And That's What It's All About

I was driving home from Covenant today, just listening to the radio, when I heard a song that made me stop and think.

Strange, I know.

My radio has been broken for like a year.

I was driving Joel's car, if you must know. I'm spoiled today because I am driving a bunch of friends up to Charlottesville tonight for the VPA conference. But I digress.

Oh wait, you thought it was strange that I heard thought-provoking music. You'll be even more surprised to learn that it was on K-LOVE, of all stations. That's right, a radio presence whose entire marketing strategy currently revolves around the fact that its goal is to make you "feel good". Light And Fluffy should be their slogan. I suppose Positive And Encouraging isn't far off, though.

On a side note, their "feel good" advertising bothers me. Christianity isn't about feeling good. It's not really about feeling at all, although positive feelings may be a bonus. Christianity is about being saved from the wrath of God by the grace and mercy of God, as justice was served once and for all in Christ. It's a fact thing, not a feeling thing. Why do we insist on marketing Christianity in a neat little package that promises sunshine and roses, health and wealth, if you just accept Jesus into your heart? Sure, I'll take that Jesus!

But I'd much prefer a Jesus who strengthens me for the difficult realities of this fallen world. To draw from a Natalie Grant Song ("Held"), our salvation isn't about removing obstacles and hurdles from our lives. It's about being (not just feeling) empowered to overcome them not somehow, but triumphantly! It's about being sustained in spite of the obstacles and hurdles, held far above them in a place where a deeper joy trumps sorrow and loss. Far be it from me to pretend that sin is magically eradicated from my life when I enter a relationship with Christ. How I wish this were the case! Rather, my Father comes alongside me and lovingly says, "We'll work on that sin...but in the meantime, I no longer hold it against you." The end result is not a lack of sin (it wouldn't be eliminated from the world, even if it were somehow gone from my own heart), but instead a lack of the penalty for sin, and a new perspective on pain and suffering.

Take this verse, for instance:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28).

Does it say that God will pamper us with chocolate and candles and soft music all the days of our lives?

No. (Although I'd be perfectly fine with my husband deciding to do this.)

I'd say it implies that whatever happens (in some things? no - in all things!), God will somehow orchestrate all for our ultimate good.

Which returns me to the original topic of my post (finally!).

The song I heard goes something like this: "He makes all things good, He makes all things good. There is a time to live and a time to die, a time for wonder and to wonder why, cause there is a reason. There is a reason." ~Caedmon's Call, "There is a Reason"

And I got to thinking: He does make all things good. That's Who He is. He is good. In His infinite, gracious love, God takes all of our sinful and foolish screw-ups and transforms them to our good for His glory.

Did you catch that last part? For His glory. That's really what it's all about (sorry, Hokey Pokey!). Even our salvation is about His glory. Of course God is love, and He accepts us as we are and forgives us and welcomes us to Himself. But why? So that we can bring Him the glory! We rejoice in our salvation for His sake. When I got that one, it was like a huge light bulb went on in my head. Why would He save me? Because He desires me to love Him as much as He loves me, and He desires my worship, my praise, my adoration. He is not willing that I should be separated from Him. He has chosen me to help fill His throne room with eternal song! This is love, that He laid down His life for us. But God does nothing apart from His own ultimate glory.

Which is where our ultimate good comes in.

Which God is more glorious, the one Who erases sin and causes all life to be without pain or difficulty, or the one Who is able to allow sin and pain for a time and cause them to somehow be transformed into good and glory? The second God is far more amazing, far more glorious! What a demonstration of His power that He can take MY life, MY struggles, MY silly humanity and make something good and beautiful and purposeful of them!

So that's what it's all about. We're people: by definition we are sinful, fallen, broken. We'll go on screwing up until the end of time. It's who we are.

But God is God: by definition He is love, He is power, He is glory, and He is good. He'll go on picking up our pieces and weaving them together in ways far more beautiful and glorious than we could ever see from here. I liken it to being stuck behind a tapestry: we see the knots and random strings going all over the place, but turned over, we suddenly see the great artistry of the Weaver. He takes my frayed, ugly little thread and weaves it through a few other frayed, ugly little threads and suddenly a gorgeous blend of fabric takes on color and beauty. He makes all things good. He'll go on making things good until the end of time. It's Who He is.