We've decided it's time to leave the rental market. We're tired of the way our efforts to be the 'best tenants ever', are unrewarded. I look around our garden and think of how it was when we arrived, and all that we've done to make it beautiful, and some dark little part inside of me whispers that I hope they can't find tenants as good as us again - that the garden becomes a mess and overgrown again and that they regret losing us 😂. And I realise - I'm still not a true reflection of Jesus. He wasn't like that! Didn't have a vengeful spirit! And yet it's still alive in me. And while we might think it's ok, and justified, it is part of that rebellious spirit that began our downfall. Not part of the beauty of spirit that is God's heart.
Now I know when we read other parts of the Bible, God can come across as very vengeful! Afterall, his rule was - break any part of my law, and the judgement is 'death' for you! It's only after seeing God through Jesus, that you begin to see things differently! This is not a case of judgement based on the written word! This law is intrinsically written into the fabric of all creation! It is the written expression of the law of other-centred love on which is is all founded! And the way in which all things worked together in harmony and beauty!
The introduction of a spirit opposed to this law, brought about the beginning of slow and insidious decay, which has been at work through time, destroying us. Death is a natural consequence of breaking out of that law of love! And rather than exacting vengeance on us for our actions, God gave himself in an enormous gift of compassion and love, showing that law of love at work! His aim was, and is, to bring as many of us as possible, back into harmony with that law, so he can take those out of the world, so deeply contaminated, and give them a chance to live again as he intended! In a world unmarred by the disease of selfishness and death's decay.
He's given every single one of us that chance! Because he does not want to lose us! And because his spirit is other-centred love! That's who he is!!! But he will not hold back the final destruction of all that is still contaminated! The rot of decay must be thoroughly eradicated so that life may be again as he intended! All that contains it will be destroyed. And a new, unblemished world will replace it, once more running on his intended blueprint of selfless love. And this world will not know death and sickness, because it's fabric is uncorrupted.
We've been told. We've been shown. We've been given warnings! There will come a time when his heart will say it is enough - that he can't allow the darkness to continue this way. The cries of so many desperate and tortured lives tear at him every moment! He can only hold off this destruction so long. And we cannot stand clean without the gift he gave us - Jesus' untainted life within us! Covering our broken ones.
God is not like us. He doesn't respond with our pettiness. His vengeance is not against us! He gave himself to save us! The vengeance that is coming is directed at that which has destroyed us. Destroyed the very fabric of who we are and every beautiful thing he's created here. That is what he will destroy. Don't be a part of it. 😔
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