stained

I had the honor of speaking tonight at our college ministry and am still processing the message (and my voice is recovering). We looked at Jeremiah 6:16 - a verse that is often taken out of context to aid us in decision-making. Instead I think it is more of a courtroom testimony of the Creator's offer that was repeatedly rejected by his people...

This is what the LORD says:
"Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'

At the time of this prophecy, Israel's rejection of God was leading toward their destruction and captivity. God's heart was breaking. He looked at Israel and saw their blatant abandonment:

Therefore the showers have been withheld,
and no spring rains have fallen.
Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute;
you refuse to blush with shame. (Jer 3:3)

God wanted his people on the path toward everlasting peace. Even the phrase "ancient paths" captures this; the Hebrew means something like "most distant / remotest / everlasting paths". It's not something that many to this point can claimed they walked. So when God says, "seek the everlasting paths," he's inviting them (and us) to find the peace that we were created for.

I thought it appropriate to leave the lasting image we used to demonstrate that while we were still 'abandoners' of God, He chose us. (Romans 5:8) The image above is the marred idea of our starting point: the garden / peace / true untainted relationship with the Creator. That's what God's people have done to his everlasting path.

With fresh fingerprints we take over, reject, refuse, neglect the path meant for us. And yet God says "I'll choose that. I'll use that. I'll become that." This is the 'amazing grace' of wretchedness for God's glory. Glory in the stain. Glory in freedom. Glory in letting God become the despise that was ours. That's the new everlasting path... the everlasting plan of hope and glory.

"Amazing Grace," recorded by Chris Tomlin (2007)

*The smiley in the corner represents one student's gratitude -- or at least her joy of fingerpainting. (Painting by Micah Eglington-Woods; Marring by yours truly.)