A meditation on the fall and the Lord’s participation in the consequences of it.
Feet made for running, nailed to the post.
Hands made for healing, nailed to the beam.
Head made for ruling, gouged with thorns.
Soul made for love, crushed in wrath.
Body made for life, put to death.
As I was reading the first book of the Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis, (Out of the Silent Planet). A parallel occurred to me.
In a sermon on John 21:15-25, Drew Conley pointed out a nuance in the agape/fileo exchange between Jesus and Peter.(Conley 2024) Jesus asked Simon if he loved him with a sacrificial self giving love (agape). Peter responded, I love you with a familial (fileo) love.
Jesus asked twice using (agape) then on the third inquiry switched to fileo. Peter was grieved, he felt his betrayal, he could not claim agape in the light of his failure. Jesus leveled with Peter and accepted what Peter had to give.
He asked for strength that he might achieve;
he was made weak that he might obey.
It is good to have ambition, this is what allows a person to succeed in their work and accomplish their goals. A weak-willed person, out of fear of failure will decide to not decide to go for a goal.
It is also important to know your limits and abilities. Not everything you set your mind to is achievable by you.
As a dad, part of your task is to help your son discover his capacities and help him find what he should be doing.
Miracles are not anti-scientific. Science is based on observation. The witnesses who saw the miracles of Jesus of Nazareth saw real events. The miracles demonstrate that the power he had is so great that he could control reality in a way no one else could. This proved him to be equal with God. 1
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Drew Conley made a striking comment about the woman at the well: “Imagine what she thought of herself”. The woman was searching for love, and pinned it on married life. After five husbands, her hope was placed in the coming Messiah. This is the woman that was afraid to show her face in public, a reject, and a reject of herself in her own heart.(Conley 2023)
This was the woman that Jesus insisted on talking to.
Preaching on Acts 17:10-15, Dr. Conley pointed out how great a treasure brotherly care is.(Conley 2022) Often gospel ministry will create opportunities to share in the suffering of others and minister to their needs. The Berean brothers took action to bring Paul out of Berea quickly and secretly. They came alongside and helped in a way that met the need.
When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
— Proverbs 21:15
On March 2nd, 2023, a Colleton County jury found Richard Alexander Murdaugh guilty of murdering his wife and son in June of 2021. I watched most of this trial, both sides argued hard; it was exhausting.
What a blessing it is to see a guilty person brought to justice and punished. It is right for people to be glad. The community sees justice exercised, they hear the instruction from the law that evildoers will indeed be punished. They also reap the civic benefits of a wicked man removed from the community.
You are not broken if you grieve. Often the reality is that we will carry our losses to our graves.
There is a reason to hope; if the one lost is in Christ, and if you yourself are in Christ. There’s hope of restoring the relationship, and having back again in the one we love & lost. At the rapture, Christ will bring all those who have fallen asleep in Him.(Conley 2022)