Saturday, January 22, 2011

With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: pt 1

I was just thinking about something today. God went to the uttermost to save us, becoming a human being. Even as a human:

...when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Isaiah 53:2.

[6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
[7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
[8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:6-8.

Jesus being God, took upon Himself the form of a human, even a poor man. Among man, He was not recognized and even being unattractive in case the people might be attracted to Him because of His comeliness or looks. So nothing stood out about Him as far as His looks, His status in society being a carpenter born to poor parents.

Though God walked among us on this earth, the very earth He created by the words of His mouth, we did not recognize Him or esteem highly as we should have, as is written:

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:3, 4.

What a shame on us! God walked among us on this earth, we did not recognise Him as He humbled Himself, even becoming a poor man, going to the extent of even dying for us on the cross while His enemies, a criminal's death. He died a torturous death reserved for those considered the scum of society when He never having sinned, was abused and mocked yet being the King of kings, the very creator of heaven and earth, things visible and invisible, all things as we know them.

He went to such an extreme to save us even while we were His enemies, choosing poverty when He owns everything,becoming a man when He is above angels which we are lower than, and even His birth was less than that for the average human being being born in a stable with animals around Him as is written;

[7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
[8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7, 8.

[9] For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9.

He has done all possible to ensure that we can be saved. He has given us everything, grace that we did not deserve because we were all supposed to die; dying for us while we hated Him and even crucified Him being His enemies.

God is generous with us to the point of extravagance. If His mission was analysed in terms of gain or loss, it would be considered a major failure. Though he died for all of us many will reject Him as is written;

[13] Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
[14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:13, 14.

Most will reject Him and that is a pity. After the extent to which He went in dying for us when we are unappreciative and even hate Him, bringing the Ceator of all things down from His throne to die for wretched beings like us when we were undeserving and even unthankful, it is rather unfortunate.

Considering the great humility and sacrifice it took Him to die for us, do we appreciate? Do we take the time to think about this?

If He humbled Himself to such an extent, who are we to not humble ourselves? If he became a servant even to the extent of dying for us when we did not deserve it, who are we to shun servanthood? Who are we that some things are beneath us when Christ became poor, was born in uncomfortable conditions, and was unrecognized though deserving of all worship and honour and glory being the creator and sustainer of all life?

Who are we that we hold on to ourselves when He let everything go for our sake? We hold on to idols which become a hinderance to our salvation when he left the riches of Heaven which are permanent and everlasting, for our sake. We are proud when He in whom all things consist is humble enough to die for those who don't appreciate. Who are we? Who are we?!

He gives the best of Himself even being perfect as God to ensure our salvation, and yet we give Him part of ourselves or nothing at all. He did the best thing possible for us, being God to die for sinful creatures, beings that he himself created. There's no greater humility than that!

But we give Him leftovers. We give the best of our time to jobs and even family time suffers. We give the best of our efforts and energy to serving our bosses at work at jobs that God Himself would have provided, instead of serving God the provider and sustainer of all things. We toil at these jobs which we are not even guarranteed we'll keep and yet the things that matter, the things pertaining to life Eternal, we put in the backseat and maybe might look at if we have any time or energy to spare at the end of the day.



We wake up early enough to do anything but spend time with Him. We are on time for everything else but drag our feet when it comes to spending time with Him. We can concentrate for 3 hrs watching a long movie like Titanic and can remeber even some of the most minute of details, yet we can concentrate just an hour to listen to a sermon. We sleep through a short sermon yet do not blink from start to finish of a long movie like the Titanic, recording everything and later narrating most of the details to friends or whoever.

Even returning tithe which is His, we do it grudgingly and yet it is by His blessing that we are even able to have any money to return tithe on. After all He has done not only to ensure our salvation, but even providing our daily sustainance, we give Him leftovers of ourselves if there are any left. But we expect Him to be on time for us when we want something. In some cases we even complain if he is not on time or seems to delay in doing something we want yet we always give Him leftovers.

Imagine how God feels! He gives the best of Himself for us and keeps His promises, we break our promises and give the least of ourselves.

I'll stop here and will continue soon. God Bless.










 

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