Ruminations and Ramifications

On preaching the wrath of God - A Birthday Muse

December 4th, 2006.

I consider this day to be my second birthday. And considering what events surround that day, I consider this to be the only date that matters. I had quite an impressive history beforehand. Well, impressive to man's eyes. But God knew what was going on underneath, and was really using all of that to bring me to the end of my own righteousness. Which was nothing. Filthy rags. Manure.

What I experienced around that date was nothing less than the blessed terror of the Lord. It was nothing less than understanding the unmitigated wrath of God stored up for those with no Salvation from the fires of hell. I chuckle, although reservedly, at the direction I turned immediately after wailing that mournful and desperate question, "What must I DO to be saved?!?!?!?!" I went straight to the law. But I digress.

Well, maybe not, because what comfort is there in a law that I cannot keep? There was nothing but despair on every side. After MUCH struggle, after finding solace in the written works laid across my path like a trail of breadcrumbs, the arrows pointed straight to Christ. (And for this, I recommend reading Horatius Bonar's How Shall I Go to God?)

While reading TeamPyro's post today on the scariest men who ever lived, I thought about the blessedness of coming to an understanding of God's terror and wrath while here on earth. All men will one day see it, on one side of eternity or on the other. I pray that I may, in the narrow span of time I spend here on earth, have an opportunity to point out the anger of God directed at sin, and at what an absolute devastation it is. And may I then point them to the offer of life, salvation, the truly good news to those who have seen a glimpse of the terror of the Lord.

Alive in Christ

I one was rebellious, corrupted by sin,
Pursuing the devil's dark path,
oblivious, dead to the state I was in,
An object of God's dreadful wrath.

But God who is rich in compassion and love,
Not leaving my soul to the grave,
Has given me life; born again from above,
By God's sov'reign grace I've been saved.

God lifted me up to the heavenly realms
Where seated with Christ I am free;
In ages to come he might show me more grace-
So great is his kindness to me.

Since grace is the source of the life that is mine-
And faith is a gift from on high-
I'll boast in my Savior, all merit decline,
And glorify God 'til I die.

Yet now I am living with work to be done
For I am God's workmanship, too,
Created in Christ with a race to be run,
Which God has ordained me to do.

-James Montgomery Boice
"Hymns for a Modern Reformation"

posted by Marcian @ 8:28 AM