2024-03-16 A Meditation on Purpose

“4 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”” (Ro 4:4-8 ESV)

Purposeful, self-aware, and in ultimate matters utterly reassured: the Christian is always in the spotlight as to the most basic expressions of the faith. Composed of nothing self-derived but amply outfitted by the Holy Spirit, we are able to approach holy things in simple innocence, no grandiose claims as to being right for the job or sure and capable; we are sure and capable only because we have really attained to high stature vis-a-vis one thing, if nothing else, and that is our soul as a tool of ministry because it is a soul penitent, pleading, daring to approach not from some self-designed pride, but because all other roads were closed. All else was finite and impossible. All else was mocking us, and we… we saw the spiritually-cautious as some of our best spiritual guides, the friends who tread lightly, the call to be situated not because we think we’re good enough, but because we know no other homestead.

We know nothing else but to be inspired by a Man who lived in the Stars, who lived High and Lifted Up, matters we thought were too holy for anyone to master or approach; but since a Man did it, since a Person did it, we can know His and Her love for the simple presence, fellowship, mutual encouragement. We are mutually encouraged to go for broke, because we are sure if of nothing else then of this: that our former ways lead to nothing but heartache. Our former ways have not the life lessons taken in, such as do give an entire theology and philosophy of work and of biding the time in Community.

And to the station, to the rampart. We are never evincing even the slightest cruel laugh or devilish humor: all things are of Good Stock with us, as led by the Holy Spirit. As led, we are washed and purposeful, penitent yes but also encouraged. We are about the business of being focal, on display, central, insanely asked-after but not getting nervous or frightened. We do not scare off from the matters at hand. We do not forget: if we speak at all, shouldn’t it be of Ultimate Things? If we speak at all, won’t it be all-too evident if we are in a spiritually-lazy mode or forgetful that out there someone is Hurting? If we speak at all, is it time and education, long familiarity with the Holy Spirit, that makes us kosher and passing the bells and alerts and moving right along into the Spiritual business “out there”, “upstream”, in good company because good company is what we call other people, ourselves being the only fly in the ointment: because others have not some of our compulsory or habitual sins; because others… we can go on, but the plea is made: that no man or woman is trustworthy to self-assess once we see what honesty would compel; no one can be their own guide, either. It is a spiritual honesty that comes over first this one and then that one. It is a deep reassurance that salvation is not ours to bargain over by pleading good works, but rather we are all that much closer when we have little to boast in.