Redeemer Devotions for February 21, 2013

God as character



In a quick glance at biblical stories, God is messing with the character of people.

For example, when God liberates a people it is not just a liberation from some oppressor

of the day. God liberates people in order that they will become a people who take

on a new character - unlike the oppressor and powers of the day. God sets people

free and they are brought out into a new place so that they will become a new people.

These new people are given a way to take part in the character of our God. It will

be a transforming character - it will be an alien character - it will be a character

from which many will turn and go the other way because the character of a broken

world seems to fit better into a broken world. Look at the Corinthians and the

way Paul seems to be tearing out his hair as he listens to how that community of

saints is wrestling with the new character they are encouraged to take on as their

own. When they are to gather for the Lord's Supper, they go at it as they would

any other day of the week. The rich get the most and the poor are left with the

leftovers. Within the character of our God that is to become the character of the

community, that will not do. So Paul has to take the time to lay out some 'basics'

- again. Those basics that help to shape the character of a community of saints

are simple - essential - transforming - and yet, often too difficult for God's people

to take up as our own. This adventure with our God is no mere pie-in-the-sky, Jesus-take-me-to-my

heavenly-home journey. It is a journey into life that is visibly and daily changed

- in the twinkling of an eye - into a life that resembles the character of our God.

I still believe it is life that amazes the world as it is.



O God of love and new life, as you continue to unfold the story of your gracious

Reign, you never cease to offer that story to us as our own. We do not always jump

at the opportunity to be made new. Again, we call on the Holy Spirit to pull us

into a wrestling match that will make us look at you face to face and so that we

come away with a clearer vision of the character for life that you have waiting

for us. Urge us to come and get it. Amen.