Meditations of The Right Uses of Passion and Power
Reading through Mere Christianity this morning, I was moved by the quote:
"...though our feelings come and go, His love for us does not. It is not wearied by our sins or our indifference, and therefore, it is quite relentless in its determination that we shall be cured of those sins at whatever cost to us, at whatever cost to Him." (CS Lewis)
It was a beautiful quote to consider at the beginning of Lent, which leads on to Easter and remembrances of Christ's Passion and the cost our salvation was to Him.
The quote also reminded me of the song "Reckless Love:"
You have been so, so good to me
Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me
You have been so so kind to me
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the 99
And I couldn't earn it
I don't deserve it, still You give yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
You have been so, so good to me
When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me
You have been so, so kind to me
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the 99
And I couldn't earn it
I don't deserve it, still You give yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending reckless love of God
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
(Copyright Cory Asbury Publishing)
These lyrics always move me deeply, especially when set to music.
I had some traumatic moments of angry and violent abuse when I was a kid, so the images that come to mind as I listen to this song actually serve to redeem some of those painful memories and do a healing work on me.
Not everyone who pursues you or kicks down a door is going to do you harm.
The person who is seeking you may be seeking your rescue or freedom.
That is why God pursues us so relentlessly.
And then the song becomes a meditation on God's passion and His power and the passions and powers He imparts to us as His image-bearers, stewards, agents.
Of course, humans misuse their power and their passion is bent, because we are fallen and we don't hold all our qualities in perfection like God.
We misuse others in our anger and abuse them with our strength, but God's relentlessness is balanced with His other perfections, namely his love and mercy.
That leads me to remember the lion who chased Shasta for his good in "The Horse and His Boy." Aslan says,
“I was the lion." And as Shasta gasped with open mouth and said nothing the Voice continued. "I was the lion who forced you to join with Avaris. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you.” (CS Lewis)
That's my favorite Narnia story, probably because it is the one I relate to most.
I find the Lord's mercies can be terrible in the most technical sense of the word.
He will rake you with his claws like Aslan did Aravis' back if it will lead to your healing.
And that reminds me of Gandalf terrifying Bilbo in The Hobbit.
"Bilbo Baggins! Do not take me for some conjurer of cheap tricks! I am not trying to rob you. I am trying to help you."
Gandalf saw that Bilbo was in bondage to the ring and that it would destroy him.
Even so, the Lord "terrifies" us, but always, only for our good.
He never goes beyond what's required, but also, and probably more to the point, he won't settle for less than our total deliverance.
Thank God for His perfect power and passion.
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