Borrowed Breath

We have a really cute baby boy. I know every parent thinks their kids are cute. And most are right. But every once in awhile, you’ll come across a baby who is actually not cute. And the nicest thing you can say at that moment is something along the lines of, “Oh, wow! Isn’t he . . . little!” Or as a friend recently told me their family says when they encounter a baby who is lacking in the cute department, “Now that’s a fine baby.”

But our little boy is genuinely cute. We have complete strangers stop us and use words like “beautiful” and “adorable” and of course “cute.” And his aunts literally shriek in his presence since they cannot find words to describe his cuteness.

I have noticed a recurring pattern with our little Philip. No matter where we go, he is instantly the center of attention. I am merely the carrier of this cute baby. It’s almost as if I don’t even exist. Of course, I’m fine with this attention being directed toward my son, and not toward me. That’s how it should be.

And that’s how it should be in my relationship with Jesus Christ and with others. I’m just a carrier of the risen Christ, His aroma to this world. People should notice Him, not me.

Here’s a picture of the little guy, just in case you don’t believe me when I say he’s cute.

Though all around me shifts and moves,
Though my thoughts and acts accuse,
God will be faithful to His plan,
Righteous to His covenant,
To keep those He has redeemed,
To protect the weak and low-esteemed.
His promises cannot be broken.
He will fulfill what He has spoken.
So trust this God whose heart of grace
Redeems from every tribe and race
Those who others have condemned,
Those too weary to pretend,
Those who sense a soul-deep need
For this God of love, this love that bleeds.
So when your last hope has flown,
God’s shed blood will atone
And redeem all you have lost,
Freely offered at the high cost
Of the Lamb’s deadly wounds,
Of the cool of the empty tomb. 

May you know this shepherd King.
May your soul enraptured sing
Praises to Him who makes you whole.
May joy and peace flood your soul. 

God is righteous.
God is faithful.

Love covers over a multitude of sins.
Love embraces before repentance begins.
If we only love those who also love us,
It is not born of God, but born of dust.
Love always triumphs, love always wins.
Love covers over a multitude of sins.

It is impossible to experience the love of Christ, to truly experience it, and then to withhold that love from others. So if I refuse to extend the love of Christ to you, then I am not experiencing it. It is just a theological truth.

Two things have happened recently that got me thinking. Both of them involve people we know who are on opposite ends of the theological spectrum. In both cases, the individuals appear to believe that they’ve defined God from the scriptures. And they are adamantly moving forward on that assumption, to the degree that if you do not agree with their definition, then you are wrong. Period.

Part of the problem with “defining” God is that we are limited by 3 dimensions and by our 5 senses. Unless you see dead people. And God is not bound by these limits.

And it’s not just that we create God in our own image. But rather that we cannot even begin to comprehend this being who is above and over and in all things, and who is also here with us and in us. God is God. As we study His attributes within the scripture, a healthy dose of humility is required, or else we latch onto that one attribute that most closely resembles the God we want to worship. And we minimize those attributes that seems to oppose this God we’ve created in our image.

God is not limited to nor defined by my little perception.

“Though the fig tree does not bud
       and there are no grapes on the vines,
       though the olive crop fails
       and the fields produce no food,
       though there are no sheep in the pen
       and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
       I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
       he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
       he enables me to go on the heights.”
(Habakkuk 3:17-19 NIV)
 
Enter faith. Faith says that, even though I may not understand God, I trust Him. Even though the world around me is crumbling or prospering, that is no indication of God’s wrath or of His favor. He is God.

His limitlessness (is that a word?) should not lead us to despair. Instead it should prompt us to worship Him, and to seek to know and trust Him more.

I’m just tired of some Christians who think they have a corner on God, and then attack those who don’t agree with them.

God is God.
I am not.

This road,
This journey,
This epic voyage,
This load,
This yearning,
This coming of age,
Is marked
By heartache
And by delight,
Is marked
By mistakes,
By wrong and by right,
This sacrifice,
This strain and strife,
Far, far from perfection
Following Christ,
In newness of life,
In His death and resurrection.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:33-36 ESV).

Having a son certainly changes perspective. I now read passages like this one differently. And when I pick up our crying baby, I’ll whisper to him, “It’s okay. Daddy has you.” But that doesn’t always console him.

And it got me to thinking how many times my God whispers those same words to my soul, and yet I keep complaining.

This poem was inspired by this post by Peter Rollins. Please read it before you read the poem.

I don’t want to know what I know
I’d rather hide my head in the sand
Or claim I do not understand
The plight of my fellow man
I’d rather maintain the status quo

I don’t want to be enlightened
I’d rather stay here in the dark
Than see suffering severe and stark
Remaining deaf to the guard dog’s bark
And keep my purse strings tightened

I don’t want to be convicted
By my lifestyle choices’ effects
Treating humans as objects
With my foot upon their necks
I don’t want to be conflicted

So just leave me alone

Two friends decided to take up the hobby of hiking. They immediately fell in love with nature and enjoyed being out in it for extended periods of time. What started out as one day hikes turned into overnight trips and then into weeklong excursions.

They were so enthused by their new-found sport that they shared of their experience with everyone. And when they were hiking, they enjoyed meeting other trekkers in the woods. They would stop and chat, and sometimes even fellowship around a campfire with them.

As they progressed in this sport, the one hiker began to add more and more gear to his pack. He purchased a lightweight stove, then a sleeping bag and pad that packed into a smaller space. Then came the water purifier and a small hatchet. As he added more equipment, his pack became heavier and heavier. But because he was in good shape, he was able to carry it. And all of these items made the trips more enjoyable.

Gradually, he became more and more self-satisfied with his collection of stuff, to the point where he questioned his friend’s commitment, since he continued to enjoy these hikes with a lighter pack containing only what he needed for each trip. The first hiker carried his well-stocked pack on each outing, even if it was just a short one day hike.

Earlier on, when they would meet other hikers in the woods, the conversation would center on the beauty of creation and their mutual enjoyment of the experience. But now, this hiker would start out by interrogating them on what their packs contained. He would immediately assess their dedication to the sport by comparing what they lacked by what he carried. And if they did not pass his evaluation, he deemed them inferior and even questioned whether they could call themselves “hikers.”

Finally, he ostracized himself from everyone, including his closest friend. He blamed them for the separation, since they were not as dedicated as he to the sport. And so he hiked alone, satisfied to be apart from those who were not as devoted as he was.