Dale Cresap's blog

Do you think that justice is, or should be, entirely dispassionate and objective? Do you find that it is easier to pronounce judgment on some unknown stranger for a given set of facts than it is for a friend, even if the same conditions apply? Does firsthand knowledge of the people involved make it easier to render righteous judgment, or harder? Is it easier to have mercy on people you know? Do you think that I am able to render righteous judgment? No one is a stranger to me. I know them all. You have seen how I have lavished mercy upon you. Don’t be surprised at the mercy I offer to others. This is my version of righteous judgment. 

Do you believe that my judgments are righteous and true? Are you still convinced of this when they are applied to you? Do not mistake my judgments for my wrath. You understand that children need correction, and you are my children. A father chastens every son whom he receives, and the sons understand that this is for their own good even if they don’t enjoy it at the time. Haven’t you already seen that I have led you in a way that was good for you even if you wouldn’t have chosen it at the time? I want you to understand that my judgments are righteous and true even when they apply to you. 

What do you expect of the Christian life? Comfort and ease? Have you heard the gospel presented this way? Comfort is highly rated in your culture, and many people make it their life goal, but there are higher things to aim for. Being called to a life dedicated to my purpose is hard but full of significance. Haven’t you already found that you can put in more effort and endure greater hardships for something meaningful than seeking comfort with no real purpose? The gospel message carries this argument to its ultimate conclusion. You can endure a difficult life easier than one that is pointless.

Do you think of vocation as the training you get for a job as an alternative to going to college for a profession? This term has not always been understood in this way. In some faith traditions it means the work that you perform in response to a spiritual calling, whether it is paid ministry with credentials or not. Your culture has a commercial bias, which teaches you to think that activities matter if  they make money. Yet haven’t you found yourself drawn to some tasks and find them rewarding and fulfilling whether they make money or not? I will provide your needs. Think of your life’s work as making a difference even if it doesn’t make money. 

My word promises my return and tells my followers to love my appearing. You can do this without arguing about the details of how it will happen. Are you ready for me to return? If you rejoice to see my ongoing work of transformation in your life then you may be concerned that my return would cut it short. You may also be concerned that the service that you do for others will not be completed by the time I come. I have taken all these concerns into account and have perfect resolutions for them. In my love and mercy I will return at just the right time and you can look forward to this without hesitation. 

Have you ever heard a new believer offer a prayer in rather rough language because that was what they were accustomed to? Were you offended? I wasn’t. Have you ever heard someone offer an angry prayer after a devastating loss? Were you offended by this? Again, I was not. I don’t require your prayers to be flowery platitudes. Is it possible that the prayers that are offensive are the ones not given? There is no reason for you to disengage and depart from me no matter what situation you are in. I already know your thoughts so you can acknowledge them yourself when you come to me. Remain engaged with me as your source of life. 

My word describes my people taken as a whole as one body, and so you hear of splits and contentions described as divisions in the body. Do you comprehend the seriousness of this in reference to the imagery of a body? In the natural realm, a body that is divided is dead or at the very least severely crippled. Is this what you think of when you hear of a division in my body? For I chose this imagery intentionally, with all that it implies, yet in the light of this my people take the issue of division rather casually. I want you to take division in my body as seriously as you would the division of a living person. 

Do you see my body as a single entity? It is, so you should, and this is your true affiliation as a Christian. Yet at the same time there is no such thing as a generic Christian, just as there is no such thing as a generic body member or organ. Every part of a body has its own distinctive nature and function. It is good for you to embrace a particular faith tradition. In doing so you should be accepting of others who do the same. There is a temptation to think that yours is superior because you practice it, but you don’t need to give in to this temptation. Embrace your faith with a clear conscience and receive as equals the other members of my body. 

Have you met people who use mental gymnastics and complex logic to explain that their life is making a difference in the world? It may seem like special pleading to you but it does illustrate how strong the innate desire is to live a life of meaning. What is the purpose of a life without purpose? Yet the measure of the meaning of your life is not how much money you make. The number of people you help is closer, but in the absence of the infinite horizon of eternity, even that is an elusive measure. I know the plans I have for you, to give you a future and a hope; a destiny. This is your purpose and I am pleased to share it with you and guide you into it. 

Do you pray? Prayer can be entirely spontaneous, but most Christians find it beneficial to use a systematic approach to prayer so they do it consistently. There are many different approaches to routine prayer, and there is no basis for saying that one is inherently superior to the other. Which one is best for you? Assuming that you are able to devote only a certain amount of time to prayer, choose the one that leaves you in a spiritually receptive frame of mind all day. Then you can return to conscious awareness of my presence as opportunities arise and in this way pray without ceasing.