Merry Thanksgiving!
“I’m thankful for… “
Why is that statement often difficult to finish?
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But First—A Detour: So far the theme of my writing in the blogo-schmear is “out of date”—like crackers opened last month: stale, but they’ll do in a pinch. I start with a thought on such and such a day (last Thanksgiving for example). The thought isn’t even a rough sketch yet. Who knows where it ought to land. I sure don’t, yet. That stream of consciousness joins the river of life. Now I’m so far downstream who knows what to do with my attempt to share this fractured mind with…whoever..? Of course you would not know any of this were I simply to remain silent on the matter. But perhaps the confession will help us both. It helps me.
There! I can move on now. Much obliged to you.
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As I was saying: Why is that statement often difficult to finish? That is, why isn’t my tongue immediately supplied with dozens of answers to what I’m thankful for?
Do you play this game with your family at Thanksgiving? Everyone is expected to share some point of gratitude. Children make it look easy if not simplistic. I may be tempted to dismiss them. After-all: they’re insincere, just going through the motions—they don’t mean it—they don’t know what they’re saying—they can’t be truly thankful, as I am for… what was that again? Children care about inconsequential things (Such are the passing thoughts of this fool).
What is the thankfulness of a child but something adorable like a 5-year-old shaving off cheek-fulls of Barbasol without a blade—he’s not really shaving.
Remember what the Master said? Become like children (Mt. 18:3). Humble, pure, full of faith and hope. And, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Mt.5:8). Be as pure, innocent, and humble as children. In other words, let your love be genuine rather than self-imposed.
Adults feel pressure to make big to-do over “adult things” to the neglect of the mundane. I impose on myself the expectation to remember the grown-up stuff. I ought to feel greater joy over these compared with legos and hover boards (hover boards are pretty impressive). My speechlessness says otherwise. It takes a few rotations of the memory’s rolodex and all the might of my little gray cells to identify gifts correctly. Why the struggle then to recall these around the thanksgiving table?
Seriously… I’m asking. I’m sure I haven’t got to the bottom of it yet.
But perhaps it’s that I dunnae exult daily in the “small” things. And as a result I’m not primed to see everything else through the filter of gratitude.
Faithfully Impaled: If I’m not looking through gratitude then how do I view life? Chances are I have come to actually believe that mere life is a given. And how close to the truth I am, for life must be given. But it is not a given. The small things I look down my nose at children for fawning over are not givens. Nothing’s a given if nothing is owed to me. And if nothing is owed to me how should I come to see that all that I have received, all that I ever shall know, all of my life is a gift from Someone?
Act 3 — Scene 2:
the moment is dire, bewilderment has taken hold on Mark, he cannae find the words to express what he doesn’t understand:
Faith steps out from the shadow.
Faith says, “I am the way forward. I’ll show you peace, joy, and fullness. Take my hand. Together. Together you’ll see My gifts for what they are. We will walk through the gates of splendor, together.”
Only by faith do these realities begin to have true meaning and sit on a foundation you can build a life of gratitude on.
That’s what I want— To know through faith that in Him I live and move and have my being. To have a full and grateful heart. To walk humbly before my God and others. How will I rid myself of the legions of pride that stand between me and this Joy that is offered?
Impale them in faith that better things shall grow in their place. Reckon them and myself dead—dead to self-imposing nonsense. Line up all the self sins and skewer them with the cross.
Faith is a Person? Finally, what has stumped me since beginning this post; the true cause of its “out-of-date-ness”. I still can’t find the words to express the encounter I had with the Lord while reading Galatians last year. In Galatians it’s said that faith comes. Faith came to a particular time and place. But faith existed long ago before this. Followed by obedient souls. And then in the fullness of time faith came. Or was it Christ who came? Both Christ and Faith came to man, as a man…?
I just need to finish this thing so I can start thinking about other work, which means I won’t be giving it the full treatment today. But I do believe it’s worth further attention. And if it takes me to a dead end that’s Okay.
The broad strokes: there are a surprising number of times that you can exchange the word Christ with Faith (and visa versa) and lose nothing. Maybe even gain new appreciation (examples will wait for another day, but don’t take my word for it—try it out yourself).
“the law was our guardian until Christ came… But now that faith has come…” —Gal. 3:23-25
Some translations render this phrase differently. But the meaning works out the same, and I don’t think this pattern is exclusive to Galatians. I have not found this relationship between Christ and faith expressed before so I don’t know if it’s new. I’m aware of the expression: whatever is new in theology is, by the same token, false. It is not my desire to make up new theology. What do I do with it though? Comments are open on this one. I don’t want to be isolated, walled up inside my own mind. Feedback is welcome.
I have wrestled with the implications more than anything else. If this, then what? What difference does it make? I think it means that faith is not an action that comes from within ourselves—not just our choosing between options. It’s not an human ability we exercise. I think it means that faith is some part or organ of the Divine that, as participants in Being Himself, as gift, is awakened to return from the insanity of sin. I think Faith as a Person means that another layer of who Jesus is gets revealed. This Faith was once for all delivered to the saints in the Person of Christ Jesus, the Faithful One, who was and is and is to come. It takes the likeness of God that is Faith within us to quicken His likeness within us to follow in faith. Or said another way, God invades people who are made to be his temples in order to bring to life his own original likeness which he gifted to Adam. This He does in a form known as Faith. Faith as a Person would mean that, yes indeed, Faith is a gift. And that should set me up for living with a humility and gratitude that results in a persevering praise of the glory of God.
Forming Faith: Through seasons of doubt I’ve been guilty of looking inward for peace. I have searched my mind and heart hoping to find the faith I know is necessary to please God. Where is it hiding? Is it there at all?
This “peering within” betrays the misunderstanding I developed in thinking of faith as the part that I do. Faith is the part about me. But it’s not about me. When I sit down to break bread with my family it’s not about me.
When I share comfort with a brother who’s in despair it’s not about me. When I participate in making music with others… It’s. Not. About. Me.
And neither is the walk of covenant faith. It’s about God’s sovereign grace administered through his glorious covenant. God’s covenant with men is simple and effective. God covenanted himself, put his name on the line in such a way that makes it impossible for man to both love God in faith and take credit for it. All glory be [accredited] to God Almighty! It doesn’t belong to us. God. Did. It.
Earlier I asserted that nothing is owed to me. I now amend that. One thing only is owed to me. The just penalty for sin. Thanks be to God, he has set me free from that bondage. He paid in full what would require my eternal damnation as recompense. Instead, I am being re-formed to resemble the imagination of my Maker. Imagination is the organ of meaning, according to CSL. Is it appropriate to say that The Imagination drew the plans of creation and gave it meaning? Then the Voice gave it form. Faith has formed the world and everything in it. He is forming my faith to understand and love this good news.
Get to the Point: I will wrap this up before my faith becomes sight. What I have said in this mishmash is this: The righteous shall live by faith. Christ is our righteousness. Christ is our life. Is Christ, therefore, our faith because it is He who brings us alive? He defines the faith. He is the Faithful One. Jesus as a man had and walked in faith, convinced of His Father’s good purpose. He fulfilled all the hopes of Faith’s promises. Being in Christ means union with Christ. But in life we are also said to be in the faith. And that we move forward in faith. It’s like we are on a walking tour where we take each step in faith that at the end we’ll find rest—I won’t ever think of “moving forward in faith” the same. Someday we shall get in. But today it is enough to live in Faith and know that Faith is holding me.
Now — Can you think of any reason to give a rousing thanksgiving?
I can.
I’m thankful for tables and chairs. I’m thankful for bowls and plates. I’m thankful for silverware. I’m thankful for cups. May your tables be surrounded with full chairs; your forks and spoons, bowls and plates graced with abundant provision; and your cups overflowing with good wine to drink the health of all your guests.
AND, I am thankful for Faith. Without which it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto God. His Faithfulness is my only good.
O my soul, thou hast said unto Jehovah, Thou art my Lord:
I have no good beyond thee.
Jehovah is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup:
Thou maintainest my lot.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;
Yea, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless Jehovah, who hath given me counsel;
Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night seasons.
I have set Jehovah always before me:
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth. (Ps. 16)
TO THE LAMB!
Sláinte,
—Mark
