My friend Dave is my book buddy. I appreciate my friendship with Dave because he is passionate about literature, ideas, and how we put the words together when we discuss both. I love that about him. There are only a handful of people in my life who love books and the deeper ideas when we parse poetry and imagery as much as I do. He is one of my great fans with my writing as well. He not only reads them but he responds to the ideas I spin out on paper and I love knowing where he connected with it. After reading my blog last night he told me he thought I had more to say on the idea of incompleteness. He felt there is more for me to get out. Dave has been my friend a long time; he’s known some of the big things I’ve worked out. I would consider his opinion fairly accurate.
In true Dave fashion he sent me the following scripture to go along with my 'man feels his emptiness' ideas:
7In the days of His flesh [Jesus] offered up definite, special petitions [for that which He not only wanted [a]but needed] and supplications with strong crying and tears to Him Who was [always] able to save Him [out] from death, and He was heard because of His reverence toward God [His godly fear, His piety, [b] in that He shrank from the horrors of separation from the bright presence of the Father]. (Hebrews 5:7 Amplified)
This is deep scripture for me when coupled with the previous post, but I’m still unpacking it. The part I did get immediately was this: Jesus had to fully become human. Humanity is fully separated from God. My initial thought is Jesus had never been separated from the fellowship of the Father ever. He knew what separation was going to feel like. Perhaps we just have gotten used to it? The deep emptiness we feel, Jesus knew he would have to endure the emptiness as well. I wonder if we just have no earthly idea of what fullness means? We as descendants of Adam are so removed we have no concept of what it was like to be in the fullness of God’s presence. Once separated we knew no more fullness - Jesus had to fulfill the fully human part which was becoming sin, separating him from the father, so that we may know fullness.
It’s an identifiable revelation. I understand the power of the cross a bit more. It’s intense though, the power of the cross. I am humbled to think of the times I have prayed, God this is hard did Jesus really have to go through this part? But somewhere he did. He had to make the hard choice too. He had to pray and seek God for the strength to move forward in what he was made to do. He had to die to what he wanted and to think all that was just for us…puts my sacrifices into a much better perspective to be honest with you.
Life is hard. We balance so many things externally and sort so many things internally. Where is there a rewiring needed in you? I know it hurts but let it rewire. It’s worth it. Imagine if Jesus decided not to do his? Where would any of us be then?
1 comment:
That's good, Gin.
It's amazing to think that Jesus "learned obedience from what He suffered" (Hebrews 5:8) and through that was made perfect (vs. 9).
What??! Jesus learned obedience?? You mean He wasn't born the perfect angel, but became he Perfect One through...*gulp* suffering??
Man...that's a punch in the gut.
Thank God that though we share in His suffering, He was the ultimate substitute.
Dang. That'll preach.
Thanks for exploring this, Gin. It's important. People need it. I need it, too.
I can see it as being a recurrent theme...like you'll get more and more deeper understanding, and be able to lay the hammer of that understanding down on some "christian construction areas" (believers).
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