THE LION AND THE LAMB
The Christian believes and trust, on his or her better days that there is a God in heaven that is beyond and above our understanding. We believe that He is sovereign and benevolent. We trust that He has a greater plan than anything that we could devise or imagine for ourselves. And we also believe that somehow, amazingly and mysteriously, He has an abounding love for us.
But also, the Christian believes that we, in our frailty and insecurity, we sinfully reject this mighty and affectionate God. We Christians attempt to do our best to come to terms with the reality of this perpetual, sinful rejection of His love for us. When we are honest with ourselves about our sin, we are heartbroken in the face of God and His love for us.
Reconciliation has always been beyond us. Alone we are a sea of human hopelessness. For all that have done and can do, we can not resolve the issue of our fallen nature. But God is God. And true to His nature, He has a Way. In fact, He is a Way. Here lies the transformational Truth: God would never and will never let us go; even along the paths of disintegration and destruction of our own making. He loves us with an unconditional love that seeks us, finds us, and holds us in His safe and holy hand. No matter what you have done, He loves you and allowed the judgment that should have been yours to fall on His Son, the embodiment of that holy and unconditional love.
God loves you.
But also, the Christian believes that we, in our frailty and insecurity, we sinfully reject this mighty and affectionate God. We Christians attempt to do our best to come to terms with the reality of this perpetual, sinful rejection of His love for us. When we are honest with ourselves about our sin, we are heartbroken in the face of God and His love for us.
Reconciliation has always been beyond us. Alone we are a sea of human hopelessness. For all that have done and can do, we can not resolve the issue of our fallen nature. But God is God. And true to His nature, He has a Way. In fact, He is a Way. Here lies the transformational Truth: God would never and will never let us go; even along the paths of disintegration and destruction of our own making. He loves us with an unconditional love that seeks us, finds us, and holds us in His safe and holy hand. No matter what you have done, He loves you and allowed the judgment that should have been yours to fall on His Son, the embodiment of that holy and unconditional love.
God loves you.
8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.
9 I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath. [c]
10 They shall go after the LORD; he will roar like a lion; when he roars,
his children shall come trembling from the west;
11 they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria,
and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD.
Hosea 11:8-11
How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.
9 I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath. [c]
10 They shall go after the LORD; he will roar like a lion; when he roars,
his children shall come trembling from the west;
11 they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria,
and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD.
Hosea 11:8-11
Only the passion of heaven can match his authority.
In Christ alone, we tremble at the roar of The Lion while being washed by the blood of the Lamb.
In Christ alone, we tremble at the roar of The Lion while being washed by the blood of the Lamb.
RSS Feed