"Better Than Sacrifice"

We rightly rejoice in the merciful pardon promised by I John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

An even greater joy, however, is the mighty power promised in I Corinthians 10:13: "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

Our Heavenly Father would have us avail ourselves of His forgiveness and cleansing in Christ when and as necessary. "He delighteth in mercy," and He is "ready to forgive" (Micah 7:18; Psalm 86:5). Born again believers in the Lord Jesus therefore live in great expectation that the blood of Christ is an always effective restorative in times of sin. We do God, ourselves and those to whom we are called to minister no favors by wallowing in our failure according to the devilish and humanistic notion that self-flagellation can somehow atone for sins. Only the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus suffices for genuine pardon, even as the hymnwriter affirmed, "Nothing can for sin atone; nothing but the blood of Jesus."

Again, however, the greater gift of the Gospel is the ever-present power whereby visits to I John 1:9 are meant by God to become less necessary. We are to live in great expectation that the Spirit of Christ inhabits us in order to provide effective overcoming in times of temptation. It is surely true that forgiven sin greatly glorifies our Lord. Faithful submission, however, even more reveals who He is, testifying to the grace that bestows not only necessary pardon, but a new person. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new" (II Corinthians 5:17).

Our Father is ready to forgive. He is even more ready to enable the faith and obedience that makes forgiveness less necessary in time of temptation. Let us therefore rejoice in the expectation of restoration provided by I John 1:9. But even more, let us rejoice in expectation of the "way to escape" provided by I Corinthians 10:13. Both altars of hope comprise the salvation in Christ that glorifies God and enables a life of consistent and joyful faithfulness.

"To obey is better than sacrifice."

(I Samuel 15:22)

"A Little Lower"

Before His incarnation, the Lord Jesus Christ was greater than the angels because He was the Creator of the angels. "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:3).

During His earthly life as a man, our Savior was "made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death" (Hebrews 2:9).

By His resurrection and ascension unto glory, the Lord Jesus is "made better than the angels" (Hebrews 1:4).

The former and the latter truths are understandable. We expect the Maker to be greater than any and every aspect of His creation. That He could be "made a little lower" than a part of His creation, however, presents a reality beyond our understanding. More literally, it presents a humility beyond our understanding. "Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:8).

The fear of God begins both our wisdom and knowledge, according to Solomon (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). Our Lord is beyond every high and lofty concept of greatness we can imagine. Seeing the loving humility of God, on the other hand, begins the eternal journey of fulfilling our wisdom and knowledge. The new birth ushers us into such glory as we believe in a Servant/Savior who "came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). Growth in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus involves ever-increasing awareness of the Divine heart of humility whereby we "walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us and given Himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor" (Ephesians 5:2).

Biblical understanding of God involves both a high view and a low view. The former drives us to our faces in awe, reverence and the creaturely fear that acknowledges a Creator of breath-taking and heart-stilling magnitude. Interestingly, the latter view, the low view that sees God's humility, may drive us even more deeply into the depths of worship and awareness of how glorious He is. Indeed, "a little lower" reveals a Heart so wonderful that it transforms, at the highest cost to itself, former rebels into loving sons and daughters. No depth of bowed adoration, awe and amazement will be low enough for the redeemed to adequately acknowledge so great - and so humble - a Lord.

"I am meek and lowly in heart."

(Matthew 11:29)

"Silent Wonder"

(a repeat from last year)

In 1996 (and again in 2004, with improved technology), the Hubble Telescope was pointed at a seemingly blank dot of space where conventional telescopes revealed no galaxies, stars, or planetary systems.

Ten thousand galaxies were discovered in the apparent nothingness, each likely possessing hundreds of billions of stars.

Allow the enormity of those numbers to bewilder you (remembering that the area of space viewed by the Hubble is no bigger than a dot when viewed through a normal telescope). Then think of God, and be far more stunned, amazed, awed, enraptured, and filled with wonder. Because vast and multitudinous as creation may be, the greater truth is that the Creator simply spoke to make all things.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:1-3).

The power of our Lord's word in making all things proclaims how much greater He is than His stunningly immense creation. He also maintains the universe by "the word of His power" (Hebrews 1:3). Thus, to think of the God of the Bible, or to utter a word about Him, or to consider His person and truth, is a consideration we can never make lightly. Little wonder that Israel of old wouldn't even attempt to utter His name. Little wonder that Isaiah and John fell down before Him "undone," and "as dead" (Isaiah 6:5; Revelation 1:17). Little wonder that hundreds of millions of angels throng the throne of God to incessantly proclaim His greatness (Revelation 5:11). And little wonder that every born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ experiences times when it becomes all too much for us, causing us to bow our heads, knees, and hearts in a silent wonder of rapture.

All this being true, I nevertheless find that another aspect of God's truth causes me to even more experience "silent wonder."

"Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger... His name shall be called Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, "God with us" (Luke 2:12; Matthew 1:23).

Perhaps if I were wiser, I wouldn't write another word, allowing your heart to be thrilled by the thought that creation's Creator took upon Himself the relatively infinitesimal form of a human baby. I will therefore simply add that that in eternity to come, we will doubtless be able to explore its vast reaches to discover the infinite glory of God that will shine from every galaxy, solar system, world, and atom. Far more wonderfully, however, the sons and daughters of God in Christ will be escorted by the Holy Spirit on an eternal exploration of the heart, mind, and being of the glorious Creator who simply spoke, and a universe beyond our capacity to measure came into being. He is also the One who entered into that creation as a tiny baby, and who died for it as a humble man. Yes, let us join our hearts in silent wonder...

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable."

(Psalm 145:3)

"Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart."

(Matthew 11:29)