I have been hearing the word “privilege” thrown around a lot. Basically someone has something else someone doesn’t have. And the person that has that “privelege” doesn’t “deserve” It.
Two things: 1) Grace is something no one deserves. We all deserve the smelliest, most sulfuric, garbage-filled hell possible. Is God’s favor privilege? No. It’s offered to everyone. But it is something we earn? No. It cost Jesus Christ everything.. and had he not been God, he wouldn’t’ve walked out of that tomb. God decides our lots in life, and while they may change and we have some control over our lives, we are limited in our choices.
Was I going to be an astronaut? No. Most astronauts have 2 P.h.D.’s by the time they are in 21, plus excellent health, particularly their lungs. Was I going to be President? No, only rich people can afford to become Senators, or Governors, and higher up than that. I’m not saying you should say to your kids,” You can’t be whatever you want to be,” But God had me born in a certain country with certain economic advantages. He had me born with certain genetic defects that have manifested and hindered me greatly in life. I didn’t choose any of that. Privilege implies that all the good can be taken away, that it should be given to someone more “worthy” Well, God decides who is worthy of what, not us.
Now, a non-biblical story.
Once upon a time, a man was looking for someone to raise his son (or in some stories who will be the son’s godfather upon baptism). First God offers, but the man says,” No, You are only for the rich,” (not knowing that God decides poverty or wealth for every soul). Next the devil offers, but the man says,” No, you are evil,” Finally, Death offers. The man accepts. Death is powerful, respected, a seemingly great father/godfather to his son.
Well, Death uses the boy, who grows into a man, as his emissary. He is given a magic mushroom, that, when eaten, restores those dying to life. When Death stands at the foot of a sickbed, the man can use the mushroom. But when Death stands at the head of the bed, the man is not to give the mushroom, but to tell the man to finish writing his will (ersatz for a better, more biblical phrase).
Well, the man spares the life of a king, who rewards him with great wealth. Death decides to spare his adopted son once. Just once. Another time, the man spares a beautiful princess who is supposed to die. So, Death takes the man into a cave, showing him a myriad of candles lining shelves upon shelves of the cave walls. He says that the candles are the lives of men, the flame the life, the length (height) of the candle their lifespan. Some are short, and some are long, many in between.
“Which one is mine?” The man asks. Death gestures. “It’s so short,” say the man looking at it. “Can I make it longer?”
Death answers, “You would have to blow it out, and then lengthen it,”
So, the man foolishly blows out the candle, and falls over dead, as Death knew he would.
Would God have been a better Father or “god-father” to the man? Absolutely. For those who the Father adopts are destined for glory. Personally? God the Father has made my life so much better through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
But that means that His children may have to endure heartache, heart break, pain, sickness, old age, death, humiliation, and everything bad that can happen to you in this life. And some of you say to yourselves,” Yeah, and the next life is pie in the sky, a fairy tale, a delusion,”
Well, I disagree. And to that I will say,” Knowing God is so much better than a life apart from Him,”
Friends, this is going to sound crazy, but I have tasted hellfire. And I would’ve done anything to get out of it. Anything. But God took it away and gave me the life I have. A hobbled mind, but a good life. Trust me when I say: You want God as your Father, to be His child. Because otherwise Death isn’t going to step in. It’s going to be Satan or God. It’s one or the other, and Satan’s children don’t end up so well.
Is there an easy, yet horrible way to deduce the truth of what I say? Watch someone terminally ill die who doesn’t believe in Jesus and then watch someone terminally ill die who believes in Jesus? If the person genuinely doesn’t Know in one case, and genuinely does in the other, is there a difference? Death is standing at the head of the bed either way. But the ones who usher the soul out of the room will be of different camps, opposing factions, of that you may be certain. Don’t fear the Reaper. Fear the entourage. Or better yet, fear God. For that is the beginning of wisdom.
-Trem