Restore the Joy

THE JOY OF SALVATION

Let's say that joy can be understood as a deep sense of well-being.  Such a feeling cannot be merely a feeling, but is also an persistent thought as well as a recurrent choice.  It is not merely cosmetic, like the seed in shallow soil that showed joy at the message of God's kingdom, but quickly withered when trouble and persecution came in Jesus's parable of the seed and the sower.  Like a house built on rock instead of sand, the storms blow over it and by it, but do not blow it down.

Let's say that salvation can be understood as deliverance.  Being delivered implies slavery or captivity or prison.  I am caught with no way of escape.  I am locked away with no hope of freedom.  Then my freedom is purchased, my debt is paid, or my sentence removed.  I am moved from the realm of darkness and hopelessness into a bright, new place of hope.  My prospects are open.  My life stands before me.  I am saved.  I am delivered.

The joy of deliverance then is the sense of well-being that comes from or belongs to life that is free, open, and safe.  This is where forgiveness leads.  This is the resting place of each person who is redeemed or bought back by God.  The prayer for restoration is a prayer for continued fellowship with God when I have left him.  The return of the prodigal son is a picture of such restoration.  It is not merely a recognition of some transaction that takes place on my account to "pay for my sin."  It is coming home to the Father.

THE ROAD HOME

The road home has some landmarks that are familiar to those who travel in this way.  "Hide your face from my sin" (Psalm 51:9) is the request for relief from guilt.  The NET Bible notes that this means, "Do not hold me accountable for my sin."  Take no notice of it.  Do not bring it up before me.  Can God really do that?  Yes, he can.  Yes, he must.  Forgiveness must be freely given to be forgiveness at all.  God is fully willing to forgive.

The barriers belong to me.  Guilt and shame make it impossible to receive forgiveness.  I'm too busy beating myself up to lift my face up for mercy.  Guilt and shame lead to a warped picture of God as one who is tight-fisted and "reaps where he does not sow."  The first hill on the road to forgiveness is releasing my sin to God for him to hide and blot out.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)  A clean heart and a right spirit come from forgiveness.  God must not only forgive, but enable me to receive such forgiveness.  A clean heart is one that has one pure motive.  A right spirit is pointed in the right direction.  Such intention comes from God.  I cannot merely make it happen; I must humbly receive it.  The gate is small, but God can bring me through it.

"Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me." (Psalm 51:11)  The creation of a new heart comes from God's grace present in his Spirit.  He grants that I can remain with him and be drawn to him through his Spirit.  The means by which God renews my spirit is by his Spirit.  A right spirit is aligned with his Spirit.  Apart from him I can do nothing.  Again, I ask, I wait, I receive.   The road is narrow, but his leading is sure.

SIN LEFT BEHIND

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." (Psalm 51:12)  I am never merely saved from guilt and shame even though they are the front door of my salvation.  Salvation is about a new creation, a clean heart and a right spirit.  Salvation is about living in the presence of God, indwelt and guided by his Holy Spirit.  Such a salvation makes war on more that guilt.  I am saved from my sin.  The joy of salvation is sin left behind.  The joy of salvation is a heart that does not want sin.  The joy of salvation is a spirit that chooses the right way.  The joy of salvation creates a willing spirit that sustains me through trial and temptation.

What does this all look like?  It is hard work, but not the kind I expect.  I am not asked to make up for my sin.  I am not asked to forgive so I will be forgiven.  I am asked to let go of guilt and shame through trust.  I am asked to seek out the God who forgives, strengthens, and leads through prayer and discipline.  I am asked to exchange my heart for a new one that beats with God's, the heart of Jesus.  I lay aside the work of trying to make up for my sins and accept the work of being with God every moment or every day.

Lord, I deviate easily.  I find myself trying to manage my sin instead of giving it up and following you.  Give me the will to let go.  Give me the love to run after you.  Amen.

Servant of the Word

Today I'm sick, but not so much that I can't read or write.  I spent part of this morning trying to prepare for a time of scripture study.  I read Sacred Reading by Michael Casey over the holiday.  He mentioned reverence as a precursor to scriptural meditation.  I thought I would find some ways to develop reverence for the Bible.

I began by looking for a Bible to read out of.  Many of my copies have writing in them, which I was worried might be distracting.  Also the study Bibles have notes and numbers and letters all over the place which can be distracting as well.  I was not able to find anything just right, but I found that removing the Bible from its protective cover with all the pockets and pens helped.  I could hold it more easily.

As I looked in our little storage room outside (brrrr), I discovered that many of the books I have collected over the years have been study helps and commentaries on the Bible.  Somehow when I saw them, they did not seem as inviting as I looked for help with reverence.  So many words.  And so many of them only partially read.  Somehow I felt they were not what I was looking for.

So I took my Bible out of its jacket and held it up and offered a prayer.

The law of the Lord is perfect

reviving the soul.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy

making wise the simple

The precepts of the Lord are right

giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are radiant

giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is pure

enduring forever.

The ordinances of the Lord are sure

and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold,

sweeter than honey from the comb.

By them is your servant warned,

and in keeping them there is great reward.

(From Psalm 19)

A quiet rested on me.  I began to read slowly and reflectively from Colossians.  And so I found 1:23: "This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant."  I was moved by the text.  I saw something of the heart that Paul had as he served the church, even people he had never seen.  He was a servant of the word of truth, the gospel.

I saw now why so much of my learning seemed to miss the mark as I studied the Bible.  I came to master the Bible.  Reverence asked me to become a servant of the Bible.  I have so many things I want to tell people from the Bible, but how often have I really handled it well?  I wanted so much to speak as one who knows, one who has mastered the Bible.  I found that some people were impressed, but rarely changed.

I had wonder and awe, but they were quickly submerged in my desire to argue a point or address a problem.  I felt the dis junction, but I could never quite put my finger on how to deal with it.  Paul was joyful in these Colossians and how they received this gospel word he served for Jesus' sake.  Like a waiter serving a grand meal, he served the gospel to this church.  He removed whatever obstacles he could so they could really dine upon it.

I feel that this journey may free me to study, learn, and even teach in an entirely different way.  Reverence before the Bible is just another expression of submission to the Lord.

Lord, please make me like your servant, Paul, who served you, your gospel, your word, and your people.  Let reverence put reins on my pride and enable me to be a better student of your Word and of Jesus.  Save me from mock reverence and arrogance as I approach your Holy Scripture.  Amen.