeleteGod promised that he would never again flood the world. When mankind would be destroyed again it would be with fire. All of our works will be burned in judgment. Works is a means by which God is displayed through sacrifice of time, energy and love but the obedient heart is what God desires. An obedient heart shows respect for God. Obedience is shown by individual accountability, not by works. Anyone can fake works, and works by itself is our willingness to sacrifice, but that can be in vein if done in falsehood. Obedience can not be faked. Obedience was in Noah life and it would be wise to do the same in our lives everyday. We either choose by our free will to live and love in this accountability or suffer the fire. Christ paid the heavy price for our inequities by enduring in obedience the punishment through death and fire but we still have the lighter burden of living open and honest before God and each other in obedience. The story of the Old Testament really points the way to Christ and this is the first real show of God’s design in color. God can and does paint pictures. When I was young, and as often as young men do, I did not always learn something the first time around when my dad was trying to show or teach me an important lesson in this world. In his frustration, after everything else had failed to convey his message, he would often say, “Do I have to paint you a picture?” Well, the truth is God gets frustrated with our lack of faith and obedience and He sometimes has discipline us but He never fails to paint us a picture. He did so for Noah with the first rainbow. We all have hope that God will meet our needs and even our desires. The promise made to Noah, and those who would follow, is that God would never flood the world again with rain as a means to eradicate the disregard for His righteousness and as a result blatant sin. In his promise, God gave us insight and shared the first stage of his plan.
Do you find yourself looking for answers and what the will of God is, how to change from the old person you once where to the new creation you are in Christ, to work out your salvation daily with fear and trembling so that you do not anger God and bring his flood of judgment upon you? Noah did. Sure, we have His grace and that grace is given freely; it is unmerited we do not deserve it. Noah knew this and walked with God because he was a man after Gods heart. Just because grace is unmerited by its very nature does not mean it is unconditional. His grace is initially offered to us all, the condition, choose to accept His Son as our Savior; His grace covers our sin when we slip and fall, the condition, repent and flee from such thought, words and actions. A repentant and obedient heart leads us and keeps us on the path of righteousness. Continued on my next comment.
Grace resides within communion with God. Thankfully today we have Christ who carried our burden of atoning sacrifice to the cross and death. That was the heavy burden God placed out of love onto his own son; our lighter burden, just as Noah realized then, was to live a truthful, open life in accountability so that grace would not need to abound. Noah and his family where provided grace the same as we are today, they where spared as part of an atoning sacrifice. This mutual accountability is what Noah and God shared in their daily walk. God knew that Noah had sin in his life but Noah was a seeker of Gods mercy and grace by living as an open book before God daily. If we do not give account here in our lives, accountability in thoughts, word and actions, then what make us think that Christ will give an account for us in our final judgment no matter what kind of miracles or good works we may do? To deceive man is possible but to God this makes him sick. When we say Yes in covenant with God it has to be more than just lip service. To do otherwise is riding the fence or being in the middle of the road. This does make God spew us out. Noah did not deceive anybody; he was obedient and was in favor with God. This accountability is not just to God alone, as co-heirs with Christ, by God’s precept; we are called to do this with each other also. You want to live a full life in joy and peace no matter what your surroundings or circumstances are? Live as an open book, be honest, give an account and be held accountable, repent and live in obedience to Gods Word, which is His Will and Testament to us. The stories and lesson contained within the Bible is our life manual: part of our allotted inheritance by which we live.
ReplyDeleteBe a seeker of Gods kingdom and His righteousness. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added onto you…..
Noah did this and was blessed accordingly. Even though he suffered for about a year on the ark, we should remember that he suffered ridicule and blisters before the rain even started failing. Noah’s blessing and ours is an abundant life. Noah was called out and was given an abundant life and a whole world. We are giving the same if we dare to walk the path that God has shown us in His word in obedience and the heart of Noah.
Shalom..