THE EQUALITY GRASP DANCE

Greetings children...of God. There are two things that are sure (1) If you are reading this Rambling...you have been born (2) If you are reading this...you will die. It is questionable if you have been born twice...born again...been saved...but the first two things are a surety. No matter how people try at the end of life...no matter how hard they gasp and grasp...they can't carry anything with them or prolong the inevitable.

While we are here on planet earth...we perform a little dance ritual called THE EQUALITY GRASP. It is a delusional dance...but many... including myself continue the futile steps with a passion. This dance is all about attitude...and for myself...I need an attitudinal adjustment at times.

"Have this ATTITUDE in yourselves which was also in CHRIST JESUS...who...although He existed in THE FORM OF GOD...did not REGARD EQUALITY WITH GOD A THING TO BE GRASPED...but emptied Himself...taking the form of a bond-servant...and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man...He HUMBLED Himself by becoming OBEDIENT to the point of DEATH...even DEATH ON A CROSS." (Philippians 2:5-8)

Jesus exemplified the EXAMPLE of how to properly do THE EQUALITY GRASP. Now you may be sitting at your computer thinking to yourself...I don't have an ATTITUDE. I don't GRASP anything. O.K...but for me...I need some sort of adjustment.

Now...there is no doubt...that we are NOT equal with God. Jesus was...and is...but in obedience to the Father...He became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1-14). Angels...no matter how much humans worship them...do not compare to the Son...and those angelic beings cannot ever claim equality with God as a thing to be grasped or ever think about being the radiance of the Father's glory and the exact representation of the Father's nature... like JESUS could. (Hebrews 1:1-14) Why? Because He was EQUAL with God...and choose NOT to GRASP IT.

Oh we grasp though. Christians and non-Christians alike do the EQUALITY GRASP. Intellectuals grasp on the vast amount of knowledge that they have accumulated...and hold tightly in their hands the various degrees of sheepskins they have accumulated over the years. The Apostle Paul released his grip on his intellectual prowess. "But whatever things were gain to me...those things I have COUNTED AS LOSS (loosened my grasp) for the SAKE OF CHRIST. More than that, I count ALL THINGS TO BE LOSS in the view of the surpassing VALUE of KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things...and count them but RUBBISH/DUNG in order that I may GAIN CHRIST." (Philippians 3:7-8)

The story of the monkey who reached into a bottle to GRASP a banana (or piece of candy depending on who is telling the story)...and got himself trapped because as long as he had a GRASP on the banana... he could not release himself from the bottle. Sometimes we hold on so tightly to what we want...that we become trapped.

The partner that we grasp onto...changes from person to person...but we consider that partner to be our equality with God. Things like our religious experience. We thing that if we speak in tongues and someone else does not...or I have been to seminary and you have not...or I tithe and you do not...or I belong to the First Church of So and So...and you do not...or I do not suffer from donelop disease (where your belly done lopped over you belt) and you do...or I am pretty and you are ugly...or I work at this place and you work at that place....I am white and you are black...I am Aryan and you are a Jew...I am a good old Redneck filled with Southern Heritage Pride...and you are everyone else. NOTE: All of these can be reversed depending on the person. We dance around and grasp our giftings, talents, social standings, intellectual prowess, denominational ties, political pontifications, our religious pride, our maturity levels, to the point of being like the Pharisee who thanked God that He was not like the publican...while the publican cried out...HAVE MERCY ON ME...A SINNER.

NOTE: I heard someone say...No man can judge me...only God can. This was said as an excuse to do whatever they wanted to do...without anyone saying anything to them. Of course if you mention someone like Michael Vick...and they immediately begin to JUDGE THEM...or mention someone...anyone...who does anything that they disagree with...and let the EQUALITY GRASP...begin.

The question is...how can I break the pattern of THE EQUALITY LIFE IN MY LIFE.

As always...Jesus is our example. For Jesus...the facts were actually true (unlike our sense of being superior or equal)...and He did certain things.

1. He did not REGARD equality with God a thing to be grasped. We have to come to a new mindset...of who we are....and loosen our grip. (Phil. 2:6)

"For through the grace given me I say to EVERY MAN/WOMAN among you...NOT TO THINK MORE HIGHLY OF HIMSELF THAN HE OUGHT TO THINK...but to thinks so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)

2. He EMPTIED Himself. (Philippians 2:7) Sometimes...we are so FULL OF OURSELVES...that we have to empty ourselves of our SELF. Bruce Lee was quoted as saying..."Before you taste my tea...you must first empty your cup."

3. He TOOK the form of a BONDSERVANT. (Philippians 2:7) God does not ever ENSLAVE PEOPLE... He SETS THEM FREE. A bondservant is someone who has been set free...but because of love...continues to serve.

4. He was made into the LIKENESS OF MEN (Philippians 2:7) He identified with who had a need not who He was and who he could grasp in His equality.

5. He HUMBLED Himself...by becoming OBEDIENT. (Philippians 2:8) When we don't humble ourselves (not God forcing the issue)...we are walking in disobedience...and GRASPING EQUALITY.

6. His OBEDIENCE extend to the POINT OF DEATH...DEATH ON A CROSS. (Philippians 2:8) We are also called to DEATH...If we want to stop the EQUALITY GRASP DANCE...and begin a NEW DANCE AS WE SING A NEW SONG.

"I have been CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST...and it is no longer I who lives but CHRIST LIVES IN ME...and the life in which I NOW LIVE...I live by FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD...who loved me...and delivered Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)

"And he who does not take his CROSS and FOLLOW ME is not worthy of Me...He who has found his life shall lose it...and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it." (Matthew 10:38)

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him DENY himself, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS...and FOLLOW ME...For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it." (Matthew 16:24,25)

"And it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him and through Him to RECONCILE all things to Himself, having MADE PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS; through Him, I say whether things on earth or things in heaven." (Colossians 1:19,20)

"Having CANCELLED OUT...the CERTIFICATE OF DEBT consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has TAKEN IT OUT OF THE WAY...having NAILED IT TO THE CROSS." (Colossians 2:14)

"Fixing our eyes on JESUS...the author and finisher/perfecter of our faith...who for the joy set before Him ENDURED THE CROSS....despising the shame...and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

NOTE: All of these past verses points to what Jesus did on the CROSS...in our place...as HE DID NOT REGARD EQUALITY WITH GOD A THING TO BE GRASPED. If He did that for us...why is it that we GRASP the things that we thing makes us SUPERIOR to others. All we can do is ACCEPT WHAT HE DID. That is what Paul was talking about in Galatians 2:20...and underscores about how he now dies daily. Not Jesus dying daily...but dying to ourselves and living to Him. Dying to what we consider EQUALITY and what makes us SUPERIOR TO OTHERS...and live to Him. We accept the WORK OF THE CROSS.

"I protest, brethren...by boasting in you...which I have in Christ Jesus...I DIE DAILY."
(I Corinthians 15:31)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY.

I was with my Dad...at bedside while he was dying. He was gasping for breath...struggling...and I leaned down to his ear and told him that it was alright to LET GO...we would see Him again...and Mom was waiting...and more than that Jesus was waiting. Almost in an instant...He ceased the struggle to gasp and GRASP this life...and slipped out into eternity....and peace. If I could only learn to let go of the GRASP here on this earth...while I am still alive...die to myself...and live unto Him.

Love and Non-Grasping Kisses
Rodney "Counting Things As Cow Dung" Boyd