Sunday, January 27, 2008

 

Withstanding the Flood




By Ramone - December 26, 2007

[Cross-posted at Sabbath-rest in Jesus blog with a few additional comments]

This is one of the saddest pictures I've drawn to date, and when I think of it I get hit in the Spirit and want to cry...

This is the person who clings to the Law because he thinks he must. He is afraid to let go for fear of being swept away. He can only see the danger of being swept away by sin -- he can't see the more powerful stream, no, the river of love that is pouring out from the Cross. When people tell him he doesn't need to hold onto the Law anymore, he sees them as saying a dangerous thing. And when he looks at them "resting" without Law, resting in the stream, they look like they are being swept away and they look "dead". He clings to the Law for fear of dying spiritually & morally if he doesn't.

And it gets heavier and heavier. And the Lord pushes him towards frustration so he will give up and let it go. Some of the drops of His grace and love flow over the top. Some break through (here they are breaking through the "Sabbath" because it points to Him). The Lord knows that if he doesn't let go, it will crush him. Like Christ cried, "I longed to heal you but you would not be healed", the Lord longs to heal him and bring him to rest, but he must let go. When he does he will see that wherever the river flows, it brings life and fruit.

But for now he is afraid to leave the shadows (the Law) because the shadow of the Law has always protected him (he's thought) both spiritually and morally.
You were wearied by all your ways,
but you would not say, 'It is hopeless.'
You found renewal of your strength,
and so you did not faint. (Isaiah 57:10)

He said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest";
and, "This is the place of repose" —but they would not listen.
So then, the word of the Lord to them will become:
"Do and do, do and do,
rule on rule, rule on rule;
a little here, a little there" (Isaiah 28:12-13)

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it." (Isaiah 30:15)
When I think of this and see this, I ache.

Lord, help us all see and let go. In Jesus' name, amen.

*****

For more about how to rest from the fear of sinning, let go of the heavy Law and rest secure in Jesus's ability to keep us in His river, see this Sabbath-rest article: Life Without The Law - Finding Rest From Fear of Sinning

And to know that He has paid this debt (our debt to the Law) and has paid it all, see these pictures and the verses of truth under them: Before & After

# posted by Ramone @ 5:22 PM
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