YOUR GOODNESS IS RUNNING AFTER ME

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

If I were a singer (and I am not) this song would be my musical testimony.  I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and everyday, I celebrate His life, death, and resurrection.  I am an old man now and as I look back over my life I bear witness to the truth of the following words.  

Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days
I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
I will sing of the goodness of God

All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God

You have led me through the fire
In darkest nights
You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a father
I’ve known You as a friend
I have lived in the goodness of God

Your goodness is running after, 

it’s running after me
Your goodness is running after, 

it’s running after me
With my life laid down, 

I’m surrendered now, 

I give You everything
Your goodness is running after,

 it’s running after me

“Goodness of God”

© 2018 Bethel Music Publishing, Released in 2019

Written by Ed Cash, Ben Fielding, Brian Johnson, Jenn Johnson, Jason Ingram

THE MASK

 Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Years ago I discovered a poem that haunted me then and haunts me now.  I think it  speaks more meaningfully to our age than we want to admit.  What do you think?  I’m not sure who wrote it.  Everywhere it is attributed to “unknown author.”  It is called, “The Mask.”

Always a mask

Held in the slim hand, whitely,

Always she had a mask before her face –

Smiling and sprightly,

The mask.

Truly the wrist

Holding it lightly

Fitted the task;

Sometimes however

Was there a shiver,

Fingertip quiver.

Ever so slightly, -

Holding the mask?

For years and years I wondered

But dared not ask

And then -

I blundered,

I looked behind the mask,

To find - - Nothing.

She had no face.

She had become

Merely a hand

Holding the mask

With grace.

Haunting, isn’t it?  

Masks.  How easy it is to wear a mask.   How easy it is to hide behind our masks.  How easy it is to lose our identity as the mask becomes us. Maybe we should lose the masks and take our chances with the real thing.

DOES GOD REALLY CARE?

In a fallen world tragedies happen; good things happen to the good and the bad, and bad things happen to the good and the bad.  This leads some people to conclude that God cannot possibly be love.  A loving God, they say, could never let tragedies happen to anybody.

Jesus disagrees.  To drive His point home He died on the cruel cross of Calvary in a redemptive act that ultimately and finally will restore all creation to its original and intended purpose.  In the mean time God loves so much that He lets His very creation, created in His image, wander away from grace because that's really what they wanted to do.  He let them go but He never gave up on them and, in the fullness of time, Jesus was birthed into the human situation to do for us what so desperately needed to happen.

     

The truth is that we are all sinners in desperate need of facing the truth about our broken lives (Luke 13:5).  The issue is not why do bad things happen.  The issue is how far God will go to restore a hurting world to Himself.  We must never forget that God is aware of all that happens and that His grace brings His very life into all it means for us to live in a very dangerous world.   

Once upon a time God showed up in a bush that was not consumed and promised Moses that He had heard the cries of His people and that He was going to act on their behalf (Exodus 3:4, 7-8).  And, act He did.  He delivered them, called them to Himself, and began a journey with them that took Him to a hill just outside the city of Jerusalem where Jesus “emptied Himself of all but love and bled for Adam’s helpless race” (Charles Wesley).

       

Does God really care?  Yes, God does.  All the way to the cross God cares.  Let that truthful story be lived out in the world for which Jesus died.

Let’s go out and make God look good.

NOTICE THE DIRT

 Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I Think in was in a letter to a Mary Neylan (January 20, 1942), C.S. Lewis says an insightful and liberating things.  He wrote, 

I know all about the despair of overcoming chronic temptations. It is not serious, provided self-offended petulance, annoyance at breaking records, impatience etc. don’t get the upper hand. No amount of falls will really undo us if we keep picking ourselves up each time. We shall of course be very muddy and tattered children by the time we reach home. But the bathrooms are all ready, the towels put out, and the clean clothes are in the airing cupboard. The only fatal thing is to lose one’s temper and give it up. It is when we notice the dirt that God is most present in us; it is the very sign of His presence.  - From  The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Volume II

Is this not an amazing thought?  “It is when we notice the dirt that God is most present in us;  it is the very sign of His presence.”  I love these words.  I have always thought that it is those who are closest to God who feel the most unclean.  Sinfulness in the presence of holiness, should make us squirm.  Sadly, at least in my circles, I was taught that the closer you walk with God the more aware of your holiness you would be.  However, in my life at least, I have not found this to be true.  I have found that the closer I walk to utter holiness the more aware of my unholiness I become.  Also, and because of the unbelievable grace of God, standing in His presence fully aware of my unholiness, He does not write me off.  He embraces me and draws me to Himself.

God does not demand perfection of character but humility of character.  He invites us who do not deserve to be in His presence, to live in His presence.  “The very sign of His presence,” as Lewis says is that our “dirt” drives us closer and closer to Him, and in His presence, we are more self aware than at any other moment in our lives.  

So, in Christ, we don’t give up.  We keep on bringing our lives to God who keeps on Bringing His life to us.  In Him we find the place of grace, the place of growth, the place of renewal, the place of redemption, the place of forgiving love.  We bring our broken lives to His holy love, and we are healed.

Let's go out today and make God look good.