Christian Counseling Service -- Devotions

And there was light

Saturday, March 31, 2018

From Genesis 1
Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw how good the light was. God then separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day" and the darkness he called "night." Thus evening came, and morning followed - the first day.

During these three days before Easter, my task is to be as close to Jesus as I can be. I pray asking Jesus to be near me and I imagine myself near Jesus, on Thursday at his last supper, on Friday at his trial and crucifixion, and today with him in the grave.

Or perhaps I am alone and he is not in the grave. The Apostles' Creed boasts that Jesus "descended into hell." As he said to his disciples, "I am going where you cannot follow." There's no map, no door, no down staircase. Jesus is on his own.

And he does not descend into hell for his health. He is finishing things, restoring unto us the joy of our salvation.

But as I sit in the grave's darkness, knowing how close I am to the light, there is a special task for me. In many churches Easter Vigil is the night of baptism and anointing. I made promises at baptism which deserve a second look, and sitting in the tomb, I can take some time for that. Here are three questions with their implied commitments:

1. Do you reject sin, so as to live in the freedom of God's children?
2. Do you reject the glamor of evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin?
3. Do you reject Satan, father of sin and prince of darkness?

It's not that I accomplish anything when I say "yes." But I open the way for God to do what I can never do. Although I cannot cease being guilty, and although I cannot cleanse myself, I can say "Yes." God can, and God does cleanse my guilt and free my soul.

Fleming Rutledge asks, "How can we appropriate God's finished work in the cross of Christ without taking it for granted?" (Crucifixion, p. 316). The answer, I think, is that I can't. My lazy fallen self will always think too highly of myself than I ought, and expect whatever bits are wrong to be taken care of. It's "cheap grace," without a doubt. I am looking for that kind of deal every time I come to God.

But behind my bargain-hunting there is something that in the last sixty years (since 1965) we've called judgmentalism. The word might not have existed before then, but the sin has existed since Eden. And before I judge you, I subtly and silently judge myself. I am either right or wrong, good or evil. You are either right or wrong, good or evil. One of us is better and the other of us is worse. That tree we ate from in Eden, we keep on eating, every day. And it's the wrong tree.

God sees through our comparisons and judgments. He looks further than we do, so he is not revolted by how we've messed up what he's made. His acceptance transcends our unacceptability.

There is a short word, just a conjunction, that makes us better at accepting. Instead of "but," we can say "AND." So here's another task for Easter Vigil: begin using the word "and." Use it all the time. It is a shining word, and it reflects the light God made.

Here are a few both-ands from a longer list by Richard Rohr:

"And" helps us face and accept our own dark side
"And" allows us to ask for forgiveness and apologize
"And" is the mystery of paradox in all things
"And" is the way of mercy
"And" makes daily, practical love possible
"And" does not trust love if it is not also justice
"And" does not trust justice if it is not also love
"And" allows us to be distinct and yet united
"And" is the very Mystery of Trinity

Bless you, Jesus, wherever you are today, wherever you were the day after you were laid in your tomb. This is our day to realize how much we depend on you in every moment, every inch, every cell of all our lives. Our heartbeats and our breaths one by one need your kiss, your attention, your love. Thank you for all of this today, every day, all our lives.

Devotions Archive

And there was light

Saturday, March 31, 2018