“People of grace operate in grace…” This is something my husband used to tell me all the time. I must be getting better at operating in grace, because he doesn’t remind me of this as often as he used to. I’ve gotten to the point where I can scroll by blasphemous posts on social medias without getting completely riled up and without feeling the overwhelming desire to comment and blast people with the truth – so Christian of me. Then again, that sentence alone is quite revealing as to how I really feel, am I right? Fine, I admit it: there are still some posts that I can’t seem to stop myself from making a (grace-filled) comment – at least I try to make it come across as grace-filled.
“If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.” While I understand and appreciate the reasoning behind this wise saying, there are times to speak and times to be silent. When I see someone posting a belief that I once believed – a belief that was a large reason for my choosing to walk a road that inflicted harm on myself (and others) – I feel as though I’m obligated to at least offer a word of caution. Do I always speak up? No, I don’t always get the right nudge. There is one meme that I find particularly cringe-worthy and difficult to scroll past. It is an absolute inaccurate reflection of who God is:
There was a time in my life that I would wholeheartedly agree with the message of this illustration. Infinitely wise in our human minds, we “Make a plan, stick to the plan; always deliver!” (Storks) What we fail to consider is that it’s not just about us. There are other infinitely wise humans that have their own plans – and our choices effect others. Take this illustration for what it is: blaming God for all of the bad things we have to go through. Wait a minute! That means God does evil to bring about His plan. Do you see how absurd that is? God is not, and cannot be, evil.
This year has definitely been one for the books. Not only have we gotten a small taste of just how selfish our fellow man can be, we’ve also been exposed to hatred like never before. We’re getting into arguments on social medias with people we rarely communicate with in face-to-face settings, we’re facing a deficit in our bank accounts and in our healthy interactions, and we’re always on the verge of offending someone for either being considered a “sheep” or a “Karen” (no offense to any legally named Karen’s out there or those who identify as sheep).
As I’ve entered into my forties (ugh!), I’m still learning more and more about God and His absolute, immeasurable goodness. Even more this year, in a time of a targeted pandemic coupled with social and political unrest, God’s goodness is what I see because I choose to see it. Is there evil? Yes, I’m not blind. Does evil win – absolutely not. That is the goodness I see because victory is a massive part of my inheritance. How many times have we heard that victory is ours through Jesus, but we live defeated?
One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament (at least this week) is the story of Joshua and Caleb. Out of all those sent out to explore the land God promised them, Joshua and Caleb were urging the people to take possession of the land God was giving them. After the majority gave the report of doom and gloom, woe are we, it’s impossible – well, this is how Caleb responded:
“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.'” Numbers 13:30 (NIV)
Unlike the others, his was not a report filled with fear, but of confidence in the promises of God. He wholeheartedly believed and followed God (Numbers 14:24). Now, jump 45 years into the future. Joshua is noted to be old and advanced in years (Joshua 13:1 – God called him old!), the land that God promised to His children has been conquered and has been at rest from war… but they have not possessed all of the land. They drove all of the enemies out, but then didn’t possess the recently conquered land. Now they were dealing with squatters. They don’t own the land, but they’re taking advantage of the resources and are not paying rent.
In Joshua 14:6-12, Caleb has come to see Joshua, telling him that he is as strong as he was 45 years earlier and is ready for battle. He’s ready to take his inheritance. Here’s what Caleb said to Joshua:
“Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” Joshua 14:12 (NIV)
He’s 85 years old, and is ready for battle the way he had been in his youth. His confidence isn’t found in himself – his confidence is in God. Caleb heard what God had promised regarding the promised land, saw the giants, yet chose to focus on the inheritance. Even 45 years later, his faith has not faltered – God promised it, so Caleb believed that God would do it. Sounds so much like a “Well, duh!” type of thing, but it’s so easy to get distracted by all of the nay-sayers, the woe-are-we crowds, and the hopeless-heapers. It doesn’t help when there is so much we don’t see in regards to our inheritance.
The Israelites were very familiar with the different sacrifices that were required to be made to God, but I’m going to point you to the major sacrifices and offerings found in Leviticus. You’ll notice that the common sacrifice is an animal and the Lord was very specific on the type and the how (and many other things). These sacrifices had to be repeated at different times because one sacrifice wasn’t enough to cover the individual for all time – just until the next sacrifice. Jesus was considered the Lamb that was slain – the atoning sacrifice for all of the world for all time (I John 2:2, Hebrews 9:27-28).
If you’ll take notice of how the sacrifice was made, though, there’s a very interesting detail that most just breeze over (I always did, too). In all of the Levitical sacrifices, the animal being presented was humanely killed. There was no beating, no torture; no drawn out pain and suffering that the animal had to endure. But with our Savior, it’s an entirely different story. Jesus was so severely mistreated that, in the end, he didn’t look like a human being (Isaiah 52:14).
The whip used on our Abba had sharp objects (picture glass, metal shards, even animal bones) tied into the leather strips so that when it hit his back, those pieces dug into his skin and left trenches in its wake. By the time the whipping ended, was there any skin left on His back? But that wasn’t inhumane enough. Then came the crown of thorns shoved down onto (and into) His head. Mockingly robed in purple, carrying the weight of His crown of thorns – pain and blood flowing from his skinless back – Jesus was then struck with staffs, spit on, and mocked. When they tired of that cruelty, they stripped Him of the purple robe and led Him to be crucified. He was so weak (understandably so) that He couldn’t carry the cross. After they forced Him to walk what is estimated to be 400 meters, He was then nailed to His cross – through His hands and feet – in a way that made it unbearable to breathe.
He did all of that for you. He wanted nothing more than to give you His inheritance, so He endured what you were set to receive. What is your inheritance through Jesus? Is it a life of victory or defeat? Jesus didn’t go willingly to the cross (and all that came before) for us to live in defeat, fear, and hopelessness. With how much He suffered, I can’t reconcile that with even the notion that He would plan hardships for my life. He’s obviously a Father who loves us so much He went through hell for us, and it goes against His character to inflict pain on us. Yes, bad things happen in this world (John 16:33) but they are not from Him or by Him (Isaiah 54:9-10, 15) so don’t blame Him.
In no way am I saying that God cannot use our valleys, our struggles, our detours; pandemics coupled with social and political unrest. But He will never force Himself on us. We always have a choice, whether in action or thought, in how we will proceed. I hope to be a Caleb – 85 years old and boldly taking hold of what was promised – wholeheartedly trusting God and His profound goodness.