Pat's Ponderings

Some say David was manic-depressive. John the Baptist wore a robe of camel's hair and ate locusts and honey. Peter, an uneducated fisherman, stood in front of the religious elite to define and defend his faith. Paul was on his way to arrest believers when he was called to preach, and eventually die for, the Gospel he was trying to kill; he's still considered the world's most powerful and influential missionary.

History has known it's share of those branded with the label of lunacy for the sake of Christ: Martin Luther, Adoniram Judson, Hudson Taylor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Oswald Chambers, Jim Elliot. These are joined by those countless brothers and sisters living in Asia who still today must meet in secrecy, by those in the Middle East facing violent murder each day of their lives, and by all those others who have defied society and government by boldly proclaiming the Name of Jesus. All these saints, by the bold statements of their lives, have joined in Paul's passionate outcry to the church at Philippi:

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith -- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
(Philippians 3:7-11)

This again coming from the man whose credentials precede these statements - a man who, by the standards of social status, wealth, and even the established religious system of his day, had obtained everything considered good. So, when he calls all that wealth and glory the vilest of waste, those around him immediately wrote him off as insane.

But surely these people could not really believe that forsaking comfort and convenience for pain, suffering, and death was truly worth the cost. I mean, that really would be crazy. They must have been exaggerating, right? Far wrong, brothers and sisters! These saints saw the great value of knowing Christ Jesus, heeded His call, and believed His promise: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." (Luke 9:23-24)

So, in light of the saints gone before us, I ask, Where are all the crazy people? Have we melted into society too deeply? Do the comforts of living in the States have us bound too tightly to our pleasure? Oh, I am as guilty as any and, perhaps, more sane than I should be. Let us consider deeply the greatness of what it means to know our Lord Jesus.

Here's the song that started me thinking on all this recently.

Why would I spend my life longing
For the day that it would end
Why would I spend my time pointing
To another Man
Isn't that crazy

How can I find hope in dying,
With promises unseen
How can I learn Your way is better
Than everything I'm taught to be
Isn't that crazy

I have not been called
To the wisdom of this world
But to a God
Who's calling out to me
And even though the world may think
I'm losing touch with reality
It would crazy
To choose this world over eternity

And if I boast let me boast
In filthy rags made clean
And if I glory let me glory
In my Savior's suffering
Isn't that crazy

And as I live this daily life
I trust you for everything
And I will only take a step
When I feel you leading me
Isn't that crazy

--"Crazy," MercyMe

Oh, let me be crazy in the eyes of this world to be in love with my Lord!

This post categorized under Personal Thoughts and Musical Musings.

I have found myself being very encouraged recently by the profound depth of spiritual expression found in the refrains of saints whose sweet melodies have blessed the church for a great number of years. Check out this hymn written by Charitie Bancroft in 1863:

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

-Before the Throne of God Above, Charitie Bancroft

Mere black text does not permit me to exclaim how great is our Redeemer! The sheer promise that Jesus Christ, the Spotless Lamb of God, stands in my place, eternally fixed as my righteousness, fulfilling the condemnation of the Law, and granting the full rights and inheritance of a true son of the Living God - oh, that promise defies the means of exultation known to my simple mind. It is as sure as the Risen Christ, more certain than the accusations of the Father of Lies, and eternally sealed by the Blood of God's own Son! No tongue can bid me thence depart! Oh, that we would sit at our Father's feet in awe of Who He is and learn from Him! No man can approach the throne of God above without coming away utterly and profoundly changed by His Glory and Grace.

This post categorized under Musical Musings.