Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Balance

Genesis 1:26 "Our" image (likeness, shadow) communicates that we are created in the image of Triune God. We will deal with the image issue in the future, but today I want to deal with the "Our" issue. I believe the word Our represents the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. What I find fascinating in this focus is the balance found in all three of these persons (personalities).

In the Father we find a person who loves to give good gifts to His kids (Matthew 7:11); yet as a result of His love, He disciplines His kids, as intensely as necessary (Hebrews 12:7). Could you imagine if we parented in that balanced a fashion? Our children (and therefore the world) would know the joy of being showered with wonderful gifts, while understanding the growth and logic of being disciplined. Real love is both joy and constraint, not one to the behest of the other.

In the Son, Jesus Christ, we find a person willing to give up the perfection of heaven to sacrifice Himself for the eternal salvation of people who couldn't care less about Him (Hebrews 2:10, Romans 5:8); yet in the end He is the ultimate-eternal judge (John 5:27). WOW! He gave His all for our salvation and eternal life, yet in the end He will make final judgement over all of us. That is the balance we are all looking for: love that is unconditional and sacrificial; while ultimately giving us the wisdom to discern good and evil. Imagine living in that realm of effectiveness and confidence.

The Holy Spirit comes to comfort (come along side) us (John 14:16); yet He is the one who convinces (convicts) us of our sin (John 16:8). We live with real people, with real struggles, who do real stupid things. We were designed to minister to them where they are, yet not to normalize sin and stupidity. It is imperative that we develop in this balance to minister in the upside down world we live in today.

Could you imagine if we allowed God to restore us to this balance? We would be people who love to pour out gifts of love on everyone God brings into our world; yet we would be willing to confront evil and destruction in the lives of those same people. We would be willing to die for the eternal disposition of those God places in our lives; yet we would communicate an eternal finality about choices and attitudes. We would come along side and eternally edify people; yet we would be willing to communicate destruction in their lives.

It is God's will to restore this balance. It is God's will to recreate us in the awesome image of God the Father Son and Holy Spirit. Will we let Him? Will we be obedient? Will we be willing to put in the hard work necessary?

Dr. John Letterman