Ok, I knew I should be writing but I could not.
Why?
What is there to write? What is there to say? We can only speak when we haven’t seen his majesty. When we encounter him, there is nothing to say. Words fail us. Speech becomes inadequate, in fact, seems inappropriate. There is nothing, absolutely nothing to say or do except to fall on our face at his feet with our spirits crying out in awe:
‘’what is man that you are mindful of him, human beings that you care for them?!’’
This is not wilful self-abasement; it is an almost involuntary paralysis. An astonishment – the overwhelming realisation of the incomprehensible truth that this being - He Himself who is before all, and in whom all things have existence - wants to (and even loves to!) be in relationship with this creature: MAN.
Man: A creature of earth’s dust and His wind, barely able to stand and totally incapable of existing on its own.
More incredulous is the fact that He also wants our input.
…
What is there to say?
The very fact that there exists a creature like Adam (the Human) is an insight into the character of this being YHWH - the great I AM. How did He not choose the huge, majestic Cherubim as his image-bearer; or more befittingly, create a specialised being half the size of His universe in order to show his Majesty? Rather, He chose us - delicate vessels composed of atoms held together by that invisible force of his power but altogether not even visible from space. Weak in stature, slow in aptitude, forever making mistakes yet totally wanted by Him:
‘’what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?!’’
.
The Lord’s work is just that: The LORD’s work. What a privilege to be considered participants in his plan! What an absolute honour to work with him!
But how much work did the fisherman Peter do to convert 3000 men in just one 9am speech?
What well-honed skills or charm did he employ to pull that off? ‘He’ even got them all to hear him in their own native languages!
The well-versed Paul (formerly Saul) might have used his intellect and education to convince some, and one would have hoped his connections to the Sanhedrin might help get many to turn to Christ but alas all that was downplayed! He summed it up with these words:
‘’But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ’’ Philippians 3:7-8 NIV
As it seems, His Majesty (the LORD) delights in expressing himself through the mundane', the insignificant, the humble.
‘’Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ‘’ [1 Corinthians 12:26 -28]
What does this reveal? His Majesty is self-sufficient. He really does not need help. He does not need to be added to: He is complete in Himself. He himself IS.
Nothing we are or we do adds to his greatness; but despite this truth, he chooses to share everything with us. Why? His nature is to GIVE and we are the chosen objects of His goodness and mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory. That’s just it: he chose us. Nothing more, nothing less.
No, this is not self-abasement. Really, no physical action or words could effectively convey our gratitude or achieve humility in us no matter how we try - even that is only possible by the help of His holy Spirit. This is us just seeing the truth the way it really is. It is realising that no work of the Lord is up to our ability, skill, wisdom or merit: it was all settled from the foundation of the earth. Therefore, it is just our utmost privilege, a testament to the sheer beauty (glory) of his being and awesomeness of his nature that we are participators in his eternal plans. Yes, we must work dedicatedly but these realisations should inspire a reverence and necessary humility in relations as we carry out whatever role He assigned to us. The kind of reverence similar to that which vaporized Job’s arrogance and inspired his repentance:
“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You.
Therefore I abhor myself,
And repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:6
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'Give thanks to the God of heaven,
For His lovingkindness (graciousness, mercy, compassion) endures forever. Psalm 136:26 AMP
‘’…for without Me you can do nothing.’’ John 15:5b
‘’But God was kind! He made me what I am, and his wonderful kindness wasn’t wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God’s kindness at work and not me.’’ 1 Corinthians 15:10 CEV
''For we are laborers together with God; ye are God’s husbandry; ye are God’s building.'' 1 Corinthians 3:9
Scripture: Colossians1:17, Psalm 8, Acts 2, Romans 9:20,21,23, Hebrews 4:3, 1Cor 14:17, 15:10, Ephesians 6:18
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