Brooding on the truth

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)

Chambers starts off today’s devotional reading based on this verse with these words: “If you want to know the energy of God (i.e., the resurrection life of Jesus) in your mortal flesh, you must brood on the tragedy of God.”

“Brood” is an interesting word. In context, here it means to think or ponder something, but the main dictionary definition is how a hen or other bird sits on their eggs, keeping them warm until they hatch and new life comes forth.

This image describes how God wants me to ponder what Jesus did on the Cross. He died for me and in Him the world was made dead to me and I died to the world. Do I live that way? Do I boast about that reality? If not, it is because I do not brood about it.

Another image comes to mind. A person just won a great deal of money in a lottery. The first reaction is utter astonishment, yet it the thing seems like a dream; it didn’t really happen. Unless the winner thinks about it and adjusts his mindset to it, he does not feel like a millionaire, talk like a millionaire, or act like a winner.

The world was crucified to me. This is a reality. By the death of Christ, the world has been made dead to me, separated from me. In this context, ‘world’ means the system of sinful living, every person for himself, driven by what I want and by the pride of life. People in the world would never think to boast about the Cross where that world died, but I am to think that way, brood on it, ponder it until I realize this is reality.

I was crucified to the world. That is, God changed my life and my ‘I wants’ so that I’m no longer drawn into worldly things . . .

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15–17)

Is this true? God says it is. Do I ponder it, brood about it enough that I begin to act like a person who is dead to the world, separated from fleshy desires, from wanting what I can see, and from being proud about a zillion things? Or do I let the lies of life tell me that I belong here and this world is my home?

God wants me to brood. He wants me to stay with this until the warmth of its truth brings forth His life in me. If I walk away, the eggs or seeds of reality will begin to fade. They will not hatch. I will not perish because God has mercifully saved me, but I could easily miss out on experiencing the great power of God by choosing to run around the coop instead of brooding on the truth.

Offended by God?

The realities of these Alberta floods is a struggle. Our family is safe, yet not certain of the days ahead. My brother-in-law escaped the rising waters with the clothes he was wearing and his vital medical equipment. His son’s family had to leave their pets to their fate. They were not able to take their cars, vital papers, or anything of value. Yet in all this, there is good news.

My sister tells of the farm where they stayed a few days after evacuation. The week before, people kept bringing food to that farm, unaware of the need that would come. This was a God-thing, an advance preparation that enabled their hosts to care for several families.

I’ve retold this story several times. Christians respond by praising God, yet those who do not know Christ seem oddly annoyed, even offended. Some look at me as if I am lying. Why not be glad for God’s provision?

In New Testament Galatia, being a Christian wasn’t easy. Some were thinking of going back to their religious rituals because that would be easier than obeying the Gospel. Paul contrasted their choice between rites and rituals with suffering for believing in Jesus Christ. Was the Cross beginning to offend some of them too?

But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. (Galatians 5:11)

The cross was an offense to the Jews because it swept away their pride. They believed they were the people of God, not because of His grace and mercy, but because they performed their religious duties and did things that made them special. The Cross says otherwise, that no one is special. All are sinners and this death of Christ is the judgment sinners deserve.

The death of Jesus is our death. He died because we deserve to die. The Cross represents our folly, our inability to save ourselves. It says, “All are sinners” and offends human pride, striking a fatal blow at human efforts to be religious, to please God by our own doing.

For the Jews whose faith had deteriorated into works-righteousness, the Cross proclaimed their ceremonial law useless, their sacrifices, feasts and festivals mere motions. The temple was a sign of their hope and symbol of their unity, but the Cross swept that away too.

We might think that pride in worthy things is okay. That is, it is better to be proud of laws and temples than to be proud of guns or money, yet Paul said, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galatians 6:14)

The Cross was an offense then and still is today. It cuts at our pride and says what we don’t want to hear. But the Bible is clear — on that Cross hangs the Redeemer who says, “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

For some, everything else that Jesus does is also offensive. I’ve told family about the healing that happened in my husband’s body while he was praying for healing in others. Some were offended. I’ve shared the story of the extra food before the flood and some are offended.

Before I condemn others, I must admit the same pride. Often, I run into a problem and without even thinking to pray for wisdom and help, I tackle it. I don’t hear my pride saying, “I will do this by myself” until I find out the hard way that I cannot and need God.

The offense of the Cross is that we must go to God with empty hands. We prefer a little toil and sweat, measuring the value of many things by what it cost us to get them. But Calvary costs us nothing — yet it cost God everything. He paid our price, took our penalty, then freely offers eternal life to us without price. As today’s devotional says, in this commercial age there is something suspicious and offensive about that.

If anyone preaches salvation by good works (and almost everyone does), it appeals to many eager hearts. Yet God says no matter how hard we try, we fall short of His glory. This is why —

The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

I’m now hesitating before sharing that food story to some people, yet must not let possible rejection hold me back. Everyone should know that our God is an awesome God and totally able to anticipate our needs. This is good news, regardless of the reaction!

Boasting

Yesterday our daughter-in-law was called into work. I didn’t complain. I could boast about that. The Christmas meal was delicious. I could boast about that. I won our game of Chicken Foot. I could boast about that. Somehow, on Christmas day particularly, but all other days, even the thought of boasting more and more pinches my conscience. It is not appropriate.

This blog is called “Practical Faith” for a reason. God is teaching me that believing in Jesus Christ is not about “pie in the sky” but about living by faith every day and in every circumstance. He is showing me how truly helpless I am without Him. He wants me to know how eager He is to come alongside to help me, no matter how insignificant the need might seem.

If I’m worried about little things like the possibility of burning the bird, He wants me to pray. If I’m concerned about DIL working in minus 25 C temperatures or driving on icy roads, He wants me to pray about that. Then, when He comes to my aid, He wants me to give credit where credit is due. 

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)

This verse is about boasting in my righteousness. Of course, that is nonsense. There is no righteousness apart from that imputed on me by grace through faith.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

Not only that, any wisdom, goodness or godliness in me is there because God sent Jesus to die on the cross that I might be set free. Further, He raised Him from the dead that I might live rightly, even be able to call on Him for wisdom in daily life.

And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption… (1 Corinthians 1:30)

This Christmas, like all others, is about Jesus. The rest of it can be a distraction, but it can also be a celebration of the fact that He came. However, His final destination was never a manger. His destiny was the Cross and then the glory. Compared to what He has done and is doing, I have no reason to boast, none at all!