Human Being part 3
Yesterday we looked at the first time the word "be" was used in the KJV. Which, if you believe in the law of first mention, also sets the tone for how it will be used going forward. And that was God saying, "Let there be light." Today we're going to look at the last time the word "be" was used in the KJV. It is Revelation 22:21, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." And this one, to me, goes right along with the first one. Let there be light. Let there be grace. It's all about letting what is already true... be true. It's all about fighting that good fight of faith and laying hold of the gift we've been given. See, we think we're lacking something. And I think that comes from Genesis 1:2 (the verse before God said, "Let there be light"). "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." It was dark. We needed the light. And we thought we needed to get it ourselves. We thought we needed to do something. To earn it. To do in order to be. That same lie that the serpent hissed in Eve's ear. When, in fact, even in the darkness God was there. He always has been and always will be with us. He swore He would never leave us nor forsake us. There is nothing that can seperate us from the love of Christ. Nothing. Not even ourselves. When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of death (and had the natural consequences of death coming from that) they hid from the presence of God. But God still didn't leave them. I heard one preacher say, "God's a stalker." It doesn't matter what you do... He still loves you. Like Forrest Gump and Jenny. God just keeps on loving us. Can't stop, won't stop. And it doesn't have anything to do with our actions. It's not about what we do. In fact, I believe that sometimes when we feel like we don't "deserve" His love the most--when we've really messed up, or when we're trying so hard but it feels like we just can't do anything right--that's when He loves us the most. That's when He presses in. Because that's when we need it the most. And what is love if it (HE) isn't there for us when we need it the most? I always talk about how there is a more excellent way than using God as a "break glass in case of emergency" deal. BUT I also always say... if you're having an emergency... break the glass! Our heavenly Father is there for us. All the time. No matter what. He wants us to run TO Him instead of running FROM Him. He wants us to trust Him instead of being afraid of Him. And that's where grace comes in. See how I wandered around long enough to get back to my original point? Grace (besides love) is probably the number one thing we need in order to live. Because it allows us to make those mistakes. To learn and grow. To grow in grace. To find out what it means to be who we really are. And to extend that grace to others. To let THEM be who THEY are without trying to control them. Without trying to make them fit in our box. To be, and to let other people be. It's not about jumping through boxes, or making other people jump through our boxes. It's about being who we are and letting other people be who they are. That takes grace. And that results in love!