As we enter into Passion Week, I trust that you are reflecting upon the death of Christ upon the cross and the great sacrifice that He made on your behalf. It is with that loving and gracious sacrifice in mind, that I am reminded of the following story.
Several years ago a friend of mine, who was a school principal at the time, was making his way into the school early one morning. On his way, he noticed a young girl kneeling on the sidewalk. As he approached, he saw that she was carefully removing earthworms from the sidewalk which had gathered there due to heavy rain the night before. When he got next to the girl, my friend asked her what she was doing. As she picked up another worm and placed it in the grass, she replied, “I’m saving worms!”
Every time I think about that story, it reminds me of what Jesus did for me. In many respects I am like that worm, so far separated from a holy God because of my sin and in no way deserving of His love, mercy and grace. Just like the earthworms on the side walk, I would have perished in my sin had Jesus, God Himself, not come along, and by His death and resurrection, lifted me from my sinful condition and granted me forgiveness from my sin. Though I didn’t deserve it, just like that little girl, God entered His creation, reached out in love, and did the unthinkable. He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place upon the cross.
Reflecting upon the death of Christ upon the cross, the hymn writer, Isaac Watts, said it this way in his beloved hymn, At the Cross.
Alas, and did my Savior bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?
At the cross, at the cross
Where I fist saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
As you celebrate Passion Week, join me in celebrating the fact that God saves worms!
Can you help me with what feels like a quirk in christian thought: the idea that the greatest of God's creation is unworthy of His love. Christians often proclaim that the greatest of God's creation is humankind, yet they constantly belittle it, claiming it is unworthy of God's love, calling it such things as "worms". Is there anything God created that is worthy of God's love? Is it required that humankind be unworthy of such Love so as to increase that Love's value (i.e. if humankind were worthy of such a Love, would that love then be, you know, no worth so much because it wouldn't be such a grace to distribute it?
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, since the greatest of God's creation is unworthy of His love, is He able to create something worthy of His love?
This is a confusing issue for many, and any light from your experience as a pastor which you can shed on these issues I would likely find worthwhile.
We have been created in the image of God but because of sin have become unworthy of fellowship with the Holy God, but because of Jesus and the sacrifice of His life we have been deemed worthy to fellowship with God, therefore we as humans are ever grateful to the living Christ. Yes, He is risen!!! What love we share in and through Him our Lord.
ReplyDeleteSo Nancy, am I reading you right? - God made us to be/become unworthy such that his Love could be interpreted as being super-great? If you could help me wrap my mind around this, I would be appreciative. Perhaps Pastor Ken might also contribute a response.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Nancy, in what way are we in the image of God? This would imply that God is in essence in the image of humans - in which ways is God like us, if we are so utterly unworthy by our essence and nature. I appreciate your thoughts.
Great question about God's love and mankinds worth. I would just add, the problem is not with God. He made a creation that was certainly worthy of His love. At the end of His creative acts, God said that everything He made was very good (Gen. 1:31). The problem comes when man sins. It is because of sin that mankind became unworthy of God's love. Romans 3:10-18 and Ephesians 2:1-3, along with other passages, describe just how unloveable mankind is. But here's the great thing. God determined to love anyway, despite sin. Romans 5:8 tells us exactly that. He loved while we were sinners, in other words totally undeserveing and unworhty of love. And that is what makes God's love and salvation so great. It is not based on how good or worthy we are but how loving and gracious God is.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous-
ReplyDeleteGood questions as long as you continue to pursue them to an illuminating answer. Let me ask you a question though in order to offer a strategically different approach to the same problem. It may help you to get to think through some issues without some of the usual road blocks.
What happens when a lovable creature resists the authority and goodness of the One that gives it love? What happens when a lovable creature DENIES the authority and goodness of the One that gives it love?