The Personhood of Truth

God is so gracious. When we are discouraged, He draws us near with truth that brings comfort that runs deep and wide, paling the fleeting flash of comfort from selfish indulgences. (Psalm 73; Rom. 12)

God is to be praised and thanked: 
For when I am weak that others may see it, and see that You are strong. (2 Cor. 4) 
For the beauty found in my sin spoken out loud, that the confession destroys it's stronghold through the power of the Spirit's conviction. (1 John 1)
For the discernment in revealing a lie in my heart, that it pale and shrivel from the light of the truth in Your Word. (Hebrews 4)
For the power of the love of God, to overcome pain, suffering and hurt; to provide, soothe and heal. (Psalm 34, 40)

Because truth, love and hope are not a circumstance. 
Not even an idea. 
But, they are a person. 
Jesus Christ. 
(Isaiah 9; Daniel 7)

His name alone has the power to cast out demons. 
If His name has that kind of power, then how much more powerful can He Himself be? 
More than enough to save us. (Mark 9; Acts 2)

His humility is great enough to obey His Father, doing His will, though it meant setting aside all that He ever had and was. It meant being separated from His Father in taking His Father's wrath against injustice, sin, evil and rebellion upon Himself. (Eph. 2)

THAT is how GREAT His love, mercy and grace is for us. 
THAT is how even GREATER His love and devotion to the Father, who did not spare His Son, who was part of Him. (John 3, 
His Father willed that this would happen, that we would be able to be with Him forever. Eternally. 

It is hard to swallow. Hard to believe. How is it even possible? 

And, do we truly love Him? 
Is it possible to love in such a way? 

Sure, maybe I have loved someone close to me with reckless abandon, but have I hurt them? Maybe not consistently or not intentionally. But, I try to be a good person. Is it enough? 

Well, do I love like Christ? 
No. 
I cannot. 
For all my striving, all of it has some tainted, jaded and warped motive in my mind with the scheme of being "good enough," self-righteously asserting myself above those who don't strive to be good enough.
Then, viciously punishing myself, berating myself to "be better next time" whenever I fail. 

I am no better than those who live blatantly in opposition to Christ. In fact, some might say I am much worse.  

It is not possible. Being good enough. 
It is incomprehensible. It cannot be earned. 
(Romans 3)

But thank the LORD Jesus Christ that it is not! For then, I would not know Him when He pursued me, but besides that I would be lost forever, never measuring, not for all my useless striving. 
Christ's sacrifice is my atonement. 
Hallelujah. AMEN! 
His resurrection is my seal of salvation. 
His ascension is my glorification in being hidden in Him, to be His servant. 
His coming back someday is my reason to hope. 
(Ephesians 2)

We live in the tension of "already and not yet."
It is finished but not quite. 
We have grace and mercy still each day we are given, that He may be made known. (Psalm 51; Isaiah 61)

How silly it is that we compartmentalize and say, "oh, wow, that's great, but calm down, now," with a little eye rolling at the "radically religious." 

Let's take the idea above and put in into context: 
Jesus saved us from hell- HE SAVED US ALL (if you believe and follow Him) from damnation, separation from Him forever- 
It's not the location or even the situation, but the lack of the person that will be what is horrific about it. 

Because hope is a person. 

So, we CANNOT calm down or be silent, but beg for you to believe and bow the knee. 
He desperately loves us. 
Thankfully, because of what He has done, nothing can separate us from that love. (Rom. 8)

And, by the power of the Spirit, revealing and causing us to believe and live in Christ and Christ in us daily, we are filled with His love. (all of 1 John, but specifically 2-4)

My Friend

In the inky black, a bird softly sang his song. A couple more joined him. After a while, so many birds had joined in, that you would have thought that the entire realm of birds was singing the "Hallelujah" chorus in their language of squawks, chirps, and whistles. All at different rhythms with different tempos and keys, of course. They were warming up, like the orchestra before the curtain is drawn and the conductor makes his appearance to begin the show. They were preparing. 

Then, a hint of soft pink peeked out from the horizon and seeped into the sky. Then, a sliver of brilliance. The sliver slowly grew. As it grew, it touched more and more of its surroundings with it's golden fingertips, like a mother reaching out to comfort a child in the dark with the warmth of her touch. After a while, the sliver turned into a sphere of trapped fire, with the brilliance poured out over the horizon and touching everything in sight. 

It had been a long night. But, you looked out and knew. Here she was. Dawn had come. And, everything sang with joy at her arrival.