Funny, not funny?

It’s kinda funny at times. At least when we see it; cause it sure doesn’t work the way we once thought it did, mostly hoped it would…and for the most part…how we have often told others it does and/or “should”. But, perhaps I am only telling on myself. And even then, and if so, am only telling in the merest part if in any thinking I can clean myself by coming clean, remains.

Who can judge a man? And not simply to what he may do, or think, or be caught in motive for, but even has the self free enough of all bias to declare what man, or even a man, is? Is any, are any, objective “enough”?

That appears precious to us, doesn’t it? To believe we can embody some objectivity, or already do, that allows us to both see rightly and unsullied by contaminants of lens to sum up things. I’m persuaded that such inclination, no, almost inescapable practice… when reduced, traced back or down to root, simplest source, foundation, well spring…is merely another way we state the greatest lie of all: “I am God”. Yes, it is kinda funny at times.

And if, or when such is exposed of us, or even more commonly laid as accusation against us as the silliness it is, perhaps even proved by some sting of it…we balm such wounding with “Well, at least I am ‘more objective’ than that silly one”.

This is often the ground the so called scientist seeks to stand upon as proof of himself. And this is regardless of whether such scientist is found working in a sterile lab seeking to unlock the mysteries of the universe or a religious man, even a so called spiritual man found doing and observing experiments taking place in his own soul.

And each of us has our own ‘little lab’ in which such takes place. We each, to establish our rightness, seek to limit on what is at best only a continuum of diligence, untoward influences. We account only for as much as we can. Seek to exclude contaminants, biases, whatever we may think may later, if found, call our proofs into question. Unsteady our declarations. We all carry background emanations into our search, and/or hope for objectivity, our experiments of seeking to stand upon some immovable and ineffable truth of things. Yet, I am the bias, itself. The turd in the punch bowl if any can bear such indelicacy.

The “it” in the first paragraph of “how it works”? “It’s” the work of Christ in us. It’s surely different. Different than anything we know, could have known, or surmised. Certainly different than anything we could volunteer for, enlist ourselves to, or gain by any exercise of will other than God’s. But then of course, it would have to be, no? As different in all things once known or imagined as Christ is as different, distinct, and unfathomable if at all compared to anything other. His work is different precisely because He is…at least in the sense of anything we once knew. This divine reconstruction, whereby all things are made new for us (and no less to us) we learn no less incorporates a great deconstruction. Yes, a real tearing down…even in our own sight of all idols, all things other that even once held out to us, or spoke to us, of most sublime estate imaginable. Yes, all things that would, in other than the light of Christ Himself, be counted as good. Paul learned to a knowing what dung truly is in the light provided to him of his Lord, savior, and yes, conscripter. That One…who he proclaimed “gave himself for me”.

Here is a quite personal aside. But God already knows of it, has long known of my many musings over it, considerations of it for any wholesomeness versus some degeneracy of self serving display. God knows. It is this: Can a man be found dropping a dime on God (so to speak) by discussing His works and workings in a man or men of His choosing? You know, like a magician who has found a living exposing how a trick is done…the inner or hidden workings that result in gasps or ahhs! from those before whose eyes such are done. How stupid can a man be, right? Especially in regards to any so called hidden work or motive even if, or for, thinking one can speak hidden things before Him with whom we have to do. You know, that One from whose eyes nothing is hidden.

And, of course, God is not a magician, and as for me, I am not God. Nor privy to all or any of His ways unless he choose to reveal. Besides which there is nothing that can be said apart from that which already is, and laid down through, and of the Christ already in the scriptures. And again, no matter what a man may say, even in their regard (the scriptures) their depth as given through the Christ is no less a depth that only Christ can teach. Mostly (if I may say) we are (how able am I to speak for any besides myself?) if not already in awe of such depths, will be. So here’s my cue and clue…any and all of what I may consider my doing or speaking matters not at all. Those that already understand, do. I add nothing to anyone. Those that resist could rightly rebuke a heretic, hypocrite, or liar no less rightly if, or as, they are directed of the Lord.

To one yet ignorant of such matters, how that growth involves as much a stripping away of things if any virtue is sought (itself a grace given only of God to seek after virtue) then he will abide as he is till moved. It will make no sense to him at all how that growth involves as much subtraction in such measure as God’s addition of Christ to him is. And the Christ who is given to man, if He is, will no less walk through a man’s soul as necessary as He walked through the temple marketplace. And the man will know this. Insufferable stuff…simply has to go. Room must be made for the Holy.

Yes, a man in Christ does indeed have all necessity satisfied in full…by his presence in Christ and Christ’s presence in him. But (or better I shall say) And he will learn the presence of God’s sacrifice on his behalf will have effects once unknown to him of all the things he once thought…good. And none of these has God chosen to hide from any, His Christ speaks plainly. All and any to whom they are hidden, they are. And (not but) Jesus is not timid nor shy in these…all things against which esteem is measured or compared…if sought to be applied to Christ for any comparison, will be shown as corrupt and corrupted. And the very act of comparison yet reveals such taint.

So no. No man can drop a dime on God and His workings through Christ, or expose what shouldn’t be (even if he thought he could) for God simply forbids what He forbids, and allows what He allows. Paul saw and heard certain things of which he was forbidden to speak, or would be unlawful to (or at least a certain man he knew in Christ, did) yet he was allowed to testify that such a thing had taken place. Is this tricky of God? Or tricky of Paul? As though God, not knowing man’s frame and ways would be shocked or surprised to discover at least one wondering “Gee…what did he see and hear this man who testifies that about such it is not lawful to speak…but are yet true…things?” Is God teasing? Is Paul? Or could it be something other, even? God knowing our predilection toward speculations and speculating…and is even there “flushing them out”? Ho! But is God being that wise?! Is that how things (or at least one way) get flushed out of us? We recognize them operating and see their poverty, plainly? There’s a way we learn about certainty and certainties when “what ifs” are exposed for what they are. Never a firm foundation…but even their shakiness serves a purpose to provoke a seeking of a greater securing. Yes, they may be a “start”…but never the end.

The certainty of Christ is. What that end is. To know, even as we are known. And against which one man once measured all things and found them less than puerile preoccupations, but dung if (need be) compared to the excellency of knowing Christ in both His sufferings and resurrection. And no man, apart from God’s work is, or can be, witness to either or both.

A man, needing no cleansing, but for righteousness’ sake of fulfillment, submitted himself to a baptism at the hands of another man. A man totally immune to accusation allowed His accusers to do with Him as they would in submission to His father. A man who had not sinned, nor would be found guilty of it had he opted to not endure the cross, nevertheless endured to put away the sins of those He would never abandon.

Of all these matters nothing could ever be made too much, only testified to as simply and clearly by any man to whom God has given the grace to do so. And this is the purest joy of any man so graced, to testify of his savior. In a place of muttering dust, talking dirt, such is given to know as miraculous and most marvelous gift of occupation. And any so seeming straitness of discipline, hardness of lesson, pain of endurance, grief in chastenings or momentary affliction of loss, is so swallowed by such victory as is His alone, and yet even shared; and which cannot be dimmed of such glory.

And the Lord sees, and does not despise. As unstingy as He is amongst His own to share His glory, the spirit is no less diligent to reveal His sufferings. For God has put a lock on such matters against prying eyes, or the merely curious mind of man who conceives of clever device for investigation and judgments. The man persuaded such can serve him in all things, even of his own reason, that are then wrongly concluded to gain by his own efforts, skill, diligence or superiority.

God hides His glory where no man can make himself see. Where even own desire cannot suffice, nor ever could, but through Christ has been made totally reliant upon the good pleasure of another to show.

Yet, there is nothing hidden…except to be revealed. And this must be believed before it can be made known as true. And one either believes the words of the Christ of God or has not yet entered that place of being stripped of lie. Where Crist alone is all the gain.