FROM
THE SERVANT GENERAL
THE WAY FORWARD IN CHRIST
(Part 28)
FROM TRUST TO AWE
January
13, 2010
A verse in the psalm reading for today says, “Many
shall look on in awe and they shall trust in the Lord.”
(Ps 40:4b). This signals the transition of our theme for
last year 2009 to our theme this year 2010. From “Trust
in Jesus” to “The Almighty! Just and Righteous
is He.”
But
first, let me say that our themes for the year point us
to a particular emphasis or virtue that the Lord wants us
to grow in for that year. After that year, the virtue should
have become a part of us, and is to be lived out every year
thereafter.
After the first 25 years and entering into the period of
crisis where CFC-FFL would emerge, we have looked at various
virtues -- hope for 2007, joy for 2008, and trust for 2009.
These virtues were important not only to see us through
the crisis but also to prepare us for the continuing transformation
that God is accomplishing in our lives.
We
needed hope because of the intense crisis and split that
happened in 2007, where we experienced the lamentations
of Israel, almost practically losing everything, but looked
to hope in the God of our covenant. Indeed, with the split,
the seeds of restoration were already planted. With the
authentic CFC restored in the remnant that was CFC-FFL,
our hearts were filled with joy in 2008. Or should I say,
God rejoiced in us, since His people and His work would
once again be in accordance with His eternal plan for CFC.
Then, with continuing attacks against us and our work, God
impressed upon us the importance of trust in Him, that He
had a wonderful plan for us and would see His work to completion.
We continued to look to the divine mercy of Jesus, for ourselves
as well as for the whole world.
Now,
in 2010, we look to the awesome majesty of God, and our
proper posture of awe and humility. God will bring us deeper
into a relationship with Him, and in this process we look
to redemptive suffering. Job and Jesus show us the way.
As God continues to purify us, oftentimes through affliction,
we simply look to the reality that He is just and righteous.
And of course, the hope, joy and trust that He has already
implanted in our hearts would be crucial for us to endure
and persevere.
We trust in Jesus as we are in awe of God. This addresses
two opposing postures that Christians find themselves in
at times.
On
the one hand, the Creator-God is awesome and majestic and
we are mere humans with our weak flesh. He is all powerful
and apart from Him we are nothing. So we just look to God
as someone to be feared, and our obedience becomes legalistic.
On the other hand, we look to Jesus who became one like
us (except in sin) and who accepts us as his friends. He
is our brother who will do anything for us. We just need
to ask the Father in his name and our prayer will be granted.
And so we look to God as that nice loving person who always
accepts us and who would never condemn anyone to eternal
fire.
You
can see that there is a lot of truth to both postures above,
but each posture brings its own dangers. We can end up cringing
in fear of this awesome God, or we can be so casual and
familiar in our relationship with Him that we oftentimes
will take Him for granted, to be called on only in times
of trouble. On the one hand God is so far away and seemingly
inaccessible, while on the other hand He is so near and
so accessible that we are no longer in awe of Him.
Such is the mystery of God. So far[1] and yet so near. To
be feared as an awesome God yet to be loved and drawn near
to as a loving brother. To be obeyed but with a yoke that
is easy and light. The One who is the eternal unseen but
who was seen walking the earth among men.
Jesus
himself is King and Lord of all, but came not to be served
but to serve. He is Master but a suffering servant. We owe
him our very lives, but it was he who offered his life for
our sakes.
And
so we trust in Jesus, even as we are in awe of the Almighty.
The story of Job presents us with many questions and challenges.
Why is there suffering in the world if God is loving and
in control? Why are the good afflicted while the bad thrive?
How does the justice and righteousness of God align with
the great injustice and unrighteousness in the world? Why
does God allow Satan to afflict His faithful people?
Our
theme for this year coming from the book of Job is very
challenging but at the same time exciting. Our reflections
should yield a greater understanding of the mystery that
is God. Our relationship with God should deepen, where we,
like Job, can really begin to “see” God.
The
transformation of God’s remnant continues. God desires
to bring us to greater holiness and greater work for His
kingdom. In this, God challenges us to understand the purpose
of affliction and suffering in the world. After all, this
is the way of the cross and the only way of discipleship.
How awesome is God! How awesome is His great love for us!
How awesome is the privilege He affords us in His work of
salvation in the world.
We
rejoice in hope, as we continue to fully trust in Him.
*
* *
[1] See Isaiah 55:8-9.
