I briefly considered just editing the last post, as goes writing. But then came a thought that if I did so, there's potential that it would just be lost in the mix. Which, ultimately, may or may not signify. Generally speaking, proof-editing does take place after posting. When it does happen. Which is most of the time. And there are usually some significant updates, then, too. Eh.
There are so many things I don't mention here, in the thick of things. When there are particularly dire trials, especially. Out of respect for the severity of circumstances, generally, knowing that it's only by the grace of God that things aren't utterly destroying me both inside and out.
The more recent of things now nearly at resolution is another slight brush with death. Of sorts. Necroticizing spider bite, then a multi-week systemic infection which is just now beginning to truly ebb. And however goes, next: Long and short of circumstances is that my life is in the care of my Lord, Jesus. Which...doesn't mean that I do nothing when these-type things come. But foremost, when they do, there's a solemn remembrance and submission to the reality that God is the one who has given my life and who sustains it, and when time comes, He'll be the one in charge of its end, too. With these recent health-things, circumstances have not been nearly as dire as many other instances. On the Richter scale of life-threatening circumstances, these have kind of registered as worrisome / annoyance-level. But nonetheless have served as reminder of need for His interventions to sustain life. (As a point to note: From my weak-ish Google-Fu at the time, there don't seem to be effective anti-toxins for brown recluse toxin once wounds have actively begun to necroticize. Mostly just bombardment with antibiotics, it seems? The topical antibiotic given me did not help--unless perhaps tissue death would have been more rapid and widespread without it? Not something worth experimenting, personally. The Lord was gracious to allow me to find a page recommending use of activated charcoal poultices+internal, then bentonite clay...used the charcoal poultices two days, a week into the necrosis, and it entirely resolved the necrosis. Coconut oil+lavender oil, topical thenceforth. Wound healing began after the second day of charcoal administered. Hopefully not necessary to know. But FYI. This other health-stuff is unrelated, just unfortunate. Has required submission to the Lord to endure symptoms and also to maintain disciplined eating as not to further the infection. Very grateful to be drawn nearer Him even if the means are of desperation.)
Numerous have been the brushes with death, lifelong--many intentional, but many also not intended. These again and again drive further home the fact of God's sovereignty over life and death, birth and burial. Period. Where there is conception, it's by grace--according both to the wisdom of His designed function, but also requiring that He ordain inception of life. Perhaps more difficult to submit to graciously is His sovereignty over death, though. Especially as there are so many sufferings and so many tragic ends.
I take heart in remembering and reflecting upon His goodness, His lovingkindness, His mercy, and His longsuffering toward us--all of which is evidenced (along with so much else) through His own willing entrance into and submission to the consequences of creation's broken order: God walked on earth, incarnate, and lived without transgressing any of the principles of created order. And yet He still bore the consequences of transgression--of sin--Himself. Yet it was the consequences of our sin He endured--He submitted to the consequences of our erring against the principles of created order--as He hadn't incited any consequences per living always in perfect concord with the principles of created order (foremost, as maintaining perfectly ordered relationship with God, Father).
Jesus endured consequences He hadn't warranted so to submit Himself in our place, bearing our consequence. He was a willing substitute. As making way that we may receive mercy (thus not enduring the full weight of consequence warranted by our transgression of the principles of created order), all while justice remains perfectly intact (having been fulfilled upon our willing Substitute, Christ Himself). He effectively redeemed us, as such, from the brunt of what ought to be coming against us--ensuring that anyone who turns to Him, submits to Him, unites with Him in spirit and truth...then is received into a position of having borne and overcome the very real consequences of our own evils. What He endured on our behalf was just as much a debt as it is a consequence, realistically, given that our transgressions against principled order of created don't exist in a vacuum: Our transgressions are ultimately against God, Himself.
He set order for all things--principles by which all things operate: Laws of nature, as we call a subset of them. And He is a personal Creator, who also sustains His creation actively. He created according to perfect wisdom--from the inconceivably precise laws of nature recognized via theories of quantum physics, to likewise principles of mathematical operation...to the far less broadly accepted principles of spirituality and morality. Point being, everything has a specific, explicitly structured operational order of its very own: distinct principles of operation which are non-arbitrary, and in no way relativistic. Our problem is that just as gravity operates according to consistent principles, so does spiritual and moral reality.
Because this is a problem, yes, when there's a lack of awareness of how these latter such principles (as actually determine the course of a spiritual eternity) are ignored or suspended unto vast ignorance. Being broken and erred against continually--willfully, in truth--through incremental suppression of truth unto an oblivious ignorance of to nature of spiritual workings over the entirety of a lifetime... ...we each put ourselves in a dire situation, ever having erred against conscience. Which is a guide, though not the only one...toward what constitutes the order of these less easily grasped principled realms.
But...He has consistently revealed the truth of matters to us. We just oft and continually reject Him (same as if someone were to read all this and then try to ignore it, rather than digging into the Bible and researching around it as to determine legitimacy--searching out the end of a matter).
He has consistently revealed Himself to all creation. To incite pursuit of knowledge of right order. To incite reconciliation. Part of which is why He revealed Himself to a specific people, then progressively had them write down His revelations to them. Then, He independently maintained consistency of His message across centuries (as one of the many means of confirming the revelation as God's own--as coming from someone outside time). Over course of which revelation, He told them (and thus us all) that He would come into creation Himself, to redeem a people for Himself. And, then, He did enter creation Himself, and did what we couldn't do--walked without transgressing the principles of reality's order--so as to reconcile us to Himself by enduring consequences due us as a rightful Substitute. And then He overcame those consequences, shattering them under weight of His sovereign love and power. Death included. And, though He has returned to His glory in the spiritual realm, still He and actively engages with us spiritually and through His Word. Still as to draw us to Himself, draw us into restoration and reconciliation of right order.
All despite our (i.e., humanity's) ongoing refusal to submit to right principles of spiritual and moral order.
All as to save us from the consequences which we will endure, unless we come to Jesus Christ, Resurrected Son of God, God incarnate...for mercy. He's the only human who has ever self-resurrected. That says a lot about what God's business means, of this whole matter. Especially given the evidence of the judgement of transgression evidenced in the way He died, too. There is wrath to come. Consequence of transgressing the laws of a perfectly good, sovereign God.
He's made the way, but we have to submit to truth in order to find it. We have to submit to God. To Jesus Christ. Our God. Whether we like it or not.
He's merciful, though. We'd be a lot less well than we are--societally, individually, internationally--if it weren't for His mercifulness toward us all. I know this because of what He's codified as His revealed Word.
His revelation to Isaiah has been especially poignant on that point. He deeply grieved and lamented His people's constant straying, through many of the prophets, yet to Isaiah made especial note that He was going to at that time cease from restraining the consequences of their transgressions. Which is to say, to me and us, that He does actively restrain actual, physical consequences of broken spiritual, moral order on an ongoing basis. This says to me there are real-time physical consequences incited the very moment we transgress spiritual or moral laws. Same as you can't opt to break the law of gravity when stepping off a roof if you choose to suppress knowledge of its existence...not without actually incurring dire consequence. Though He may opt to restrain the severity of said consequence. You might not immediately die, physically. You might not be paralyzed for life. You might not break bones, even. But you will fall, unless He intervenes. And you may immediately perish.
Likewise, there exist real and inherent consequences to acting with any sort of defiance of the laws of spiritual or moral order. But we all err so continually that we're largely blind to what those laws are...thus the Bible, and His Spirit intervene. Are available to intervene.
Anyway, all that just to note that realizing death is also in His hands...isn't so dire a matter, when taken into account alongside recognition that He's actively restraining the warranted, actual consequences of what would otherwise be experienced. Mercy exists and is extended in that Christ has done His word of interceding and still intercedes and intervenes.
When considering this in light of how dire and tragic have been and are many grievous events in the world, there's grief and also a horrified terror upon realizing what has occurred has nonetheless been a largely mitigated realization of what otherwise should have occurred as direct consequence from our active transgression against moral and spiritual order. I would not even want to imagine. And will not allow for it. Given the gravity and horror of the travesties which have come to pass.
At which point it helps to remember that He doesn't delight in any of this all, of consequences. But longs that all would receive mercy.
Yet we refuse.
Please don't refuse. Search out the matter.
Look into who Jesus is. Not was.
He resurrected. Historical accounts attest to this. And, yes truly, the Biblical books are historical accounts. Attested by many things, as such. The Word of God.
Look into it.
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