2022-12-03 A Meditation on A Higher Mind

“to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.” (Ga 2:5 ESV)

Stuffiness, fussiness, mediocrity, judging others; the plight of the gathering is the plight of the individual who is by them so influenced, so endeared, so made similar. If the Christian could not themselves resurrect, then long would be the night; we are so easily caged up, discouraged, indoctrinated by mediocre levels of courage.

Be brave, young proselyte! Be of good courage, born leader! Be uniquely called, dear friend! The Christian faces a trial with knowledge that to stare squarely, plainly, at some kind of death, is to stomach the trials and to share the burdens: crucifixion comes at once, and to all who desire to live a godly life. Therefore we see the cages and the incommunicado postures. We see those at ease, comfortable, with patent hypocrisy, cozy with plain-as-day spiritual laziness, discouraging spirits, encumbered spirits, spirits yearning just to make it all go away: that is, to make go away the heart convicted, the heart loved back to a beating kind of life, the heart ours to make with it what we will in this day.

If there is any salutary word for the day, any encouragement, any apostolic outlay, it is this: that discouragement and crucifixion come to all, earlier than we would expect, and with greater thoroughness; yet as we recognize this, we also have the power to reject such group-think, such status quo, such boredom. We are jumpy today. With alacrity we recollect our first mission, our calling, our zany contretemps with those comfy in the pews. And with those not comfy, but not themselves capable of doing more than patiently praying for a miracle. So we all do hope in Jesus showing up. We all do hope in Christ for each of us, even if we’re long in tooth, even if we muddle through our testimony, even if we don’t have much of a testimony ourselves.