eFax of Life from CBMC Heartland
A Weekly Inspirational Thought from Ken Korkow
Time & Space
I’m not a real bright person – but sometimes I think about big things. About five months ago I began thinking about time.
Time is infinite. Because I am very finite – I never will be able to fully comprehend an infinite concept such as time. But from babyhood I began to be aware of days, nights, weeks (“Mommy, how much longer ‘til Christmas?”), years – and now (that I’m 55 years young) – decades.
About a month later – I began thinking about space. Space is also infinite – but as children we began the discovery process; crib, room, house, yard, town, nation, world. The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second. The circumference of the world is 25,000 miles. A light beam goes around earth 7 ½ times in a second. The closest star (other than our sun) is 3 ½ light years away.
About a month later – started thinking about holiness. God is infinitely Holy. He’s lots of other things, too. He says He is all-loving, all-powerful, all-knowing. But He never says “I am love, love”, nor “I am power, power”. Only one attribute does He reiterate – “Holy, Holy, Holy” (Isaiah 6:1).
When I mention ‘infinite holiness’ – you may be tempted to limit this concept to mere duration. But God’s infinite holiness extends beyond that – to also include enormity. The infinite mass of His holiness. Never-ending, all extending, perfectly pure.
Not long ago – it dawned on me that the real tragedy of the cross was not the crucifixion of Jesus – but the defilement of His HOLINESS by the contamination from my sin. And the ‘container’ that I corrupted was not simply ‘man-sized’ – it was an infinitely-large JESUS-SIZED HOLINESS (2 Cor. 5:21).
My defilement of His infinite purity caused the Trinity to be shattered – as the Father had to separate Himself from the Son lest He too be corrupted by my sin (Matthew 27:46). The ultimate tragedy – yet part of God’s perfect, eternal plan for the redemption of mankind. ("For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16)
As I consider why very few Christians finish well – (with an ever-growing intimacy with God and the resultant overflowing love and good deeds) I’m reminded of a law of physics: ‘The greater the mass – the greater the gravitational pull.’ As we have exalted science, materialism, personal gratification, self – our view of the preeminence of God has eroded. Therefore, there is less gravitational pull to spiritual intimacy, obedience, and the eternal consequences of our everyday actions.
Life isn’t about you, me, work, possessions, families. It’s not about challenges and conquests. Those are peripheral, secondary.
Moses saw some great miracles. Lots of them. And when he finally wants more – he doesn’t ask God to turn the ocean to kool-aid. He simply desires “Please show me Your glory” (Exodus 33:18).
Elijah witnesses some awesome stuff, too. But – as a climax – God doesn’t say “Watch this Elijah. I’m going to have the Nebraska Cornhuskers win the National football championship.” Instead, the Father rips and quakes, and burns.
There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." 11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:9-13
Moses and Elijah understood life is about seeking, knowing, obeying God.
And it is interesting/instructive that these are the two guys from the Old Testament that show up in the New Testament on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2).
God’s primary essence was not in the wind, the earthquake, the fire. Nor (I believe) is it found in CBMC meetings, church gatherings, etc. Instead – He is ultimately and intimately found ‘in the sound of a gentle whisper’ (1 Kings 19:12).
As you reflect on how you will invest your remaining days – please consider the words from an old hymn:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
And the question for you and me is – will I ‘be still and know that He is God?’ (Psalm 46:10).
CBMC Heartland, 07/21/03
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