Painting the picture:
"Slowly, desolately, the fist of what we'd done unclenched the clawed palm of what we'd become. Anger softened into sorrow, as it always does, as it always must. And no drop of what we'd wanted, just an hour's life before, was as rich in hope and meaning as a single teardrop's fall." (Shantaram). I imagine this to be the state and feel of Rwanda in 1994 after the genocide. Maybe not entirely at first but slowly, desolately, in time.
Thus, a re-awakening of a once tender heart, now marred with bitter resentment. One can't help but to ask, how did we get here? The answer, I believe, is in the beginning. Before Hutus and Tutsis, before separation and before death.
"The enemy comes only to steal, kill and destroy;" (John 10:10)
Enter the enemy by way of Belgian colonization, where the colonials instigated tribal conflict by suggesting to the Hutus that their countrymen Tutsis are better off than they and have done them in. In time, the Hutus heeded and believed this. The idea polluted their minds, poisoned their hearts. In an act of defiance, the nation divided against itself, and fell. Defiance resulted in destruction as it always does - the genocide. And only ever in the aftermath, is there an awakening.
Other nations eventually rose to the aid of this fallen people. It's worthy to note, reconciliation is the essence embedded in Rwanda today. A testimony of forgiveness and love. If "he who has been forgiven little loves little" (Luke 7:47), here it is clearly seen that "they who have been forgiven much love much". And all there's left to say after encountering this deep love is - what a privilege.
The imagery in this piece is most profound. It follows a certain pattern that can be seen in many a fall. Adam and Eve for example. The four D's, likely of the devil, coming through strong - deception, defiance, division and ultimately, destruction - the fall of man. A subtle, recurring pattern, preceding genocide, preceding destruction. You don't suppose this pattern will recur in the end, or at the coming of the Son of Man? The world and possibly even the church or part thereof in a state of deceit, defiance, division... but for how long before final destruction?
Revelation speaks of the hour of trial that will come upon the earth - tribulation, or even, Jacob's trouble. However, Revelation also speaks of a church that will be "spared from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth," the Philadelphia church (Rev 3:10). And Luke 21:36 says also to "pray that you may be spared from this hour of darkness." In other words, tribulation is coming, yet there are those who will be spared. Will we be those? Will we know and flee from deception when it creeps in?
"But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief." (1 Thessalonians 5:4)
Note well, there is an awakening in the aftermath, by the grace of God. The aftermath is for you to decipher. Tribulation will be bad, but in it God shows grace so that those caught up in tribulation in the aftermath might finally awaken to grace. Tribulation is therefore purposed, surely, to awaken. A warning or second opportunity to see truth for what it is, and surrender to it.
Nailed to the cross Jesus cries out to the Father, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34) The question today to those who profess to know Christ is – do we know what we are doing? Do we know the time we live in and are our hearts ready to meet the one we profess to love? Are we love sick like the bride in Song of Songs?
What if...
"What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath - prepared for destruction?" What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for his glory - even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also the Gentiles? (Romans 9:22-24)
What if...
"Everything had changed suddenly - the tone, the moral climate; you didn't know what to think, whom to listen to. As if all your life you had been led by the hand like a small child and suddenly you were on your own, you had to learn to walk by yourself. There was no one around, neither family nor people whose judgement you respected. At such a time you felt the need of committing yourself to something absolute - life or truth or beauty - by being ruled by it in place of the man-made rules that had been discarded. You needed to surrender to some such ultimate purpose more fully, more unreservedly than you had ever done in the old familiar, peaceful days, in the old life that was now abolished and gone for good." (Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago).
The longest drop comes in the aftermath, when I suddenly realize that the object of my obsession was misdirected to ‘do and do’ rather than to ‘be loved and love’, all my efforts were spent in vain because I couldn’t alter the course of the world. The longest drop comes when I realize I had it all wrong. There's nothing I can do, but, to know God the father and to know Jesus the son - to know love. The longest drop comes after living in denial that I have been deceived. Yet, even in tribulation, I will awaken to find the one my heart yearns for no matter the cost.
Here are some quotes to show the cunning behind deception, you may or may not like them. :)
'The road to hell is paved with good intentions.' ~ Wild at Heart, John Eldredge
'The prince of darkness is a gentleman.' ~ William Shakespeare
'Devils don't come from hell below, they come from heaven above.' ~ Batman vs. Superman (movie)
In essence, all influence that draws you away from the truth is subtle and appears full of wisdom, but it leads to death. Whenever the focus moves to man and away from Christ, however small in degree, there is deceit involved.
My original intention was to elaborate on the use of literal long drops throughout Africa. But I'm trusting the connection is clear enough to speak for itself. Coincidently, evaluating the longest drop may well be the lead to this blessed hope. And so the year progresses and along with it, the mobility to position oneself for the next drop, likely to be narrower and more challenging than the one before.
Last thoughts. Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear:
"But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into." (Matthew 24:43)
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