Hope and Measuring Up

 

Started a “Hope Journal” this past February, when the pandemic was just moving into our lives.

Hebrews 6:18b was the impetus:  “And now we have run into his heart to hide ourselves in his faithfulness.  This is where we find strength and comfort, for he empowers us to seize what has already been established ahead of time – an unshakeable hope!”

But isn’t it a negative thing, to hide from trouble? 

It might be if I was just hiding from something.  But in this case, it’s a positive act to hide in God’s faithfulness. I address life through the covering of his faithfulness. (The only time it's ok to hide under the covers!)There my eyes are opened to see what I already have, what he has already erected for me, an unshakable hope.  Outside of his faithfulness life is more like a teeter totter leaving me questioning what is real, and what is False Evidence Appearing Real (FEAR)?

And how about the word “Seize”!  Not a wimpy word, but an aggressive action, like taking the Kingdom by violence.  Seize is a violent, deliberate action.

What a wonderful, powerful scripture to meditate on!

So I wasn’t so sure why God ended our time in Hebrews talking about “measuring up”.

I felt God say to me: “My kids measure up.  You didn’t even register on the scale until I stepped on with you.”

That sounded strange to me, so I talked it over with Jimmy later that night.  We both thought that doesn’t sound like you, Daddy, to say that without you I have no weight, no value.

But as I lay in bed that night before sleep, you explained that it is because I died and my “old man” no longer exists that I don’t register on the scale without you.

Colossians 3:3 -  “For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

Galatians 2:20 -  “My old identity has been co-crucified with the Messiah and no longer lives… and now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me – we live in union as one.  My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loved me so much that he gave himself for me, and dispenses his life into mine.”

Daddy says, “It’s all of nothing”.  You can’t continue to measure up based on some of your past identity, and some of your new.  Either it’s all gone, or all here on the scale – you choose.

I don’t need the excess weight!

I choose to give up all and keep nothing.  I run into your heart to hide myself in your faithfulness.  This is where I find your strength and comfort and your empowerment to seize what you’ve already established ahead of time – an unshakeable hope.  Hope like a strong, unbreakable anchor that attaches my soul to God himself, and is fastened to the Mercy Seat in the heavenly realm.  Connecting me to heaven, while standing firm on the earth.  I choose to give up all and be found in you, not having a righteousness of my own, that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Jesus – the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. (Philippians 3:9)

No more working to measure up!  Here I am seizing what Daddy has already provided for me, standing in the stature I have because of Jesus standing ramrod straight inside of me!