Why they remain

I thought I would post an interesting thought I found in God's word today. Sometimes I wonder why God leaves so many difficult people in our path; People who just make it a pain to go about our daily lives; People who hurt us, chastise us, imprison our spirits. Well, the nation Israel wondered this too, but there, in this case and in ours, is one reason:

20-22 And God's anger blazed against Israel. He said, "Because these people have thrown out my covenant that I commanded their parents and haven't listened to me, I'm not driving out one more person from the nations that Joshua left behind when he died. I'll use them to test Israel and see whether they stay on God's road and walk down it as their parents did."
23 That's why God let those nations remain. He didn't drive them out or let Joshua get rid of them. *Judges 2:20-23(MSG)

Hmmm... Could it be that sometimes in our life God leaves these people behind to sharpen and test us? Judgement will still fall upon all for their acts and motives, and the just shall be rewarded. However, God clearly states that one of the reasons that oppressors remain is to test us.

With outstretched arms

You know, how many times have we seen a religious image of Christ, perhaps floating in the clouds, or superimposed over a church steeple, with his arms outstretched, as if beckoning us to Him? It is indeed a beautiful and inspirational picture, isn't it? The Saviour of the world, calling us to Him, perhaps longing for our embrace, longing to tell us that He loves us and has been waiting for us to "come home." Well, I must confess that despite the beauty of that image, I in my mind sometimes in the past would dismiss this image as being too "melodramatic;" merely artist's renderings put out for dramatic effect and a little emotional manipulation on the side.

However, In a recent jaunt through Romans, I discovered Paul also paints this image of God. In Romans 10, a passage where he is essentially quoting much of Isaiah, he makes reference to Gentiles that the Lord had revealed himself to, and compares this with the way he has reavealed Himself to Israel, His chosen, by saying in v.21:

But to Israel he says: All day long I have spread out My hands to a disobedient and defiant people. (HCSB, emphasis mine)

Other translations use the phrase "open arms" or "stretched...hands," but the meaning is still the same. God does stand with open arms, ALL DAY LONG scripture says, waiting for us to come to Him (or return to Him, for that matter). So, perhaps the images we see of the beckoning deity are not that far off from reality afterall.

- submitted as newsletter article on 8-15-06

A true definition of GRACE

I found a very neat scripture today that speaks well a true definition of grace. In my latest goal of rereading the book of ROMANS, I stumbled upon chapter 4:4-5, which says:

Now to the one who works, pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares righteous the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness.

You know, I love receieving a salary. I''m sure you do too. Although once I receieve my check, it's usually spoken for from various providers of service: power company, mortgage company, credit card, etc. I'm sure you can relate. Even though my "job" as a minister is a little different than most, it's still nice to be able to pay the bills with "compensation for my time." However, whether you work in an uptown Charlotte skyscraper or in a factory, we can all agree that there are some weeks we feel like we DESERVE that check.

God's system is a little different.

In this passage, I really like the way Paul explains grace vs. works. We know that grace is undeserved, but freely given without expectation of repayment. If our faith was based on works: us doing something for God, heaven and salvation would be nothing more than God signing a paycheck. God does not owe us anything, as a later passage in Romans 11:35 emphasizes.

Well, I'm off to "work," not to my job for a paycheck, but my job for the KINGDOM.

Poem: We Yield, We Bow

This poem was inspired by seeing how the weight of the ice during a icestorm caused the rows of Cyprus trees in my driveway to bend over. To me, it was as if they we bowing to some stately dignitary who was about to pass through. This image stuck in my head and I finally some months ago felt led to use this as a spiritual object lesson of sorts about who the weight of things in our lives sometimes leave us no choice but to bow to our Creator.

We Yield, We Bow…By Chris V. Bridges

In their fertile and lively splendor, they stand.
Cyprus trees, proud and slender, tall and regal;
Like sentries fighting against the onslaught of the wind:
Always looking skyward, as if waiting for the Great Return.

But with winter’s icy blast comes the challenge of a new burden.
Gentle frozen droplets from the sky add a crystalline shimmering.
But this new garment produces a seemingly unbearable load.
They can no longer stand.

So perhaps ever so gently for some,
And with haste for others,
Almost as if nodding to the One who gave them their glory,
They yield, They bow.


In our fertile and lively splendor, we stand
The redeemed, made in the image of God, washed in the blood of the Lamb;
Like sentries fighting against the onslaught of sin:
Always looking skyward, waiting for the Great Return.

But with life’s wintry blast comes daily challenges, daily burdens.
With the intent of increasing our faith, adding to our spirits a shimmering
But this new garment produces a seemingly unbearable load
We can no longer stand.

So perhaps ever so gently for some,
And with haste for others,
Nodding to the One who gave up His glory
We yield, we bow.