Surrenders

"In order that God be all in all," 1 Corinthians 15:28.

Ever wonder what it's all about? Sure we have. Everything that ever has happened, planned, unplanned, desired, undesired, lovely, ugly, good, or evil - God co-opts every event to hasten every human toward himself. This does not say every human will move to God. It does say that God marshals everything in such a surprising way to respond to humans' deepest prayers - to those heeding God's call in Jesus. Consider Jesus. He prayed in agony for God to take away the cup he was about to drink. (The cup? yielding his life as our sin-offering.) He died on a cross anyway. God took the list of our guilty convictions and nailed it to that cross. God resurrected his dead body to life. God took his death to triumph over all earthly and unearthly powers. God charged the Risen Christ to reign unchallenged over his kingdom until everything submits to him. And then, and then Christ surrenders the kingdom, and himself, to God. For why? For God to be all in all. Sky kingdom.

We bow with a brother or sister today in humble, awestruck adoration of this God who brings good and life out of everything. We love you, God! And, together, we give thanks.