God’s character....
If you’re not a believer in God, there is no way I can make
any sense of this to you. However, this is something so very basic that
(basically) a ton of believers in God take for granted and never think about.
God is god. God does whatever it is that God does and God is whoever God is and
we just “roll with it”. Maybe to you, God is just that person we talk about at
Christmas and Easter. If you’re from the south, you definitely probably have a
church that you claim that you might even go to every Sunday mornin’ cause “that’s
what Mama wants from yeh.” Regardless, I am convinced that while many things
are vital to a thriving Christian walk, the thing that is almost always the
first to be taken for granted is God’s character. Maybe it’s just me, but I get
so busy learning about God and what is required of me to be an “acceptable” Christian,
that I forsake the relationship that I have with the God of all the earth and
sky. When I do that, I am nothing short of an absolute and total fool.
While working here at camp, I am richly blessed to hear some
of the most God-exalting and beautiful music that I could ever hope to hear. I
want to use one of the songs from Thursday night services as an example of how
God works through this music to draw me to Him.
“I Run to Christ”
by Chris Anderson
I run to Christ when chased by fear
And find a refuge sure.
“Believe in me,” His voice I hear;
His words and wounds secure.
I run to Christ when torn by grief
And find abundant peace.
“I too had tears,” He gently speaks;
Thus joy and sorrow meet.
My brain works in reverse, sometimes.
When I am listening to music, I often wonder “what would happen if…” With this
song, I wonder what would happen if when I ran to Christ, when I was chased by
fear, and I did NOT find a refuge sure? What if His voice said, “You CAN’T believe
in me”? What if I did NOT find abundant peace? What if my sorrow was only met
with MORE sorrow because God could not give me joy? What if the text went:
I run to Christ when worn by life
And find my soul *UN*refreshed
My life would not be recognizable
if God was not who He said He was. Where would I be if God was everything He
ever said He was, minus one attribute of His character? What if God was in fact
merciful, but the object of His mercy was Jesus Christ and not mankind? It
would be within His “right” as God to save His Son and reject sinners. But, no,
God chose to make ME the object of His love and mercy
Before I go all over the place
and oblige the temptation to list every characteristic or truth about God right
here and now….Pick one Bible verse, one song, one truth about God and imagine
if it was NOT true. Such as:
“UNamazing grace”
UNamazing because it cannot save a wretch like me. I’m still lost.
Such as: God has given us the spirit
of fear and has NOT given us the strength to obey.
Such as: God is NOT good, He is
NOT good to me.
This is a meditation that can go
on and on and on.
Back to His mercy, what if His
mercy was not new every morning? What if I was not able to cry to Him? What if
God’s mercy was there, but I had no advocate to request this mercy for me? What
if there was a God, but no Christ to be my High Priest? What if God only gave
me mercy when I asked for it? What if God only gave me what I thanked Him for?
What if God only showed me as much mercy as I deserve (which is absolutely nothing)?
Ahh, but friends, these are all “what
ifs” that add up to nothing. God’s character is completely and wholly true. He
is holy, good, merciful, kind, true, honest, pure, patient, wise, caring,
LOVING, and on and on and on the list goes. Next time you read a Psalm or any
passage on who God is, or next time you hear a song praising our God, go in
reverse mode. Apply what would be truth if this was NOT a fact about your God.
So, on Thursday nights, when Matt
Taylor finishes singing “ I Run to Christ,” and I have spent the three and a
half minute duration dwelling on my need to be able to run to Christ, I see the
beauty in the truth of…
I run to Christ when chased by fear
And find a refuge sure.
“Believe in me,” His voice I hear;
His words and wounds secure.
I run to Christ when torn by grief
And find abundant peace.
“I too had tears,” He gently speaks;
Thus joy and sorrow meet.
_____
I run to Christ when worn by life
And find my soul refreshed.
“Come unto Me,” He calls through strife;
Fatigue gives way to rest.
I run to Christ when vexed by hell
And find a mighty arm.
“The Devil flees,” the Scriptures tell;
He roars, but cannot harm.
_____
I run to Christ when stalked by sin
And find a sure escape.
“Deliver me,” I cry to Him;
Temptation yields to grace.
I run to Christ when plagued by shame
And find my one defense.
“I bore God’s wrath,” He pleads my case—
My Advocate and
Friend.
I hope this makes sense. Go to
your media player and find a favorite song about God. Put it in reverse.
Realize your need for the truth of that attribute of God. Many times, I can’t
imagine “what if” for the entire song because of the realization of my need for
even that ONE specific attribute of my Abba.
Thank You, Abba, for being
exactly who You say You are.
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