The Power to Face Our Past

Have you lived a past so dark and painful that you would do anything to escape it? Move to a far country? Change your identity? You are not alone. Millions of people would rather attempt to keep old skeletons locked away in the proverbial closet than to let anyone know what they have been through or what they have overcome.

In a letter to Philemon the apostle Paul advocates for a run-away slave named Onesimus who fled 1200 miles to find refuge. The irony and beauty of Onesimus’ name it comes from a root which means ‘benefit.’ That’s ironic because as his master, Philemon had only been able to consider him useless. But now he has been transformed; the beautiful thing is that now he can live up to his name and be useful/beneficial both naturally and spiritually.

Many times we have committed so many misdeeds that we would rather flee than face up to our past. Not only had Onesimus fled from his master, causing him to lose the money that he had paid for him (v. 15); it is possible that he had taken money or goods from his master in his flight (v.18). Onesimus discovered in his submission to Christ that he was actually empowered to return to the place that may have originally caused him torment and shame and yet hold his head up in victorious humility. 50 years after Paul pleads the cause of Onesimus to Philemon, asking that he be received back in love as a brother in Christ history reveals yet another letter. This time from an early church father named Ignatius. The letter is addressed to the bishop of the church in Ephesians: Onesimus!

Christianity is neither an escape route nor a cop out. Instead, Christ enables us to live up to our responsibilities and commitments no matter how difficult. Christ enables us to own up to our indebtedness instead of denying it. The most amazing thing is when Christ turns the humiliation of our sinful past into a glowing testimony for His glory. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. The shame of our past can be turned into a glorious future in Christ when we stand fast and refuse to run away from it                                                                                     .

Whom Did God Elect?

Anointing (Photo credit: nimble photography)

In spite of the very many Biblical examples in which people were NOT thinking, saying, believing or understanding what God declared it seems that we can’t get away from this tendency. One would think that after God said that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 58:8), that we would be motivated to change our ways of thinking and doing. Apparently not.

In Psalms 2, the writer asks a question that is still pertinent:”Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing?” Will there never be an end to our conspiring AGAINST the plan and the people of God? Will we never see and acknowledge whom God has chosen and work collaboratively with those whom He has ordained?

One of the most terrifying examples of error is when Jesus the Christ came unto his own and they did not receive him. John 1:10 declares that He was in the world which was made by Him, yet the world didn’t know Him; could not even comprehend Him. But this is NOT the first example of people going so contrary to the Will of God that they end up killing the one sent by God. The writer of Psalm 2 implies that the people are so rebellious of the anointed king’s leadership that they are conspiring to overthrow him! All throughout history this has been true. Unfortunately it continues today.

Why are we not more sensitive to what God is doing in the earth? Will we always be so dull of understanding? How is it that we fail to recognize obvious signs of God’s approval of individuals?

It would seem to me that we should be just a little more cautious about whom we speak and plot against! Imagine that in the case of the Psalms evidently God had appointed his chosen King and had promised the nations of the earth to him as an inheritance. Wouldn’t  it be best to be on the same team with such a King than to be his enemy?!

When we consider how easy it is to miss what God has made evident, it seems that we would take heed to the Psalmists warning to be instructed and to be wise!

On the other hand when we consider how often people fail to understand the election of God, we should not be so easily moved if people do not recognize any special task for which God may have chosen us. We should trust that eventually our gifts will make room for us and bring us before great men, as has already been declared. Let us be confident that the One who called us will make us shine in the end. “Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” (Psalm 2:12)

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• Psalmnotherapy. (greatriversofhope.wordpress.com)
• Psalm 2 – Power of the Psalms (sakshizion.wordpress.com)
• Edwards on GOD’s Sovereign Decrees (kevinrossmorris.wordpress.com)