Reform & Revive

(disclaimer: Whit and Paul are much more qualified to write a post about sanctification after John Owen’s book. The following is only a tiny way that God made this topic real to me, again.)

I park under the trees. Not a fun place to park this time of year. A layer of sap, a layer of pollen, the morning dew, and repeat. Some birds contributed a few decorative elements to the yellow-green blanket.

My favorite time to drive is at sunset. In my opinion, the sunset is one of the most obvious displays of God’s glory and common grace.

I drove at sunset quite a bit this week. I noticed only one sunset.

I’m sure they were there. I’m sure they were beautiful. The pollen and sap and bird crap impaired my ability to see the eight-o’clock-glory-of-God. I was too busy being disgusted at the yellow-green film that covered my windows and was spurting through my air vents.

That is gross. I need to clean it off.
I’ll wait till it rains.
Or till the pollen stops dropping.
Or at least till after school is over.

So I missed sunset
after sunset.

Sin builds up like pollen.
(in my life)
I hate it. It disgusts me. but I’m so busy. And so the film of sin grows until I can no longer see the beauty and love of the Savior.

I’ll deal with that attitude later tonight. Or after finals.
I’m just reacting to the pressure I feel right now. It’s only a phase.

The fight of sin is a fight to see His glory, to experience the joy of experiencing His beauty. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” (Matt 5:8)

Maybe my heart is extra wicked, but when I am overwhelmed by my sin, “Honor God” provides weak incentive to change. I want some benefit.

and there is a benefit! There is a promise, a motivation to strive for holiness:

The sight of His beauty. (Matt 5:8)

The treasure of His friendship. (Ps 27:4)

Fullness of joy in His presence. (Ps 16:11)

Although total righteousness is achieved only through faith in Christ and the fullness of salvation from sin has not yet arrived (the “already but not yet”..?), let us, with the apostle Paul (in Phil 3), clean our windshields of the pollen and press on towards the prize: the sight of His glorious face. (Rev 22:4)

When the moon blinds my eyes with its radiance in comparison to the deepness of the blue-black sky, and I attempt to fathom the vastness of the Milky Way and the galaxies beyond…

O for a thousand tongues to sing/My great Redeemer’s praise!
The glories of my God and King! The triumphs of His grace!

But how can I call for a thousand tongues when this one wretched soul cannot even bid every ounce of her being into focus on the praise of His name?

I identify with David when he cried, “Praise the Lord, O my soul!”
Soul! Praise His Holy Name!

Considering the beauty of the sky and stars that sing magnificent harmonies to the Creator, how can this sinful woman praise you?

…You, the King of the Universe.

I know the story. I remind myself daily. The Glorious God, lacking in nothing, chose to create a race of ultimately inglorious men and women.
We are told it was for His glory that we are created (Isaiah 43:1-7, 48:9-11)

With one of our first exercises of will we rebel. We aspired to become God.

Made from the dust of the earth (gen 2:7), with a lifespan like that of a blade of grass (ps 103:15-16), carrying the status of a maggot or worm (job 25:6) when compared to the majesty of God.

A worm! A worm attempted to become God!

Yet we are worse than maggots, more filthy than worms! Have worms rebelled against their Creator? Have they ever strived for autonomy? Have they disdained God by behaving as if He were inconsequential in their lives?

No.

So how can such a rebellious, despicable race as we bring glory to the Creator of the stars?

Listen: He will transform us. He will cleanse us from our sin. He will deliver us from our uncleanness. He will give us a new heart and a new spirit. He will put His laws within our hearts and cause us to obey His rules. And we will be His people and He will be our God. (Ez 36:21-32)

We are the benefactors of His glorification of Himself. Let us be ashamed of our iniquities. Let us not seek to be more than we are! Let boasting cease. Let us be nothing but a reflection of glory of our King.

And let us look to the Savior with Isaac Watts:

Alas and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I
Was it for sins that I had done
He groaned upon the tree
Amazing pity, grace unknown
And love beyond degree

My God why would
You shed Your blood
So pure and undefiled
To make a sinful one like me
Your chosen precious child

Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut His glories in
When Christ the mighty Maker died
For man the creature’s sin
Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear Cross appears
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness
And melt my eyes to tears

-amy