Influence

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It has been a long while since I have posted anything here. I have been busy completing three years toward my B.A. in English and my senior year is underway. My current class (Creative Writing) has finally given me the space to take off the tight harness of academic writing rules, and it feels SO GOOD!! After reading my first assignment, Mom and Daddy gave it their thumbs up and suggested I make it a blog post, so here it is. It is my story and their story. It's a little longer than my usual posts, but as with everything I have ever posted here, I pray it encourages you to run "up the sunbeam to the sun" (C. S. Lewis). "Follow my example,  as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV I sat above them on the stairs. Looking down through the window-like openings in the partition between the living room and the stairway, I listened to the basketball players, football players, baseball players, wrestlers, track athletes, both the lettermen

A Blessed Oxymoron

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-- That's a funny title, I know.
Good - Bad High - Low Light - Dark Up - Down Victory - Defeat Success - Failure Honor - Disgrace Glory - Shame
I think it's safe to say that these pairs of words are polar opposites. There is kind of a "never the twain shall meet" quality about each combination. These are "one or the other" propositions--you can't have both, at least not simultaneously . . . or so we think. As a lover of words, I have always enjoyed oxymorons--those quirky little figures of speech that carry contradiction like cargo--"jumbo shrimp," "act natural," "same difference," or "alone together." The word oxymoron is an oxymoron itself, meaning "sharply dull." Well, I think Jesus was a living oxymoron. He was God incarnate who left His home in HEAVEN and came to EARTH for one purpose--He said that purpose was to be lifted up.
"But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." John 12:32 NIV
Jesus used that phrase, "lifted up," several times as recorded by John (John 3:14, 8:28, 12:32). At first glance people might think that being lifted up meant receiving accolades and awards; but no--Jesus came to be lifted up in humiliation, disgrace, punishment, ignominy . . . lifted up on a cruel cross. Instead of the honor He was worthy to receive, Jesus was made a vivid example for all to see, of what became of people who did miracles and claimed to be the Son of God of all things! The chief priests, the Pharisees, and the Romans said to themselves with a sneer, "There, that should take care of that!" They could NOT have been more wrong! When Perfection was lifted up in lowdown disgrace to die between thieves, Jesus powerfully revealed His true glory! When the King of Kings spilled out His divine lifeblood, willingly, on purpose, because He chose to do so, He gave Himself to ransom wretches like you and me! He was lifted up to be brought low, crushed to be exalted, disgraced to show forth His true glory!
God-man Born to Die Lifted up in Humiliation Perfection Punished Glory through Disgrace King's blood to rescue wretches Eternal Life wrestled from the clutches of darkest death
So yes, Jesus is my blessed oxymoron, a divine contradiction that makes perfect sense!
Out of the middle of a condemned pier, grows a little bush, the lone living thing in the crumbling ruin. Life out of death--a little visual oxymoron to remind us to live in stunning contradiction to the pull of sin and death . . . like Jesus did.
Share your thoughts with me about Jesus' glory and the ways He reveals it to you in unlikely places!

Comments

  1. Jennifer @ GDWJJanuary 28, 2010 at 7:01 AM

    Yes, the Beautiful Irony of our faith.

    I've pondered this over at my place a time or two as well. It's incredible, isn't it?

    Jesus, who had no sin, BECAME SIN FOR US.

    The stone the builders rejected BECAME THE CORNERSTONE FOR OUR FAITH.

    Jesus was rich, YET FOR OUR SAKE BECAME POOR.

    His power is made perfect IN OUR WEAKNESS.

    The last shall be first. THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST.

    We have been crucified with Christ, YET WE LIVE.

    Thanks for the great post and observations!

    ReplyDelete
  2. FridaydreamerJanuary 30, 2010 at 9:47 AM

    Thank you so much for adding your thoughts on this Jennifer--it pays to think upside-down sometimes, doesn't it?!
    In His Grip, Shaunie

    ReplyDelete

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