It's Sos. (Sosthenes)
I Cor 1: 14-16 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. 16Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
Here's Paul rolling full forward in his train of thought, trying to be accurate, trying to make a point. He says, "I didn't baptize a single one of you except Crispus and Gaius so no one would say you were baptized in my name."
STOP! I remember distinctly reading this, stopping right there at that period (.) and thinking, "Huh, I would have thought he'd have baptized more people than that."
And here's where I imagine I hear Sos gently reminding Paul, "Um, didn't you baptize the household of Stephanus?"
My NIV reads, (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanus; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.)
I love the parentheses right there. It's a side comment. Can't you just hear the patient/impatience? Such a mom thing. So many times I've tried to make a deep point to my kids and they get hung up on a detail. Yes, I want to be accurate. Yes, I want to represent the truth, but I'm trying to make a point here...
Maybe it's just me, but I think that one verse is cute and well, really funny.
Is that OK, to get tickled about scripture? Feels a bit un religious... but there's that verse that says, "When a man loses all his hair, he is bald." (Lev 13:40) Nooooo.... really? What a keen sense of the obvious. I adore bald men, by the way, and have always thought them extremely intriguing and handsome. (NOTE: Yes, I KNOW that verse was distinguishing between a natural hair loss and a disease that might need to be treated. And I've put this side comment of accuracy in parentheses just for you. insert smile here )
But right here --------------- Right here ---------- This is not enough.
Sure, I feel like I have something pithy to say. I could skate through and maybe have a "succesful" blog entry. But this is not enough.
Right here the September 15 words of "Jesus Calling" are echoing.....
Rest in me, my child. This time devoted to Me is meant to be peaceful, not stressful. You don't have to perform (blog) in order to receive My Love. How it grieves Me to see My children working for Love: trying harder and harder, yet never feeling good enough to be loved. Be careful that your devotion to Me does not become another form of works . I want you to come into My Presence joyfully and confidently. You have nothing to fear, for you wear My own righteousness. Gaze into My eyes, and you will see no condemnation, only Love and delight in the one I see. Be blessed as My Face shines radiatly upon you, giving you Peace. (Jn 14-13; Zeph 3:17; Num 6:25-26) p.270
If you do not own Jesus Calling, please get it. If you have and don't read it, please find it and crack it open. You will be blessed.
So Lord, Jesus. I've written about yesterday's bread. But I'm hungry today. Please?
I Cor 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
There it is. I felt that tug to write something clever. But the cross of Christ speak for itself. This is good news. So many times I don't want to talk about the cross because so many people have irritated me with the way they bottle and label it.
Paul was able to speak with eloquence..... if he wanted to. He was highly educated and definitely a skilled debater. But no matter how many words he could use, he says:
I Cor 1:18-21
18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19For it is written,
“I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,
AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”
20Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
Oh wow, Paul even used that word "debater." Lord, thank you for those small confirmations that I'm hearing you.
I can think of one friend in particular who will be ever stirring the pot. I confess, I threw my own spoon in on occasion and tried to stir the vortex the other way. But God is WELL PLEASED to use foolishness of what was preached - the cross, Jesus crucified and resurrected - to draw his foolish children back to Him.
Lord, it's true. The cross is crazy. You gave up your only Son to save people who will never want you enough. To give life to people who will never really live for you. And yet I'm sitting here tapping out a prayer, knowing you hear me, taking it for granted........ because of that crazy cross. It doesn't make sense - at all! - until I look at your loving gaze. So much love. Nothing makes sense until I see it in the light of your love.
Thinking about all the absurd events recorded in the Bible, I can see why people get upset with it. But standing here, wrapped up in the sleeves of His robes, I can see that ev-e-ry thing before the cross leads up to it. Everything after the cross flows from it.
Once upon a time, I wrote Brennan Manning a letter. I asked him why things still hurt so long after you forgive someone... and why sometimes, forgiving someone takes time after time of coming to the Lord. He wrote me back and said, "I don't know." He suggested I put a crucifix on the wall and focus on it, that I would most likely find my answers at the cross.
Not being Catholic, I don't have a crucifix, but I have a vivid imagination. .....and I confess I don't like crucifixes. Seeing my resurrected Jesus hanging there makes me a little peeved. But I will say this.
I am beginning to see that unless I come to a point of really seeing him hanging there in pain, I will never really see who it is that is here with me resurrected.
Billy Graham always talked about the cross. Even as a Bible believing Christian, it irritated me. "I've heard that! I want more!"
What a foolish girl I've been, so very much in need of the crazy cross.
And now, I'm going to.......
...rest.
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