Cliff Notes in the Bible
6 May 2013
I know it is a controversial title but this is really the impression I got. Once again out in the garden working a few mornings ago when all these old Bible texts started wandering through my mind and it isn't very hard to mess with my head in early morning. I had been threatening, in my mind, to put together a list of edifying Scriptures in response to all the clobbering verses that are regularly used to attack and intimidate the LGBT+ community. I found the verses from Isaiah 61 running through my mind which wasn't to surprising since it has become a life verse for me personally. Then the doors of my spirit opened and I started a journey, a love journey; in Scripture of a Father to His children. I only tried Cliff Notes once in high school and to my recollection it was disastrous, seems the teacher had read it also and only asked the questions not covered by the abreiviated notes.Seems a lot of people gather their knowledge and information the same way even today. They rely solely on the notes of others without bothering to read the ENTIRE book in question. Please don't just take my word for it, I am flawed human being just like everyone else. Do your homework, read the entire book for yourself and then prayerfully and thoughtfully come to your own conclusions. I hope I can do this justice and more importantly I hope the Holy Spirit anoints it for those who read it.
Everyone knows the story of Adam and Eve's transgression in the Garden of Eden but what is seldom mentioned is that we were ALL made in the image God (1:26-28) and individually( Gen.2:7,18-22 we are not assembly line duplicates). Another verse that seconds this is Psalm 139 especially verses 13-18 where it speaks of us each being individually and uniquelly formed in our mother's womb by a loving Father and Creator. Repeatedly in the Old Testament are accounts of the Father's love for His children even when they screw up and blow it. In Genesis 3:21 he clothes Adam and Eve after they sinned, He put a mark on Cain to protect him after He had slain His brother Cain, it is a response repeated throughout Scripture, even when we rebel and sin grieviously Daddy is always holding out a hand to lift us back to our feet and strengthen us again. Way back before anything was Daddy already had set in place the Perfect Sacrifice to reunite Him with His children, it is called the Blood of the Lamb and it was shed at Calvary. So this doesn't get to lengthy let's step into the New Testament and go to John 3:16 and surrounding verses. The two parts that are always minimized are the most important. God so loved the world, that means each and everyone of us, and the verse of hope" that whosoever believes". There are no asterisks or fine print, and there are no exclusions in that verse just an offer from a loving Parent to His estranged kids. Luke 4:14-21 records Jesus at the start of His ministry goes into the synagogue, quotes Isaiah 61,closes the Torah and declare the prophecy was being fulfilled in their sight. And there is the Cliff Note! At this point Ibegan to see a synopsis of the Love of God towards us, chapter 61 tells us the heart of God. We were and are the afflicted, the brokenhearted, both the captives and the prisoners. We are also the apple of our Father's eye and focus of His affection. He isn't an ogre, a vengeful judge or flawed with our petty emotions, He is Love. Love Incarnate, Love Eternal and Love unconditional. Isaiah speaks it all, He isn't just saving us from our flawed nature but He is preparing us to wear the garlands of praise and carry the mantle of praise. He is laying a destiny of a favored son or daughter before us.He even declares we shall be called oaks of righteousness and the planting of the Lord. Consider that for a moment- a planting isn't some half-hearted task but a very deliberate act of preparing the soil, amending it and planting the tree at just the right time and only God knows our perfect time. He even further declares that He will use us to rebuild the ancient ruins, raise up the former desolations and repair the ruined cities and most importantly we will become ministers of our Father to show others the way to Him. It doesn't say judge them or despise them but rather embrace them with the genuine Love of our Father so that they might come back to the family gathering. The vision I have of Daddy has always been twofold, He is like a daddy setting in the great room in an old wooden rocker beckoning His children to set in His lap or at His feet and enjoy just being with Him. The second is straight from the parable of the prodigal son. For a moment forget all the subplots and concentrate on the Father. He sees his son from a far distance away as the son is returning home. There were no cellphones, internet, telegraphs or even snail mail, He saw him because He was longing for his son, watching, probably daily, with a heavy heart for him to come home. He recognizes the son from afar because He knows His son, his mannerisms, his walking gait and yes all of his sins and defects. He had raised Him from birth and knew him intimately as no other could but it didn't matter because His love was unconditional. If you continue to read the parable it is noteworthy that judgment is never a part of His reaction to the son only the joy of being reunited to him. These two verses say volumes about our Creator and His heart towards us.
It was about this time the revelation of Isaiah's prophecy became crystal clear and I heard the Holy Spirit whisper "It was never about Me, it has always been about them, the son's and daughters I created and long to have a genuine living relationship with, they are My Delight and My Heart's Desire".
,There is nothing I can add to that but know there is nothing anyone can take away form it either. We are loved and cherished by the One who made it all. Be blessed and encouraged for if He is for us who can be against us and stand against the power of our Daddy's Love!
Charlena Marie Andrews-Hayes.
