How "beautiful" He is

A continuation of several posts expounding on each line of the song "How He Loves Us". I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

"And I realize just how beautiful You are, And how great Your affections are for me".
...But he who has been forgiven little loves little. Luke 7:47
.... when he came to his senses Luke 5:17

Kim Walker ~ How He Loves US with lyrics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rW528qiYw

Love is an amazing emotion that God has given mankind the capacity to enjoy and reciprocate. The trouble is the human heart, on its own, doesn't fully understand love nor do we appreciate love or know how to give or receive love. This is only possible by the work of the Holy Spirit. I sighted these two verses because they are two of my favorite stories told in scripture that gives us insight into an appropriate response to God's kind of love.

The first is the story of a "sinful" woman who anointed Jesus feet while He was "reclining" with a group of men. I envision a group of guys hanging out telling stories and laughing, making lots of noise. And then this woman shows up and the room gets very quiet. As she breaks open the jar of perfume and begins to wash Jesus feet there are hushed whispers all over the room. No one can believe what is happening and that Jesus is allowing this "sinful" woman to continue. Jesus explains to Peter with an analogy of forgiven debt and delivers this powerful line, "he who has been forgiven little loves little". When I read this I think about my life and the rest of us who grew up in church all our lives. We grow up in comparison mode of lying to ourselves we are "good" people. We don't fall into any of the major sins therefore we are better and deserving. This is a dangerous horrible place to be because it limits our capacity to love Him.

Don't get me wrong I don't want my children to ever experience the consequences of dark deep rooted sin. But the reality is all of our hearts are deep and dark and filled with sin, we just don't know it until the Holy Spirit reveals our hearts to us. There is none good no not one. We believe the lie that we ever were. Because of this lie we sit around a room whispering while the "sinner" is absolutely captivated by Him.

Gratefully, but with much pain, I had a "come to my senses" moment back in 2007. I had chosen a path that continually and progressively led me to a dark place. When that moment came, I call it my 2x4 moment because it felt like I had been hit in the head with a 2x4, I came to my senses. In that moment I stood in my filth. I was disgusted by what I had done and who I had become. I was lost and I knew it. I had no hope and like the boy in the story in Luke 5 all I wanted to do was go home. But like him, I didn't know if He would have me. It is then I looked up in the middle of my mess; filthy, dirty, desperately wanting to be clean that I saw the Savior. All I saw was this pure, holy, "beautiful" God that looked at me with love and desire.

Unconditional love is so unlike anything that we could ever imagine or give or even receive on human terms. We don't even expect it from one another. We all believe that we have to perform, or provide, or be something of worth before someone will love us. As I stood there with nothing of worth but who I was; I had nothing to offer but me and who could love that? But He did. There is no explanation for why He chose to love me. Why He would choose me. It truly is of no doing of my own. He just does. There is no other words to describe it but "beautiful". In that line in the song it is so simple but so powerful, "and I realized just how beautiful Y0u are and how great Your affections are for me." This captures that moment. Like when the woman caught in adultery and Jesus lifts her head and ask where are your accusers? This is that beautiful moment.

I so wish I had come to this place without having gone the dark path. I so desire for my children to be spared the pain of sin and pray for mercy over them. But I also feel sad for church goers who aren't moved in worship by a Savior that is so great, and so gracious, loving, so forgiving and oh so beautiful. In that moment when I am so overwhelmed by, captivated by, enraptured by His great love I gladly forsake all my junk, my sin, my filth, for Him. If only for a moment I can possess Him, have Him, obtain Him. If were the whole realm of nature mine that were an offering far too small. Love so amazing so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

How He Loves Us - Part 2

For the next several posts I hope to expound on each line of the song "How He Loves Us". I hope you enjoy this as much as I will.

Love like a Hurricane, I am a tree bent by His waves of mercy.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. II Cor 5:14

Kim Walker ~ How He Loves US with lyrics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rW528qiYw

I loved the movie "The Notebook". As the love story builds the main character wrote love letters to his lover every day for one year. Later, as the story unfolds and the truth comes out about the un-returned letters, the lover is blown away by Noah's, the main characters, persistence and great faith in her, even though she never once responded or acknowledged the letters and effort. After being told of the letters, years later, she is clearly overwhelmed by his expression of love. The audience is captivated by this demonstration of love as well.

The line in this song so beautifully describes the Fathers violent, persistent, and tenacious pursuit of us. Jesus did not just write us love letters, which He did, but His demonstration of love towards us is so amazing so overwhelming and violent the image of a hurricane is beautiful. I have never personally witnessed a hurricane except on TV. The images are horrific. The wind and rain are relentless. It seems that it never stops. Wave after wave after wave of relentless thrashing. This image of this relentless violent rain is a great visual of His love for us.

No greater love than this than a man lay down His life for His friends. He took our place. Taking for us what we did deserve and giving us what we didn't. Martin Luther wrote of Jesus, "Hanging cursed upon the tree because of our transgressions, Jesus, in the Father's righteous judgment, had become "adulterer" to save sexual sinners. Likewise, He was "murderer" to save the hateful, as well as "oath-breaker," "liar," "sorcerer," and every other type of wicked person, even though He never committed a single one of these sins."

In our place Jesus took all our shame every embarrassing sin, the humiliation, the scorn. He took it all so that we might enjoy, obtain, and possess Him. What a Savior.

How He Loves Us - John Mark Mcmillan

This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God. I John 4:10 The Message

Ever so often there is a song that is the right song with the right words for the right time. This song has been that kind of song for me right now. It is amazing how the Lord does that. This song has been out for over 2 years but it recently has been covered by Kim Walker, Hillsong United and now David Crowder Band has just released it. It is being sung in churches everywhere right now. It has been a huge blessing to me as I have encounter the love of God afresh and anew. These lyrics have so impacted my thinking that I thought it would be a good source of encouragement as I blog each line of each verse. Taking a line at a time. I trust you enjoy this as much as I will. And I pray that the love of our Lord be an ever increasing wave that washes over you day after day.

Kim Walker version with lyrics on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rW528qiYw&feature=related

John Mark Mcmillan - How He Loves Lyrics

Verse 1:
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are, And how great Your affections are for me.

Pre-Chorus:
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Verse 2:
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

I know my Redeemer lives

The idea of a Redeemer has fascinated me for a long time. Redemption can mean a lot of things. Like to redeem a coupon. Basically, the value of the coupon is worthless except for it's expressed written intent. When used for other means it really can't buy you much but if it is used for it's purpose then it has value. This is an interesting thought when considering Christ's redemption of us, the redeemed. We truly have no value apart from Him. In John 15 Jesus says apart from me you can do NOTHING. That's a big statement from our perspective. But it is so true. Even those of great accomplishment apart from Christ will be consumed upon our Lord's return.

But the idea of redemption that really fascinates me is the idea of a restored life so full and complete that it is restored to a better condition than it's original form and purpose. I believe we see this throughout scripture and redemptive history. This is not a new idea but it is one that really makes my heart swell with hope and joy. It fills me with praise and adoration for a God that is so awesome, loving, and kind.

We see this redemptive story line play out in so many of the patriachs of the OT. Abraham with his promised son, Moses as leader of his people, Job with his many trials is given double because of his faithfulness, Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers is actually the vessel used to save those same brothers later in life. Only God could do these things in the lives of broken jars of clay.

The story that is most inspiring is the story of Ruth. It speaks directly to this idea of "kinsman-Redeemer. This title of "kinsman-Redeemer" is a title given to Christ. Boaz in Ruth's life is a type of Christ. We all know the story of Ruth but the backdrop really set's the stage. The book of Ruth begins with a famine. A famine is an external trial that is beyond any of our control. Life tends to come at us and we can make a mess of it by ourselves with no help at all but when something external hits us it is just that much more overwhelming. The result of the famine led to death. Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, was widowed as a result. Ten years later so was Ruth. In those days women had no options. They couldn't just pick up there lives, find jobs and move on. Woman were solely dependent upon their husbands for covering, protection, and most importantly provision. Naomi's and Ruth's situation was hopeless. They had nothing but a piece of land and no one to care for them or the land.

Naomi's plan was to return to her homeland sell the property and hope it was enough to outlast the famine. Regardless, the money would run out and she would eventually die. Ruth committed to Naomi and made the decision to follow Naomi and essentially realize the same hopeless demise.

But there was one other possiblity availabe to them and that was the idea of a "kinsman-Redeemer". Boaz was in a line of possible kinsman-Redeemers. The title essentially described a relative that was given the ability to purchase property and take wives who were widowed within the family or kin. This was the people of God's way of taking care of the widowed and poor. The kinsman-Redeemer depending on his place in line had the option but not required to make the transaction and "redeem" the relatives. In other words become the covering, protection, and provider of the relatives in desperate need. It was His prerogative and choice. He was under no obligation to do anything. If he had the means, inclination and benevolent heart to do so then he could act but only if he chose to.

Boaz was a benevolent kinsman-redeemer and in Ruth 4:9 Boaz declares before the elders, "Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion and Mahlon. ¹⁰ I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!"

At this point the transaction is consummated and now Naomi and Ruth are provided for. Boaz takes Ruth as his wife and if the story ended there it would be a beautiful account of how God is faithful to the poor who submit and desire to honor HIM. But the story doesn't end there. And this is why I am fascinated by this idea of Redemption.

God's redemption of our lives is not simple restoration. Restoration is beautiful. We all love to see an old abandoned house restored to it's original form. But this is NOT where God stops. His is a restoration that creates something totally new and better than it's original form and purpose.

Ruth was taken as Boaz's wife. Boaz loved Ruth. God blessed their union and they conceived a child. But not just any child because Obed was the father of Jessie who was the father of David. The greatest King of Israel and ultimately the lineage that led to Jesus, "the son of David".

This is how God so amazes me. Forces beyond our control and in many cases pain that is self inflected failure devastates and creates impossible circumstances that leave us desolate, desperate and dying. We have no where to turn we have no hope. If He doesn't choose to save us we are lost forever. Not only are we lost but our name is wiped out for ever. And in our despair our kinsman-Redeemer comes to our rescue. Jesus purchases us and not only covers us, He not only protects us, and provides for us but He restores what was hopelessly lost forever, our name.

Psalm 112 says that the offspring of the righteous will be mighty in the land. Where sin and self indulgence has corrupted, where external forces have warred against us and has devastated our hopes, dreams and aspirations He is more than able to take what is broken and seemingly hopeless and create something that is so far beyond our wildest dreams. He is so good. He is so wonderful. Words can't describe how awesome is our Great God and King. He is my kinsman-redeemer and I love Him.

Really? Seriously? Nothing?

Do "nothing" out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Phillipians 2:3

Really Paul? You can't be serious can you? "Nothing"? Really? ....... I am so not there. In fact just about everything I do is out of gross self interest. Surely Paul's words don't apply in the grocery store do they? We have all been there. You spot a lane at the grocery store and you look up and so did a guy on the other side and your in a hurry. My first thought is "speed up". Get there first. Isn't it true we have that thought every day all day? Getting to the isle first would be selfish so on my better days I let the guy go ahead. But where I think it is most difficult and also the greatest test is when we have been wronged by another person.

The greater the offense the harder Paul's words become. "Do "nothing" out of selfish ambition. Consider others better than yourselves." This is impossible when we believe we have "rights". It is so easy to fall into the trap of the world mindset that says we deserve better, we deserve more. We easily say to ourselves "It's my turn" I am doing this for me" All those "me" statements are very real and natural to the carnal flesh. And no doubt Dr. Phil would affirm your right to happiness. But Paul's admonishment is the exact opposite of the "Me First" way. As Christ continues to transform my heart I grow ever increasingly aware of my self centered ways.

In my depraved state I just have one set of lenses. They are the "me" lenses. And those are the only lenses I see everything through. You see it everywhere in advertising. We live in the entitlement age. We have all seen the ads with common themes like "you deserve the best" You deserve the nice car, nice house, nice whatever, and you especially deserve a break. The reality is that we don't "deserve" to be happy. It is NOT our right. What we deserve is death. What we get is life and freedom. Freedom to serve the One who purchased us with His own blood. Paul said, "I am not my own, I have been bought with a price." I Cor 6. We serve at His pleasure. He does what He wants to when He wants to with us.

To make a statement like "I deserve this or that" or "I am not going to put up with it any longer", is a form of rebellion that has no place within the heart of the believer. We serve at His pleasure. He determines what we put up with and for how long.

While Paul was in prison, beaten, starved, cold and wet, chained to the wall, he wrote to the Phillippian believers. He could have wrote of his sufferings, his health, his loneliness, his anger at his tormentors, his mistreatment, the injustice, his wounds, or his hunger. But had he done so he would have not been able to write "do nothing out of selfish ambition" he follows it up with the impossible "consider others better than yourself". If he is going to be true to that statement then he can't dwell on his pain and suffering can he? Rather he has to do what he did and that is focus on the Philippians and their needs and his desire to see God's glory magnified in his trials.

By the end of his letter to the Philippians he writes "Rejoice and again he said to rejoice" Phillipians 4. In his sufferings, while focusing on others, he comes to a place of peace and can say "Rejoice!" Paul puts me to shame. In his suffering he was true to his exhortation. While he could have, like me focused on his pain, he instead focused on the only lasting joy, the edification of the Lord's glory and His great name. Focusing on others provided the strength that he needed to endure but Paul gives another clue to his unbelievable overcoming strategy.

In his letter to the Romans Paul doesn't dwell on the past or his present condition but rather he looks to the hope he has in Christ. In Romans he writes, "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:16-18

Do I truly believe that the future glory is worth any pain I might endure here? Do I truly believe that in spite of pain or offenses that I should serve others including those who offend in hope of realizing a greater glory? If given the choice of removing myself from any discomfort and pain or remaining faithful and serving others would I choose to stay and serve? What do I believe? When is faith most evident? Is it most evident in good times or is it's greatest demonstration in times of pain?

I guess I need some more time on the alter putting my flesh to death