I have been studying a book by Jim McGuiggan, "The Dragon Slayer". In this book he talks about what sin is. We all know that God is against sin. "Whatever else 'sin' is, it is relational infidelity--first and foremost it is against God himself.... Sin is a reality he cannot, will not live at peace with under any circumstances." We all know He is against sin, but do we know why. Those men are not telling those students anything new. They are shouting at them about consequences they do not understand. If you do not understand the why behind the reaction, if you do not understand the intense love, your mind and heart will have a very hard time accepting the rules. "But there's anther face of Sin that moves God to deal with it. He also sees it as a power that destroys his beloved, enslaves his children and cheats them out of the fullness of life he longs to bless them with. And it deprives him of the joy he finds in their love for him. God is not only holy, he is a holy lover and that too is what moves him against Sin."
I have been married two times. I am going to use my life, my two marriages as examples. These are examples of how we choose to be with God or not. In these examples I am in no way attacking my ex-husband. I am in no way saying that my husband now has done no wrong. We are called to be living examples, this is a living example, only.
Sin was his name... I loved him. I enjoyed him. I thought that by marrying him, my problems would be over. I thought Sin would save me from myself. Los Vegas was our destination. On our way our friends tried to stop us. They tried to tell us not to get married like this, but my mind was made up. I wanted my husband. We arrived, walked into the Graceland Wedding Chapel, and one of our friends walked me down the isle. I heard the Chaplin ask, "Who gives this woman away in marriage?"
"I the Dark lord of the universe," was his resounding reply. And that was it. I was given away in marriage by the dark lord of the universe in Sin City. I had ultimately made my choice, I married Sin and my soul was sold into a bondage I had never expected. Sin was so much fun to be married to. He was adventurous, and wild. He would make my heart pound with his untamed spirit, but there was something about Sin that had me so confused. In one aspect, he would pronounce his undying love for me, but on the other he would beat me down and make me cower beneath his size as he railed against me. I was in pain and he would pass me the bong, our drug, telling me to take my medicine. He kept me a prisoner with his continual feeding of what was ultimately killing me. "Sin becomes part of us; it shapes us, infects us, pollutes us and paralyzes us."
The great confession. I hit my knees. My heart, mind, body and spirit had been broken. What I thought would give me freedom and life was slowly helping me to vanish. I cried out to God and He in His undying love took me under the shelter of His wings and gave me a new life. He allowed me to see Him and feel Him by giving me my "savior". Savior, was his name... The third day after I had met him, I knew he was not for me. So, in order to run him away, I told him everything bad about me, everything I had ever done. He didn't run. His exact words were, "I think I am here to help you heal." That was it and one year later we were married. But I was broken, Sin had changed who I was. Three years after I had committed my life to Savior, I finally told him in all honesty, "I am in love with you." The healing of a wounded heart had taken place and I was finally falling in love with my life, myself, my husband, my Savior.
This is such a huge part of Christianity that is not thoroughly explained. It is not just about following rules and living "right", it is all about relationship. My God is a Holy Lover and He does not want to share me with anyone, especially not Sin. He knows that Sin is constantly trying to come into our relationship and break it with an affair. Sin is trying to tear apart what God intended from the beginning. "It is because he, God, is holy that the only life he can offer is life that has loving holiness at the heart of it. Those who rejoice in life with him must be holy because he is holy. He who would love and live with God will have to settle for the only God there is and he is holy!... He makes the move to honor himself but as the scripture insist, he honors himself by redeeming the sinner whom he loves." I am the bride of Christ and I am so honored that he wants to protect and love me where I am. He sets himself up against Sin who wants to hurt me. He does not condemn me. He loves me and chooses to help me regain who he mean me to be in the first place. He is my Holy Lover.
Psalm 107, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.
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