Mysterious, Cosmic Humility

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." ~ Philippians 2:5-7

So, here I am, back in Waynesville, NC. For the third time, I have left the YWAM bubble in New Zealand in order to return home. The difference is that this time I get to spend more than 3 months at home (instead of just one month) before I plan to return to YWAM Marine Reach in New Zealand to do some more new and exciting things. First I will be staffing the lecture phase (first three months) of the Justice-focused Discipleship Training School (DTS) that begins in April 2014. After that, I will be working with my friend Micah Mitlyng to fulfill his vision of a new Backpacking-focused DTS, called the Pilgrimage DTS, which will begin in October 2014. Launching a new DTS, particularly one that involves lots of outdoor activities, comes with a plethora of challenges to confront and details to figure out, so even now, 10 months in advance, Micah and I will working long distance, along with the base leadership in New Zealand, to begin preparing for next October.

Besides the work on this new DTS, I am looking forward to doing at least a few other things as I stay in western North Carolina. Of course I will be spending time with my family, which I'm really excited about, but I am also stoked about serving at my Church, the Vine of the Mountains, in whatever ways I can. I will also be meeting and communicating with friends, relatives, and supporters - mostly because I love them and have missed them, but also partly because I need regular supporters for at least the next year and a half after I leave in April. Then, most importantly, I want to continue the wonderful growth and transformation that God has been working in me these past months, keeping my eyes on Him, growing in intimacy with Him, and stepping out in faith and obedience whenever He asks. The great thing is that God is just as capable of doing amazing and miraculous things in and through me here as He is while I am in YWAM. As I have begun to understand more than ever on this past DTS, my continued transformation really just depends on remaining intimate with God, continuing to fix my eyes on Jesus, and beholding His glory:

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another." ~ 2 Corinthians 3:18

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith..." ~ Heb 12:1-2a

And so this is what I have been trying to do. The wonderful thing is that because of my breakthroughs in gaining intimacy with God during this past school, staying focused on Jesus is easier than it ever has been before. I love God so much more, and my time spent with God gives me so much joy rather than just being a duty that I need to do. I am not as drawn to old distractions - TV, movies, video games; instead, I am more drawn to worship, reading Scripture, and prayer. There are still plenty of distractions and challenges, but I know that each time I make myself available to God, He will meet me, fill me, and lead me. And that is SO good.

Take for example this morning. I began my time with God just opening myself up to the Holy Spirit, submitting and surrendering to God again. If in doubt, that's always a good idea. It was for me, because then as I finished reading a little devotion, Holy Spirit swept me off through Scripture for some revelations about Jesus. I don't remember how exactly, but I ended up in the book of Revelation, reading about Jesus in chapters 1 and 19, which will blow your mind even on a good day:

"Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two- edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." ~ Rev 1:12-18

See, John definitely got his socks knocked off. Oh, but it gets better; look at Revelation 19:

"Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." ~ Rev 19:11-16

That's incredible just to try and imagine. THIS is our Jesus; THIS is our king. He's going to judge and make war, but not like any judge or general we've ever seen because it will be in complete righteousness. We don't like judgment and we don't like war; but we've never seen it done righteously. He will also "rule [the nations] with a rod of iron," which sounds harsh, but think about it - who better to rule than Faithful and True, the Word of God, King of Kings, His eyes burning with love for us, and His robe dipped in His own freely spilled blood? Then finally He will "tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty," and no one has more authority to do that than Him. Why? Because He already received and endured that wrath Himself, full in the face, starting in Gethsemane (which means oil press by the way) and going through even to Death and Hades (where He apparently got the Keys - v. 1:18 above). That...is Glory.

So let's connect some dots here, since it's Advent. Let's remember that this same Son of Man we've been talking about is that little baby born in a stable in that one story we've heard so many times it started seeming normal.

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. ~ Luke 2:6-7

King of kings....in a manger? Eyes like fire....crying baby?? "In righteousness He judges and makes war.......an infant who can't even walk??? That's right. This is massive, unthinkable humility. Truly, He "emptied himself" of His glory (Phil 2:7 at the beginning), and this is how we know He is good and He loves us. He is not a power-hungry and blood-thirsty deity. No, He let go of His power, and He would soon spill His own blood. He is mysteriously glorious in His humility, strong in his weakness, rich in his poverty, alive in his death. As a Lamb, He will defeat the dragon and beast (Revelation 5, 12, 17:14, 19-20). Somehow, by letting go of Glory He became even more worthy of it.

Seriously, you just can't make this stuff up.

I mean, I won't fully grasp this while I'm still on this earth, and I can tell you, Satan is utterly confused and frustrated by this.

So that's enough of a revelation for a good while. But there's more, and this part involves me. As it were, I have foolishly (but honestly) asserted that I want to be like this Jesus. And in light of this understanding of Him, that immediately means that I have forfeited any right to cling to anything except my God. He gave up basically everything it was possible to give up (even a home, Matthew 8:20), and all of those things were things He deserved. I don't even deserve any of that, and so I must then be willing to give up whatever I think I have earned or am entitled to in order to serve Him and be "transformed into His likeness." Suddenly this verse has a lot more meaning:

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." ~ Mark 8:34

But praise the Lord - I will do this, not with my own strength but with His strength. After all, He is strong in weakness, He is rich in poverty, and He is glorious in humility...

I love Him,
Dan