I listened to Jean Vanier on CBC radio yesterday; he is the founder of L'Arche (an organization that aids individuals with developmental disabilities). When asked in the interview what he has learned about human beings over the years since founding L'Arche, he says he's learned that the greatest human desire is not for control, power, hunger, sexuality, etc; the most basic human desire is for love. He went on to say that he has also learned that God's greatest desire is also to be loved. He used the illustration from the end of the book of John, where Jesus asks Peter three times, "..do you love me.." Imagine: God's desire is not for power, wealth, etc...the God of Heaven and Earth desires as we do, to be loved...could we even take it further and say that God needs our love, as we need the love of others?
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Friday, October 5, 2007
Freedom in Christ
We, on our own - independant from the Living God - are in utter and absolute poverty...It is the recognition of this truth, however, that can lead us to a place of blessing (..."Blessed are the poor in spirit...for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven"). Yet, we often live in shame outside this great blessing because we begin believing that God is apalled at our human condition (spiritual bankruptcy). The enemy then amplifies our shame by whispering the greatest of lies: you are the exception and are therefore unacceptable. Our reaction to this belief (the lie) is to erect walls - denying ourselves the pleasure of being truly loved by our Father.
The irony of this action is that barriers are built against the One who has totally removed all barriers. Lies that are sown and take root can become great spiritual strongholds, which can keep us in great darkness. However, God is interested, and determined to bring down these strongholds, which Paul says are "arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.." We use, "...the weapons of our warfare... not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]...mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds." Our weapon is the leading away of "every thought and purpose..captive into the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:3-6).
Strongholds (lies which set themselves up against us truly knowing God) begin to be removed when "every thought and purpose [is lead] away captive into the obedience of Christ." It is God who must reach in, lead us to the healing cross of Jesus (where our shame was destroyed) ...He must captivate our very thoughts, and continually breathe the TRUTH into us that we are absolutely loved and cherished as we are. We, in our present condition, could not be loved any more than we are at this very moment. Nothing in all creation can change that.
The irony of this action is that barriers are built against the One who has totally removed all barriers. Lies that are sown and take root can become great spiritual strongholds, which can keep us in great darkness. However, God is interested, and determined to bring down these strongholds, which Paul says are "arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.." We use, "...the weapons of our warfare... not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]...mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds." Our weapon is the leading away of "every thought and purpose..captive into the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:3-6).
Strongholds (lies which set themselves up against us truly knowing God) begin to be removed when "every thought and purpose [is lead] away captive into the obedience of Christ." It is God who must reach in, lead us to the healing cross of Jesus (where our shame was destroyed) ...He must captivate our very thoughts, and continually breathe the TRUTH into us that we are absolutely loved and cherished as we are. We, in our present condition, could not be loved any more than we are at this very moment. Nothing in all creation can change that.
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