“Even though I have become somebody, I still have to prove that I am somebody. My struggle has never ended and I guess it never will.”- Madonna
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”- Romans 5:1-2
In Chapter 4 (“Relaxing in Him”) of Missing Jesus, Charles tells of the time he was interviewing Dr. J. I. Packer for Haven Ministries. As the interview came to a close, Charles posed one final question: “Dr. Packer, would you share with our Haven listeners what you’ve learned about Jesus since writing Knowing God? Dr. Packer glanced at the ceiling and thought for a moment, then answered: “I have learned that Jesus is not Jeeves. Jesus is central, you see.”
Jeeves, Charles explains, is a valet in a series of books written by the late British humorist P. G. Wodehouse. Jeeves’ entire life revolves around waiting hand and foot on his rich and idle master, Bertie Wooster. Charles adds:
“We are not at the center of things with Jesus standing patiently by ready to step in whenever we might need his assistance, and then discreetly withdrawing until we need him again.”
As Janet points out, Jesus refuses to be marginalized. When Jesus is marginalized, we exhaust ourselves trying to get in God’s good graces. Martin Luther call this the monster of uncertainty. We need to know this (justification by faith) down to the depths of our soul. Jesus has done it all. We can relax in Him.
Today’s question: Who truly is at the center of your desert, land between time? Are you enslaved by the monster of uncertainty? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The verdict before the performance”
