Did He Really Mean That?
Theology in the Trenches
The young woman stood looking into the eyes of the one whom she’d been gifted. She saw herself as gift, too, and who wouldn’t? After all, they’d been made for each other. Everything they needed was at their fingertips, and the security felt was no less than sacred. They spoke with their landlord frequently and gratitude was in the eye of the beholder. Beholding they were of that which had been given. With much to explore in the land of the living, they began looking around.
The layout of the land was all theirs by inheritance with few rules. In fact, there was only one. Early on, it was clear. They could eat from any tree except or one. As nature nudged, the grass looked a little greener elsewhere, so to speak. And speak to one another they did.
“Surely, He didn’t really mean that!” Temptation looked tempting and the whispers challenged.
“Pretty sure I heard him say that, but not sure why. Perhaps he isn’t as trustworthy as we thought?” Soon, doubt, the offspring of temptation, was birthed. Truth-be-told, they wanted what they wanted and trying it on for size would soon become reality. Surely, he wouldn’t deny them access to more and as the voices of doubt spoke louder than the protective voice of the landlord. Then, over the line they crossed to see what they were missing out on.
So, the story goes, and as we are all made from the same cloth of the first ones tempted, so goes the cycle of life. Did He really say that? Surely, He didn’t mean it how it sounded nor how it’s worded in His Word.
You really mean what you say in Psalm 46:10? “Be still and know that I am God” (which infers that I am not)? Oh my, are you sure you don’t want some of my ideas on how to fix things? I’ve got a few thoughts of my own and sometimes they seem to be pretty good ones.
“And He took bread…He broke it and gave it to them saying, this is My body which is given for you: do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19). Did he really mean that? Surely, he didn’t mean that! “And many turned and walked no more with Him” (John 6:66).
After all, it’s my body and I’ll do what I want says the sneaky little internal voice offering what appears to be the easy route of the way out of any given situation. You see, evil can’t see past its nose and so it goes. Long term consequences are nowhere on the radar…only immediate gratification and once the forbidden fruit is taken, the Holy One, the only One picks up right where He left off and is there on a moment’s notice to stand guard over that which He created. He stands ready to not only cover the broken which is often spoken in thought, word, and deed, but to forgive when asked. He stands ready to forgive that which is done and that which is left undone. For we have not loved our neighbor as ourself as lack of trust beckons us—come tarry.
He’s there alright—right in the midst of broken and as He was broken for you and for me, He understands it firsthand.
When doubt creeps into crevices, trust all but vanishes as we begin to believe the twisted lie that He really never said any of that which was spoken from the beginning. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. All things were made through him.” (John1:1-5). You read that correctly, “all things”.
“And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth…” (John 1:14).
He created you in His image and likeness and said you were not only good, but very good (Gen. 1:31). The goal of the enemy is not to take you out. No. The goal of the enemy is to turn you in on yourself and destroy you.
So, why turn away from the very One who offers grace, forgiveness, and strength for the battle at hand? You are loved. You can believe it because He has already called you by name—you are His (Is. 43:1-2). He thirsts to have you receive the love He desires to lavish upon you (John 19:28 and 1John 3:1). I pray you’ll take Him at His Word. Amen.