"Music is logical. It's supposed to make sense."
Such bewildering concepts are pretty simple, I know. I'm just going to chalk it up to the Greek homework, the three midterms this week, and the mind-numbing morning coffee and rush hour commute. I don't mind any of these things, but with all the work I need to do for my house, they take their toll. I'm going to ask Calvin for a back massage when I get home.
With confidence I now draw nigh and "Abba, Father, Abba" cry.
The past two weeks of CCM were on the topics of "The Love of God" (Psalm 103) and "God the Father" (1 John 4, John 1) respectively, and both of them highlighted the amazing love God has for us. Pastor Aaron made the point that adoption may be the most precious of the works of Christ, even over justification or glorification or other amazing things God does for His children. In light of my situation, the idea of spiritual orphanhood is repulsive. How can anyone be satisfied with being fatherless, with no one to defend?
"A Father of the fatherless and a judge of widows, is God in His holy habitation" (Psalms 68:5 NASB).
"The LORD protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, but He thwarts the way of the wicked" (Psalm 146:9 NASB).
Anyways, syncopation.
My music theory professor gave us a rudimentary definition of syncopation as "making the weak strong and the strong weak" in terms of downbeats and upbeats.
I realize that a proper view of history would see it centered on the cross (as it is) and chronicling the church's permeation of the world in the year of her Lord, but it's interesting to consider the men God singles out to bring to repentance and to do incredible things for theology, literature, language, social reform, peace-making, and philosophy throughout the ages. Even beginning with the disciples Jesus called--they consisted of fishermen, tax collectors, zealots, women, Samaritans, and children--these were not considered strong, gifted, intelligent, or worthy of being called to follow the greatest rabbi. And men throughout history that changed and helped reform the church all had their shares of problems, which our secular friends love to point out, as if 1) Christians are free from sin, and 2) the messenger detracts from the message. Ah, well. We're all unqualified, anyways.
The March of the Unqualified
"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men,
and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For consider your calling, brethren,
that there were not many wise according to the flesh,
not many mighty,
not many noble;
but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise,
and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen,
the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,
so that no flesh can boast before God."
I Corinthians 1:25-29 (NASB)
God syncopates us.
No wonder syncopation has always been one of my favorite musical devices! And all the more glorious, this change of pace. On another note (aha.), Joel records the reverse prophetic word of God in Isaiah, the famous line our Presidents enjoy quoting about world peace, blah, blah, blah.
"And He will judge between the nations,
and He will render decisions for many peoples;
And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war."
Isaiah 2:4
"Proclaim this among the nations:
Prepare for war!
Rouse the warriors!
Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
Beat your plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into spears.
Let the weakling say,
'I am strong.'"
Joel 3:9-10
The church is called to be on the offensive, and to exalt Christ as Head and Lord over all aspects of creation. After all, what are "the gates of Hades" (Matthew16:18) if not defensive structures of war?
"He trains my hands for battle so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,
and Your right hand upholds me;
and Your condescension makes me great."
Psalm 18:34-35
While I'm finding verses, here's one of my favorites of the Apostle Paul,
"And He has said to me,
'My grace is sufficient for you,
for [My] power
is perfected in weakness.'
Most gladly,
therefore, I will boast in my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Therefore, I am well content
with weaknesses,
with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake;
for when I am weak, then I am strong."
II Corinthians 12:9-10
Here's a link to Ezekiel 34 (NASB) , if you don't happen to have a Bible nearby. The illustration God uses of a shepherd is so amazingly tailored to how our relationship works. We're honestly stupid, stupid people. Even as a "goat-turned-sheep," I still think that I know the way, even when the Way says, "Follow me." And too often I get myself stuck in the miry clay of my wanderings, or I get stuck in thorn bushes that require my Shepherd to wear those thorns Himself to free me. Or I'd be swept away by the breakers of the violent waters that my Shepherd calms and walks on.
I can only continue to gush with love for so long before I fall asleep--but even then my Savior does not slumber in His careful watch. Oh, how I watch for Him more than a watchman waits for the morning! My Savior is the Gate which keeps me safe at night, both from intruders and from my own perilous propensity to wander from His fold. Why do I wander from all I know to be true and good?
Anyways, Ezekiel 34 is an indictment against the unfaithful leaders of God's people, and it culminates with God promising to step in and lead His people Himself, since the "shepherds" were revealing themselves to be selfish hired hands that do not care for the sheep. The LORD is my shepherd, I'll not want...
It's my prayer that God would use us, unqualified wretches as we are, to preach the foolishness of the gospel to bring sheep under the care of a greater Shepherd.
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