Roots
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
-Hebrews 12:1-3
I came across this verse on kyungmee’s tumblr earlier today. Over the past two weeks I’ve started reading the book “The Case for Faith” by Lee Strobel, an investigation about the possibility of being both a reasonable thinker and a believer in Christ. Strobel meets with various evangelists, ex-evangelists, professors, and historians seeking the opinions from both sides of the faith debate. While speaking with Dr. Peter John Kreeft, a philosophy professor from Boston College, Strobel asks him about one of the eight “heart barriers” to faith: since evil and suffering exist, a loving God cannot.” I won’t be going into great detail about everything that was said, but if you’re interested I would highly recommend this book, or you can contact me about more information here or here and I’ll gladly respond. Anyway, when I reached the part of the above verse where it says “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross,” I immediately thought of two points in the interview when Kreeft says this:
“…how could you not love this being who went the extra mile, who practiced more than he preached, who entered into our world, who suffered pains, who offers himself to us in the midst of our sorrows? What more could he do?” [page 46]
and
“He is the one we love to hate, yet to us he has chosen to return love” [page 52]
When I think about Christ enduring the cross…I just can’t possibly imagine what that was like for Him. “…the suffering that Christ endured on the cross is literally unimaginable. It’s not just what you and I would have endured in our own finite human agony, physical and mental, but all the sufferings of the world were there.” [page 46]
All the sufferings of the world, and for what? For us to leave Him in the dark, to act as if our relationship with Him is not worthy of our time, like He is not worthy of all our praise and more. To behave as if we have better things to do, to think He doesn’t really love us, to distance ourselves from Him on a day to day basis, and yet, He took on all the sufferings of the world and died on that cross for the “joy set before Him.”
And what was that joy set before Him, you ask?
To be with us. It’s all He wants, and we fight Him on it every single day. He desires to show us His love, His mercy, His grace, and we throw it away like an unwanted gift.
“He is the one we love to hate, yet to us he has chosen to return love”
I think it is hard for us, as humans, to understand, comprehend, and grasp a love like His, when the majority of our earthly relationships are often infected with negativity, sin, and bad endings, but God is nothing like the world. He is divine and perfect and free of sin, and longs to show us what real love is if we would just give Him the chance. I’m not saying being in a relationship with Him is always easy. Others may say you’re crazy, or not as cool as you used to be. You may feel ashamed because others just don’t get it, but we cannot lose heart! It is much to late to be unresolved in our relationship with Christ and there is no room for middle ground. We are either hot or cold, on fire for Him or not with Him at all.
I guess what I’m trying to say, and I can only speak with my own opinions, is that Jesus is so worth knowing and ultimately, loving. He risked it all just so we could be in His presence. I know I have beyond a lot of work to do in order to grow and be completely rooted in Him, but it’s worth it, because when it all comes down, we will be firmly rooted, and established,
in love.
Happy Sabbath
GB
Ephesians 3:17-19
