“…even as Christ also loved the church…” (Ephesians 5:25)
"Justice is about harmony. Revenge is about you making yourself feel better. It's why we have an impartial system..Do you feel the need to get even? "Even" as Stephen lay beneath the pile of stones, cast by his murderers, he prayed, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge”.That was a prayer of harmony.A prayer of even-ness. That was even as his Lord had prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. Both prayed the same prayer of pardon. Guess you could call him "Even Stephen". Bonk…lame! Let’s look at that word “even”. When Paul commanded, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church”, Some believe that's a lofty goal but certainly attainable. I mean, who can love like Jesus loved? Me? You? Jesus was God in the flesh, didn’t have a sin nature, and never had to live with a wife. But then the word “even” leaped out at me.
“Even” means, on the same level or plane, standing at the same height, it is match play and the score is tied, the two are shoulder to shoulder.Neck and neck. No one above another.I am called to love “even” as Christ, which requires me somehow to be at least on the same playing field as Jesus.If I am even with Christ I'll at least make the attempt to be harmony with everyone else. Be even, not to“get even”. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Its like playing ball between the white lines.The Sermon on the Mount (Mound) commands us to be “even” with the Father. Yes, that is beyond my reach at times, but that is why the Holy Ghost who is “even” in all respects with God has been given us. Christ gave Himself for the church. The Holy Spirit makes us “conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10). To be “even” with Him I must first conform and fit to His image,which means not throwing as many fits.That sometimes feels like a square peg fitting into a round hole and boy does it hurt.Most of the time it means the flesh doesn't get what it wants-Revenge.
Reconciliation is an evening out process and should be the goal posts we keep our eyes fixed too. The cross evened the score and evened the playing field.All stand on even ground. To say, “I forgive you, is to say that things are even again and reconciled.With us-with Jesus, Because when I forgive you,I am forgiven.Now we have the position and the power to love as He loved. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you” (John 13:34), or we could say, “even as I have loved you”. The testing part is that nowhere does He leave room for excuse. If you are thinking about revenge today I would caution you.Revenge as Rachael told Bruce in the movie Batman Begins is only about making yourself feel better.It doesn't even out anything.Only forgiveness can accomplish that..In our Christian fellowship we are to yield, to sacrifice, to submit to the will of God, to go the second mile and to carry our cross. To be “conformed to the image of his Son” is the whole aim of salvation and sanctification. In my case, I doubt that I will ever be “even” until he takes me home, so until then, I will all struggle with the hardest nine words of the English language-- I'm sorry,Please forgive me,I was wrong. I will keep striving to hit the mark..........AND GET EVEN.....
Nuff Said,
“Even” means, on the same level or plane, standing at the same height, it is match play and the score is tied, the two are shoulder to shoulder.Neck and neck. No one above another.I am called to love “even” as Christ, which requires me somehow to be at least on the same playing field as Jesus.If I am even with Christ I'll at least make the attempt to be harmony with everyone else. Be even, not to“get even”. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Its like playing ball between the white lines.The Sermon on the Mount (Mound) commands us to be “even” with the Father. Yes, that is beyond my reach at times, but that is why the Holy Ghost who is “even” in all respects with God has been given us. Christ gave Himself for the church. The Holy Spirit makes us “conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10). To be “even” with Him I must first conform and fit to His image,which means not throwing as many fits.That sometimes feels like a square peg fitting into a round hole and boy does it hurt.Most of the time it means the flesh doesn't get what it wants-Revenge.
Reconciliation is an evening out process and should be the goal posts we keep our eyes fixed too. The cross evened the score and evened the playing field.All stand on even ground. To say, “I forgive you, is to say that things are even again and reconciled.With us-with Jesus, Because when I forgive you,I am forgiven.Now we have the position and the power to love as He loved. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you” (John 13:34), or we could say, “even as I have loved you”. The testing part is that nowhere does He leave room for excuse. If you are thinking about revenge today I would caution you.Revenge as Rachael told Bruce in the movie Batman Begins is only about making yourself feel better.It doesn't even out anything.Only forgiveness can accomplish that..In our Christian fellowship we are to yield, to sacrifice, to submit to the will of God, to go the second mile and to carry our cross. To be “conformed to the image of his Son” is the whole aim of salvation and sanctification. In my case, I doubt that I will ever be “even” until he takes me home, so until then, I will all struggle with the hardest nine words of the English language-- I'm sorry,Please forgive me,I was wrong. I will keep striving to hit the mark..........AND GET EVEN.....
Nuff Said,
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