Is there anything in your life that could be described as
proud and lofty? What might tumble from
its perch in your estimation and cause you to mourn? If we can't bear to consider the loss of
something we might have an idol in the making.
Here, Isaiah says that all that is proud and lofty will be brought low
and, again, I am reminded of the Revelation where Babylon (metaphorically) is
destroyed and the merchants, all who made their living off her, were devastated
by her demise. I know there are things
in my life that are too exalted and important, my reputation, my children, and
who knows what else. I recall a time
when I grieved that I would no longer qualify for the highest level of an
airline rewards program, I would be less important in my own eyes and of Delta
Airlines. The splendor of the majesty of
the Lord will cause men to flee into hiding but, simultaneously, to see their
idols for what they are truly worth and forsake them. Finally, the admonition is to stop regarding
man, the greatest and most common temptation to idolatry among us. We are not to worship and fear the image
bearer but the one whose image we bear.
When we try and make analogies between earthly things and
spiritual things we go astray in a hurry.
Sin changes the calculus of all things.
This life is not a perfect analog for the next life. CS Lewis, in his book The Great Divorce makes
this point really well when one in heaven reflects on love in this life as a
poor imitation of true love. Our love,
even at its best, is self-serving in some degree, never truly selfless. At some level we love that we might receive
something in return. Even a masochistic
love, unrequited by another or even painfully rejected, seeks to receive some
perverse pleasure from that love. In
this life we procreate but when we are perfected, no more will that be the
case. We will love more perfectly,
loving for the right reasons and not to receive something in return, love will
be its own reward. Our love here is at a
base level, related to the idolatry in the Isaiah passage. We are meant to perfectly love the perfect
image, Jesus.
Paul's love for the Thessalonians is that they continue to
love Jesus and have faith in Him. After
being driven from them, he finally sent back his faithful servant Timothy to
continue the work he had begun and to remind them not to forsake the Lord
because of his and their suffering, these things were to be expected and Paul
had warned them would happen. We don't
tell people such things nowadays and they are prepared only for blessing. Paul's delight is in the perseverance of
their faith in the report from Timothy.
His love for them is such that all that matters is their salvation. This good report relived their real distress,
his concern for these new Christians, even in the midst of Paul's own
troubles. Those troubles are temporary
and will end, more important is the eternal salvation of these people. Lord, give me such a mind and heart as this!
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