Loathsome

Last Friday, the tragedies in Japan had me thinking about the New Testament passages in Mathew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 in which Jesus details the events of the end of the age to his disciples. So I decided to re-read those familiar scriptures. The promise of earthquakes, famine, war, and pestilence are listed there, but what especially resonated with me that day was the statement in Luke 21:17 that says that, "All men will hate you because of me."

This was not news to me. I have read those words countless times and am also very conscious of the drastic cultural shift in this country away from Christianity and the things of God. In addition, I have lived for 41 years as a minority in an ethnically homogenous part of the United States and have personally experienced contempt from individuals that don't appreciate the beautiful texture of my outer canvas. Still, I took a moment to meditate on that statement and thought about how one prepares to be totally hated. No one wants to be hated. It goes against human nature. AW Tozer said it most eloquently in his work The Divine Conquest in which he asserts,

the desire to please men is back of all social acts from the highest civilizations to the lowest levels levels upon which human life is found. No one can escape it. The outlaw who flouts the rules of society and the philosopher who rises in thought above its common ways may seem to have escaped from the snare, but they have in reality merely narrowed the circle of those they desire to please.

As such, preparation for such a state of existence requires a paradigm shift which only comes from having one's mind renewed. (Romans 12:2) It is necessary to adopt the attitude of Christ (who made himself nothing and took on the persona of a servant to achieve His mission according to Philippians 2:5-8), to acknowledge that the life we live is no longer our own (Romans 8), and to keep our eyes on the prize (Romans 8:17-25)

Movement

March is an aptly named month. It is a time of forward movement. Not only are we leaving the season of greatest darkness and propelling headlong toward long, lush, sun-drenched days, but the entire ecosystem begins bursting forth, displaying what has been achieved in the cold darkness of winter.

In my yard the irises have emerged and stand in perfect formation. They will soon be followed by daffodils, tulips, and alliums. Like a marching band unified in perfect harmony and movement, every bulb, shrub, and tree stays in step with the rhythm set by the drum major.

I said in an post earlier this year that January is hopeful. March brings the unfolding of those hopes. I believe that this season will reveal the much anticipated, glorious bounty that we set our hopes on in the autumn when we planted those bulbs in the mud, in anticipation of spring.

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast." 1 Peter 5:10