Prayer hat, long braided hair locks at the temples, beards, plain black and white attire, everything pointing towards "different"... Maybe connected to God...there was that prayer book almost smack in front of his face. Oh definitely Jewish, God's peculiar people???
Google gives us pictures of almost anything - don't think that I was profiling for a second-- look up Hasidic Jews - You will see the pictures of what I saw walking the streets and waiting for buses as we were passing through the community of Monsey, NY ... (A strange out of the blue GPS detour on our way to the Tappan Zee Bridge across the Hudson)I wondered if God was like that?Does God stand in the middle of the bustle of humanity, waiting for a bus, with his nose planted in a holy book...devotionally ignoring others around Him? Or is He constantly engaged with the infirmities of His creation? Just Saying!
Yes, I understand the idea of the need for "separateness" and the need for devotional display to create an identity that appears connected to the Divine. But whatever we put between us and men in our daily walk with Christ ...better be a bridge, not a wall.
Jesus may have failed in this avenue of thought, especially at first glance ... Here was His bend on it though: Got alone to pray (private devotion) and identified with the groaning of all creation when faced with it. He did not hide His own sorrow with the world, and mute His grief with the plight of men, nor soften His anger with those who would sell salvation. He did not hide His divinity behind the facade of a godly costume and a prayer book. If this offends some "spiritually catatonic world view defender" ... then so be it. If your fur has been rubbed the wrong way ... Why???
"Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from Heaven, the earth feared, and was still, when God arose to judgment to save the meek of the earth. Selah." Psalm 76:8,9.
God doesn't need us to point to His greatness, for the most part all we do is distort the attributes of Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness... possibly because we fear the consequences of unconditional love. We might lose ourselves.
Not sure if you are familiar with the film - "The Green Mile", where the late Michael Clarke played the larger than life, gentle giant, black angelic persona -- John Coffey. He came to mind today when I thought of your pain and sorrow. O how I would love to wrap my arms around you and extract all the weakness, all the sickness, all the grief, all the sorrow and all of the intense pain that robs you of your happiness.
I know that the intensity of those things can drive you to the edge of darkness, cause you to shake your fist Heavenward, and cause you to question God's love for you ... While your anger percolates in His direction and radiates its effects as "blame" and "disappointment" with those around you.
While I was considering the image that burned in my heart from Monsey and feeling the pain and sorrow that was coming off of lives around me ... God walked me through Psalm 77 ( I strongly suggest that you take the time to read the Psalmists reaction to bitter disappointment) ... But this verse will give you the turning point that we all need:Psalm 77:10 - " And I said, this is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the Right Hand of the Most High."
Here is where we can stop the cycle of blame and shame; and begin truly reaching others for Christ --- First I must say... stake my claim: -- IT IS MY INFIRMITY - my weakness, my sickness, my disease, my grief, my sorrow ... I will own it.
---Then I will remember it is His time, His opportunity, His rescue time and will trust!
Quit hiding your failure behind a façade of self made dribble -- your infirmity is the bridge to your strategic positioning in the Kingdom of Victory.
Quit hiding behind your failure ... Let Him Love you.
No! ... God was not waiting for a bus with a separation attitude and His nose in prayer book ... God was wearing the shame of everyone getting on the bus. All that was needed for engagement was "remember me... Lord Jesus!" He is always engaged in the lives of men, are we willing to join him?
HLFA,
Jeff
Let Jesus love you through every chapter of this glorious adventure called... Life in Him.