Bind Don't Break

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Gal 6:1-3

Yet another command that flys in the face of our natural response. When someone we love sins, especially when that sin has consequences that hurt us, our gut reaction is to be angry, to pull away from them and (at least myself) to stew and fume about it. "How could they?" "What were they thinking?" But what does Paul say? Restore with gentleness? How am I supposed to do that? First easy (and painful) step is to look at yourself. Honestly. How can I be angry when I'm guilty of worse? When I've hurt others with my sin just as deeply as they have. When we see the depth and true nature of our sin, it pulls it all back into perspective and allows us to see the situation with God's eyes (albeit imperfectly of course) and makes the gentleness part make more sense. If He could look at me in my worst moment, and still lay His life down, how dare I act like the servant in Matt 18? He has forgiven much, we must likewise forgive much. And we must reach out to and love, go over and above to show our love for the hurting, bleeding, remorseful, consequence-bearing sinner, our brother, fellow heir, our familiar friend, the one-of-my-hug. We did enjoy sweet fellowship, and we will again. Betrayal hurts, it hurts more if we cut off the fallen brother. We wouldn't cut off our hand if our finger got hurt, we don't amputate parts of our body (normally) because of damage or brokenness, why would be do so with the body of Christ? We must follow our Master, bind up the broken, protect the smoldering wick, guard the bruised reed. Forgive, forget, restore and love. Simple words, hard to do, but blessed by His unfathomable power if we are faithful to walk in them. Love can indeed cover all.

In keeping them is great reward

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. Psalm 19:7-9

I guess I never read this Psalm with the right lens before, such a backwards and counter-intuitive mix of truth. When we see the word "law" do the words "reviving, rejoicing, enlightening" pop into your head right off? Is "delight" your first instinctual reaction? If you are anything like me the words that first spring to mind are words like "keep, break, fail, show my sin, forgive, grace". But the Psalmist says delight? How can the law, the harsh, sweaty, difficult, exhausting, nitpicky law that he knew so well, cause such glowing words? He wasn't living like us under the Law of Love. Or was he? He served the same God, who showed the same compassion, and poured out the same blessings, and gave the same grace to live uprightly before His face. Should his words really surprise us? The law IS reviving, He sets the high standard of holiness, unachievable, but also gives us the strength to meet it. His law IS cause for rejoicing, His blood has covered our sin, clothed and wrapped and close to our skin, we are enfolded by His love. His commandments ARE pure, we cannot see the nature of our own sin, without the glasses He places in our eyes, and we see not only our vileness and weakness, the true nature of our inadequacy, but also the faithfulness of His love for us. We can only revel and rejoice in His perfect law, because His mercy endures forever, His steadfast lovingkindness, His all sufficient grace. And out of that love, we can set our feet on the path of righteousness, grab the torch of holiness and run the race to the finish. 

Where Else Will You Go Child?

If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, "My foot slips," your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. Psalm 94:17-19

There is so much that He shields us from that we never see or think about. All the temptations that would have overwhelmed that He deflected, all the sadnesses that would have broken our spirit, all the trials that would have driven us to despair. He knows our frame and He knows how much would edify and strengthen our trust in Him, and he knows what would be too much. Isn't this both amazing, and a great comfort. Not one single trial or temptation will ever come our way that He won't give us the emotional, spiritual and physical wherewithal to endure. And He not only gauges it perfectly for our good, He KNOWS how it feels, He KNOWS that heartache, the sinking feeling, the panic of soul, the anguished cry of "why God?". This truth, this incredible fact is the sweetest of comforts when the days are dark and the outlook bleak. Where else can we turn, in Him we can count it all joy! Why would we look anywhere else when perfect love and calm lie only a prayers-breadth away? Seek His face that He may be found.