2024-01-03 A Meditation on Overcoming the Self

“2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.” (Col 2:1-5 ESV)

Bleeding figuratively, the Christian soldier has had attributed to him or her a quiet or a calm in which to grow. Figuratively, then, to rattle about the cage of life as though doubting that God’s words to her or him are true. Figuratively, then, to self-injure or dumbly to entertain what things should instead be exercised.

The Christian soldier exercises a need to be heard, a need to be set at peace, at ease and at the ready. Somehow, his or her mess of life is not too tall or ungainly for the Lord to work with. Somehow, her or his appeal for attention paid, for a closer brand of care, is offset instead by a Magnanimity, a Staunch Poise, a Proud Figurehead called Noble. He is noble. We, His people, then have unburdened in our direction a Patience untold, from a God who sees Potential and Worldly-Wise Future Deliverance. We are delivered in a future tense, as those who can go the distance, who can dream on big things, far beyond what loserdom or ennui we ourselves lay claim to.

Oh, so God expects more out of me. Oh, so God is unbothered by my rebellious querying. Oh, so God is doling out, franchising, a Personal Quality far above and beyond anything we might imagine for ourselves. Feel as the joints fall into place, the gears begin to mesh, the poise begins to reflect in those to whom we were sent. To be sent, to have embedded design or habit so Holy as to be called Grace. Grace as a principle, not a bland blessing, but a principle. To explore the caverns of the id or ego of another human being, who does need Peace, Grace unto what we help to reveal about themselves perhaps, or perhaps we just show an intention for Patience untold. It is untold the patience allowed, the friend or companion who sincerely takes the blame on themselves, for any and all mechanics or duty around the house, or any and all imposition. We are no longer imposing on each other but are Valuing what friendship develops, as a capitalism or earning Proud and Loud, we earn and we capitalize on a laughing Peace amongst the sojourners, amongst the fellow-travelers, amongst we the people.

Then unto our thinking caps of Grace: Grace is patently infectious, spreading, wild-eyed in the vast boast about town of the would-be preacher or ambassador or herald. Grace gives each of us the certain promise that God knows our dire aspects just as well as our laudable qualities. God pities us just enough to make Normal the strange sins and error-prone living. This He discovers as a place for redemptive patience and strange love. He works with us via infinite abandon, reckless qualification, all things invested Today in our better digs or prospects. Somehow we are this day more qualified and more patently loved. Because our love is not curtailed nor reasonable nor subservient unto any other Calling or Totem. Nothing, no works-righteous regime nor differing ethos can rob the plain Desire for a people formed and patiently loved unto better and better repose. We are poised and in repose around a Higher God than anything we might imagine, and which God then lets us liberally bleed around our own self-hatred or foibles. He lets us be wounded unto the end result of Healing and finally accepting what was truthfully ours from Day One: a franchised individuality and Calling, unto our personal best and personal perspective, things into which angels long to look. We are at our best, we are innovative and crazed on love, unto healing and unto bald-faced ecstatic and perfected Personal Best, Personal Outreach, Personal Cause and Care.