People who struggle the most with what I write are the ones who have a god that is comfortable to them. In that comfort is their spiritual demise and therefore the reason for the pain in their life. Your Grace-Full Christmas Present # 6 is “Love defeats fear” and it is one of the central themes of the New Covenant that Christ issued in. This is why when someone questions me after they have read and examined the 7 questions and they want to know why I think God is so amazing my typical answer is two words, “the cross!”
“The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.” – Luke 1:28-30
When Jesus died on the cross one of the things that happened is a huge curtain that was in the temple and separated the place where people could be and where God lived, ripped! Not just a little tear mind you but from top to bottom this curtain ripped right down the middle so that it was beyond repair!
Why was this foretold and why does it matter? Because prior to that God was said to live in the temple behind that curtain and Only special people and at special times could Ever go behind the curtain, no one else would even consider going behind the curtain because God would be angry!
This is what caused Mary tremendous fear in the passage above some 33 plus years prior to the curtain being ripped. This is what caused the angel Gabriel, the busiest angel God has to say something pretty much unheard of to that time, “The Lord is with you” – to which Mary could have said, “NO! Not me I don’t want this pain!” In fact she was “troubled” and I think to say she was “afraid” is like saying Jesus had some discomfort on the cross! Mary was TERRIFIED and what good Jewish girl wouldn’t be!
Penalty of death by stoning, family completely humiliated for the rest of eternity and this is how God treats those who are favored?!? Get me the heck off this ride, pop smoke I am DONE!
OR, Be Still and Know that He Is God! Breathe in and out and Rest or have Faith that He Is The God beyond our understanding and GOD IS LOVE!
IF we choose the second option, Peace prevails! IF we go with deciding to let God out of the box Free Him from a god behind a curtain and Grasp the concept that He is living in our heart because He Purified us, Reconciled us, Justified us, Redeemed us and that will Never change because we are no longer under the law but under Grace – IF we see GOD as The God Who IS LOVE – EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING else falls into place!
