Hebrews 4
This post will be a "Christian" one - so for the many of you that read this and want to skip this one - I won't be offended - Believe me, I understand. However, I have to stay 100% authentic to who I am as an artist, human, musician, and spirit. Sometimes I will be more artistic in my messages. Other times I can't.
Read Hebrews 4 - if you don't have a Bible, google it :-)
Amazing that the Bible addresses "rest." Not the rest that we are used to hearing about - but a rest that is much more cutting edge - much more necessary. Rest is not an option for a serious minded person. Rest is not some sort of thing we can enter into if we choose to. Rest is a sort of mandate. Rest is more of a state of being than a day or two that you take off. Rest.
The Bible makes it clear that some people don't enter this rest. Those that believe enter the rest. Others are in consistent anxiety - consistent turmoil - consistent agony. It's funny that as I read this, I automatically assume that I belong in the "those that believe" pile. Then my soul talks back to me, and I realize that I don't have the slightest clue about this rest. All the spiritual heavyweights understand it - and I don't. This makes me unfit for my calling. This makes me unworthy of anything worth fighting for.
It is interesting that right after the rest that God promised is discussed, the writer says that the "word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." God knows that discussion of rest is probably something human beings won't understand - they won't grasp - they won't enter into because they don't trust Him enough. They would much rather control their invisible destinies.
We are people who would rather see comfortable, minimal signs of success, than choose into abundance. Our linear understanding of improvement is more important to us than a potential ocean of discovery and love. We would rather have checkpoints of really small fruit, than a harvest in the sky that can be immeasurable. We would rather have a great next step, than an impossible answer to prayer that comes later.
Hebrews 4 goes from a harsh word about rest, to the word being sharper than a sword, to a very interesting conclusion - God's ability to sympathize with our weakness, since He also was tested. This correlation between the inability to enter into rest and God's ability to understand us is mind-blowing. People who find it difficult to enter into rest also find it difficult to be understood. People who cannot slow down cannot be categorized either. People who want so desperately to be used fight with God in a way that is crazy to much of the outside world. People like this go between two extremes - "Either God hates you, or God loves you." There is no middle ground for you lot of soldiers. Your are prepared to submit fully to an infinitely, loving God, or you are willing to admit that God hates you and wants nothing to do with you. Your soul refuses to be comforted (Psalm 77 - thank you for this reminder), and you fight and cry until the love of God falls upon you. You know love, so you know what love isn't.
Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
The perfect ending for an imperfect reader. Peace, and much love to you - the kind of love that either thinks God loves us, or He hates us - John Baptist.
Read Hebrews 4 - if you don't have a Bible, google it :-)
Amazing that the Bible addresses "rest." Not the rest that we are used to hearing about - but a rest that is much more cutting edge - much more necessary. Rest is not an option for a serious minded person. Rest is not some sort of thing we can enter into if we choose to. Rest is a sort of mandate. Rest is more of a state of being than a day or two that you take off. Rest.
The Bible makes it clear that some people don't enter this rest. Those that believe enter the rest. Others are in consistent anxiety - consistent turmoil - consistent agony. It's funny that as I read this, I automatically assume that I belong in the "those that believe" pile. Then my soul talks back to me, and I realize that I don't have the slightest clue about this rest. All the spiritual heavyweights understand it - and I don't. This makes me unfit for my calling. This makes me unworthy of anything worth fighting for.
It is interesting that right after the rest that God promised is discussed, the writer says that the "word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." God knows that discussion of rest is probably something human beings won't understand - they won't grasp - they won't enter into because they don't trust Him enough. They would much rather control their invisible destinies.
We are people who would rather see comfortable, minimal signs of success, than choose into abundance. Our linear understanding of improvement is more important to us than a potential ocean of discovery and love. We would rather have checkpoints of really small fruit, than a harvest in the sky that can be immeasurable. We would rather have a great next step, than an impossible answer to prayer that comes later.
Hebrews 4 goes from a harsh word about rest, to the word being sharper than a sword, to a very interesting conclusion - God's ability to sympathize with our weakness, since He also was tested. This correlation between the inability to enter into rest and God's ability to understand us is mind-blowing. People who find it difficult to enter into rest also find it difficult to be understood. People who cannot slow down cannot be categorized either. People who want so desperately to be used fight with God in a way that is crazy to much of the outside world. People like this go between two extremes - "Either God hates you, or God loves you." There is no middle ground for you lot of soldiers. Your are prepared to submit fully to an infinitely, loving God, or you are willing to admit that God hates you and wants nothing to do with you. Your soul refuses to be comforted (Psalm 77 - thank you for this reminder), and you fight and cry until the love of God falls upon you. You know love, so you know what love isn't.
Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
The perfect ending for an imperfect reader. Peace, and much love to you - the kind of love that either thinks God loves us, or He hates us - John Baptist.
Thanks. Sometimes, your stalkers desperately need these "Christian" ones. This was also a nice kick in the ass: "We would rather have a great next step, than an impossible answer to prayer that comes later." And Psalm 77. Thanks for that.
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