It is worth noting, that in
the presence of our King, what can begin
as a moment [we] create, In an effort to glorify
Him,
can so easily be transformed
into a platform on which to parade our own Pride in ourselves –
In our status, or position;
our glorious intentions
collide with the responsibilities
of the Freedom we have been
granted through the cross.
This tension, the Freedom of
choosing submission,
of laying aside any of our rights to recognition for the sake
of [His] fame,
is the tension of sacrifice;
a sacrifice of praise.
We can ride on [our] pride for
a time,
on momentum, repetition;
But he does not share his
glory with anyone.
He keeps his distance from
the proud, and gives grace to the humble.
Yet even when our intentions
to glorify Him
are marred by selfish
ambition… He melts, he leans in.
For so great is His desire
to love and be loved,
to meet our advances,
however feeble,
that he sent even His only
Son to suffer for our sin,
so that even in rebellion,
we could approach Him.
This is the Good News of
Salvation.
Thus, Grace descends, a
beautiful demolition
of anything – any wall, any
reason – that might keep us from Him.
Even in trying to elevate
our King,
We are prone to fall short,
sidetracked with ourselves,
with shallow, material things.
Yet, because of Jesus, he
comes. So gently, so humbly.
His Spirit resounding in
ours - reassuring, comforting.
A servant King, seeking to
relieve the burdens that weigh us down,
the walls and wounds that keep His love out,
and restore us to friendship
with Him.
At this encounter,
All security built on human
promotion melts.
All confidence built on
deeds we have done is stripped back,
and exposed.
Any value we may have
attained by any means other than His Word
is suddenly undone.
We can boast of nothing,
save our need of His Love,
and breath,
and song in our lungs.
He is, we are.
He has always been, and will
always be. We are merely a breath of air,
Subject to his majesty. And
yet we are his masterpiece, His bride.
The object of His passion.
Humbled in our realization
that We are the ones wooed,
and can give him nothing,
our resistance is broken.
[For everything comes from
Him; everything exists by His power
and is intended for His
glory.]
It is in this understanding, this revelation,
that there is freedom.
Freedom to love him in
abandon,
and stand with arms wide
open, in the rhythms of his Grace,
A receptor of His Redemption
– not hiding,
but steadfastly trusting His
heart.
We love, because He first
loved us.
And it is on this foundation
that we are built up,
and can never be shaken.
