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Psalm 147:5-6 Great is our Lord,and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. The LORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.

Events in my personal life this summer have left me with a stark awareness of the kind of Christian that I don't want to be. I don't want to be the kind of Christian that holds my faith in an exclusive fashion. I do not want to carry my election in Christ as elitism. I do not want to imprison Christ in me within a judgmental heart. I don't want to be a Christian snob that looks down upon those outside of Christ or upon other Christians who's problems seem to be more than they can handle. I don't want to hold within my thinking a plastic ideal of what a Christian should be and sacrifice all that is flesh and blood around me in order to appear to be that ideal.

Some would say that Christ can't live within a judgmental heart. That such is an oxymoron and can't exist; but oxymorons are in abundance. I do not want to be one of the morons; for to imprison Jesus within a heart of unrighteous judgement is the height of wickedness. I must confess, that I at one time was such a wicked moron but God's mercy is limitless and I was caste down that I might be made humble and the LORD lifts the humble.

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I now find myself in the process of being lifted up and it is a joyous process but not one without loss. With the casting down came the unrighteous judgement of Christians that I had previously emulated. With some of them, I enjoyed relationships that I thought would last my entire life but judgement brings death not life. When God caste me down in order to make me humble, that He might show mercy upon me and I might understand that mercy in its fullness, my judgmental Christian friends no longer had use for me. They became a tool in the hand of my God as He worked without ceasing to mold me into the image of Christ. As God is now lifting me, the tool is no longer necessary and the relationship that I thought would last all of my life, has been put down.

To have such relationships severed is painful but Jesus also suffered that same pain. His brothers and sisters and community did not recognize Him for Who He was. He was judged and maligned by the religious elite throughout all of His ministry. Those to whom He had been sent to minister, put Him to death. Earthly relationships were not important in the purpose that Jesus was sent into the world to accomplish. Jesus primary relationship to His Father is the one that was never severed; just as our relationship with Jesus can never be severed as it is the center of our purpose. All other relationships may be counted as loss as God fulfills His Purpose in us and through us.

The purpose that God ordained for Jesus called for Jesus to be perfectly separated unto Him. Jesus could have no attachment to any who were outside of the Will of God for Jesus belonged wholly to the Father, set apart to do the Father's Will. Yet, Jesus was not hidden from the world for it was to sinners that He was sent, to call them to righteousness. Jesus could not go out of the world but had to live in the world not being of the world but instead of His Father in Heaven.

Christians too are called to this same calling, to be in the world and not of it. We are not the children of Israel who's call of separation was physical, our separation is spiritual. Physical separation is impossible as each of us carries the world within ourselves, we can't physically separate from ourselves. The result of trying is a judgmental spirit and a Christian who tries to achieve holiness in this fashion will only succeed in hiding the Light that is Christ within them. They become walking oxymorons. Their state is one of misery and it is misery that they influence in all who come into contact with them.

Separation must be of the Spirit for it is only the Holy Spirit that is able to make human beings holy. We can't reshape ourselves to be like Jesus no matter what lengths we go to in order to separate from a sinful world. It is only in surrendering to the Potter's Hand that Christ can be formed in any of us. If a Christian with a judgmental heart, truly belongs to Jesus, he/she will be caste down in order to be first made humble that God may lift them up again and find in them greater use for His Purpose. It is by His reshaping and continual molding that it becomes possible for us to be vessels capable of withstanding the world and not becoming as it is. It is His Spirit that shapes us and fills us and gives us the ability to obey.

When Jesus saved me and placed me within the Potter's Hand, I was not even clay of a quality that most would find useful. Yet, He accepted me and worked me until I could be molded. Once made acceptable, I rose up and decided that I would be formed thus and looked down upon all who were not as I thought they should be. I left off cooperating with Jesus and began instead, to emulate those who had also decided that they knew best how the Christian life was to be lived. I imprisoned Jesus within my desire for personal holiness as I judged and excluded all around me. The casting down was beyond painful and the loss of relationships as He lifts me back up is not without sorrow. Yet, my heart is full of His praises in such a way as my heart has never rejoiced before. God is restoring my life to Him and I will be used by Him in ways I have never imagined.

Psalm 147:7-11 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God, Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains. He gives to the beast its food, and to the young ravens that cry. He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.