“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
We win the war between the two kingdoms in loving one another and self sacrifice.
In whatever culture taking the way God lays out of submission, service, obedience to His will, kindness, compassion treating others with dignity and honour.
Not taking the way of rejection, rule making, barricading, dividing and with no empathy.
Jesus gave all He encountered value and dignity as a human beings first and foremost.
It is not a case of ignoring the truth. It is not having a liberal agenda that doesn’t accept sin as sin.
It is the overriding desire for all to flourish abundantly but at the same time to be beautifully intolerant of sin.
The love of each one in front of us to shine through as a light and to flavour as salt in embracing and love not rejection, accusations or law making.
In Jesus’ life, although He was not in a neutral place, He never challenged the law in public life.
He challenged what He saw and knew to be in the heart.
Whatever the culture we can stand strong and righteous in our heart and have influence.
You cannot legislate for morality. Morality comes from a decision and choice from the heart not the law.
Christianity should not be a religion based on an empire concept of power from the top down, requiring policing, enforcement and domination.
It comes from the freedom of a choice to follow Christ as He reveals Himself in whatever way He chooses, in our hearts. We are won over to His values and the ability to see others as valued as He does.
We are all righteous before God.
Righteousness is not measured by law abiding but by morality within our hearts.
Hearts that God can entrust with more of His Spirit. Law and religiosity becomes obsolete when the heart is right.
Our lives lived as an opportunity for others to see and taste Christ by being witness to what we exhibit of the kingdom. Set apart from the worlds ways which we are increasingly observing will fail.
We cannot be judge and witness at the same time.
Standing aloof and casting judgements means unconsciously weighing and testing others .
Conversely to witness and enact Christ on His behalf as a kingdom citizen can change culture. Done by loving others. Each one before us valued as a human in God’s image.
I love and have pride that, in response to Ukraine’s war, so many families opened up homes, facilitated space to accommodate and this bore influence on the attitude and implementation deficits drown in negative legal tape exposed. Their love and hearts of righteous justice motivating changes quicker than board room, legal, policy making.
Actions without love too were exposed for their ugliness.
We as church have opportunities to become refuges not the pariahs seen in the world.
God measures righteousness in hearts and blesses and spares accordingly. Not according to laws.
Our Heavenly Father has plans and so much has to be given over to the sovereignty of God. His justice is all about reconciling us back to Him.
We have the responsibility to be inconvenienced as neighbours to serve one another. We have the challenge of laying down our lives to facilitate another.
Our values and social beliefs, aligned with God’s, are instrumental in changing cultures. Not laws and politics.
Our voice and actions matter.
We are the salt and the Light to compel others when we embody the values of the Kingdom.
Each of us was the Father’s dream and spoken over before the world was formed and have the value in being fearfully and wonderfully made.
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
Each of us is known and valued by Him as His children.
“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands,”.
Each of us has a scroll of purpose and worth.
The illustration shows us fearfully made, knit together, engraved on the hand purposed as salt and light in God’s plan. Emanating light that pushes back the darkness.
Three Scripture’s that come to mind:
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14 ESV
“My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:15-16 ESV
“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:16 ESV.
The song No Longer A Slave. Bethel
Lessisgreater 