Up and Down, Back and Forth
- Mike Rydman
- Aug 22, 2007
Up and Down, Back and Forth
I admit I am a creature of habit. I like routine. I seem to function best in an environment of self-discipline. The first two hours of everyday are spent doing these things, and in this order: I walk and feed the dog, I turn on my computer and BlackBerry phone to check my email, I go online to check my bank account, and then I have my "Quiet Time." All of this is done while consuming two cups (no more, no less) of Starbucks French Roast coffee.
I picked up the term "Quiet Time" somewhere along my time in college (back when dinosaurs roamed) and have continued to use it, for lack of a better term to describe my morning devotions. I also have routine in my Quiet Time. I begin by reading five Psalms. The five Psalms coincide with the day of the month. For example, today is the 22nd, so I read Psalms 106 through 110. (The plan here is that by reading five Psalms a day I can read all of the Psalms in a 30-day month. A 31-day month gives me a "day off," I suppose.) I then read a chapter of Proverbs. Today, I read Proverbs 22. (There are 31 chapters of Proverbs, which, again, allows me to read through Proverbs each month.) I then read through the Scripture our tribe (small group) is going through on Tuesday evenings, and through the passage I am to preach on that following Sunday. When that is done, I then sometimes read through another passage or two, just because the Holy Spirit put it in my mind to do so. I finish up by writing out my prayer/s in a spiral-bound notebook I keep just for this reason.
It happens to me often. I am busy preparing a sermon, and God leads me to other passages in Scripture in my Quiet Times that expand the theme of the sermon text. This is almost always unexpected and unanticipated on my part, but God always knows what He's doing. I am learning much these days regarding the unity of the Bible, and am learning to look more carefully for the Gospel in every story, every theme, every instruction and every truth I read.
I am preaching this week on Romans 13:8-10, where Paul tells his readers to "owe nothing to anyone, except love." He immediately goes on to tell us that "the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." Even as I write this I recognize that "love" will require some definition. The "law" will require definition, and even the word "fulfilled" requires some explanation as well. The motivation behind "love" will be a theme to be explored.
This morning, I read Psalm 106, which speaks to the up and down, back and forth relationship the people of Israel had with God. So often, it went like this:
"Their enemies oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their power. Many times He (God) delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity.
Nevertheless, He looked upon their distress, when He heard their cry. For their sake He remembered His covenant and relented according to the abundance of His steadfast love." (Psalm 106:42-45)
When I read this I find myself impressed with God's patience and forgiving heart, while also decidedly unimpressed with the up and down, back and forth commitment the people had toward God. I've even had the thought, "What's wrong with those guys?"
However, and be it blessing or misfortune, the Holy Spirit doesn't let me rest there. The Spirit has this uncanny way of forcing me to see myself in the people of Israel. God's people Israel are in many ways displaying what is true in all of us - an unaccountable knack for moving forward and backward in our devotion to God.
Yet, I am struck with God's patient, long-suffering and forgiving heart toward us. My own pride can run me headlong into sinful rebellion against Him, yet He lovingly draws me back to Himself. He may draw me back through a loving embrace, a sense of His presence. He may, however draw me back by allowing the consequences of my sinful rebellion to cause me to run at full tilt back to His forgiving arms.
The more I consider my salvation through Jesus Christ, the more impressed I am with my own sinful inclinations. It is much sin in me Jesus died for. It is with much love that Jesus continues to forgive the sin in me He already eradicated by His death on the Cross. This kind of love, a love only God can have, sheds light on our Romans passage for this week.
We are called to love, and to allow love to be the motivation behind every act, every thought. It is a love like this that "fulfills the law."
I like laws, and any self-discipline I've adopted is really a Mike-made law. Contrary to that notion, however, is love. Instead of being self-disciplined, Jesus is calling me to be motivated by love. This is a love that the pages of Scripture describe as being completely demonstrated by our forgiving God. Oh, that I would get better at emulating this kind of love, in response to the love He continues to express to me!