“That
no flesh should glory in his presence.” -1 Corinthians 1:29
So much of who we are here on Earth
is evaluated from a carnal standpoint.
This is no surprise because the world is carnal. From an early age we are evaluated on a
physical/natural level. Whether it’s intellectual
performance, physical attributes, or a mixture of both; we are tested, graded,
evaluated, and judged almost wholly on the outward man. It all comes down to what is produced. Our time here on Earth is quantified into
input and output, until the question becomes, not a one of willingness, but of
ability. The flesh, the natural man, can
find glory in ability. They can exalt
it, esteem it, and promote it. Oh but
how plainly does the scripture show us that God is not so concerned with our
ability’s, but rather our willingness to lean on His. God looks for willingness far more than ability.
There is perhaps no greater message of redemption and
transformation than that of the cross.
In the theological and literally sense.
The cross before Christ is not the same cross after Christ. Before Jesus, the cross was an instrument of
death, fear, and intimidation. It was
despised, it was a symbol of hopelessness and darkness. The Roman tool, wielded with precision to
control the masses. A horrible and
humiliating way to die. Then Jesus
came. It is no accident that the Jews
were under Roman rule, and that the crucifixion was the Roman way of capital
punishment. It is no accident that the
Son of God would die on a tree and that God would take the very thing that man
used for evil and turn it to good. The
death of Christ is not a tale of vanity or ability, but of willingness and servitude. Jesus Christ had more ability and
intelligence than any other man before or after. He had every reason to vaunt himself and
promote His own glory, but he didn’t. He
yielded to the will of the Father and was willing to embrace the cross. How much more should we? How much less should we boast our
accomplishments, or intelligence, or abilities?
God does not need your abilities, he wants your willingness. The cross, and the crucifixion, the very
thing that the most powerful kingdom in the world at that time used to
intimidated and punish; God took that and turned it into a symbol of hope and
righteousness. A symbol of life. Simply because he Son was willing to die.
Is not this an allegory to what he can do in your life? Is there anything too hard for God? He can take the sinner and change them into a
saint. He can take the unrighteous and
bring righteousness; he can redeem the lost, bring life to the dead; God can drastically
change your life. He can give you a new
mind, a new heart, a new purpose, a new direction, and a new home in
heaven! He can change you the same way he
changed the cross, through Jesus. When
you embrace the Christ and commit your life to him, you become conformed to His
death and married to His purpose. The
selfsame purpose that lead him to the cross; thy will be done. His will
be done. This is why no flesh can glory
in His presence, because we need Him to have any glory. We need to be saved, and need him to save us,
to change us: “to turn them from darkness
to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith
that is in me.” (Acts 26:18)
