GodReflection: Power Word Wednesday

Our Son-in-law and daughter came over to the house with a spur of the moment idea. They installed the neatest set of lights on the bottom of our upper kitchen cabinets. I can now see with clarity our countertops for the first time. Stains from my coffee cup and random grounds of stray salt are now apparent.

Perhaps it’s my age—it amazes me how the word clarity worked its way to conscious level in my vocabulary.

I find it of interest that our English word clarity doesn’t seem to appear in Holy Scripture. However, the tenor throughout my Bible is the call to reach clarity on its core message that describes God’s action to save the world through Jesus and my response to that message.

The author of the Hebrew Letter writes a sad indictment against the Hebrew Christians who are to receive his letter:

 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.  Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered  and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand.

I want to make it my aim to work toward clarity. I haven’t arrived but am making progress. I’m still trying to understand.

I’m attempting to shine brighter lights on my counter to keep clearing smudges.

My current quest is to reach clarity in two areas—church and heaven. It seems tied so closely to God’s purpose for His world. I’m feeling short-changed in my own prior understanding.

I can’t help but begin with a disclaimer and an observation.

The disclaimer concerns the mystery of God. The depth of the unknown of God’s enormity contrasted to my pea brain makes it impossible to understand with identical clarity (from His perspective) what the  Creator has in mind for me.

However, it is my observation that God does want me to reach a level of human clarity on my participation within Christ’s body—that we call church—and  His design of the next reality—that we refer to as heaven. I believe it is possible to reach some sense of clarity on both church and heaven.

I am confident that both of these subjects will be frequent players in future posts as that happens to be where my mind dwells these days.

Briefly, a few comments on the next reality. Some years ago, the quantity of books became unmanageable in our home. (I actually read some of them.) Sure, there were the stacks of the “I’m going to get to.”

In her own self-defense, my wife encouraged me to purchase a digital reader. After initial resistance—I’m now an advocate.

This year as I read my digital Bible I’m marking everything in blue that Scripture says about the next reality. Funny, as God began to plan the next reality after the Adamic fall, Scripture is replete with His design. This year I want to reach increased clarity on heaven.

It’s taken me longer to get to this point in the post than originally anticipated, so I will be brief about reaching clarity on church. I will continue to reflect in greater depth throughout future post.

Here is what I think.

Jesus added me to his body when I signed on with him as Savior. The New Testament refers to the Jesus body as the Way and as assemblies of Christ followers. Centuries later, Bible translators began to substitute the word church to express the concept.

I have no problem with the word church. Language must have words to describe and interpret reality.

However, throughout the course of history church evolved into walls, tribes, and tribal rules.

I feel the need to reach clarity on church.

Yeah, you guessed it. The word clarity is currently a power word that worked its way to a conscious level in my vocabulary.

Stay tuned. I’ve a long way to go on this one.

Dr. Gary J. Sorrells – A GodReflection on Clarity as a Power Word.

Gary@Godreflection.org     www.MakeYourVisionGoViral.com