The Scarlet Letter
By: Nathaniel Hawthorne Modernised and edited by Jim McGuiggan (2004)
By: Nathaniel Hawthorne Modernised and edited by Jim McGuiggan (2004)
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"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost." (Isaiah 55:1)
H.R. Mackintosh said God has nothing to sell but everything to give away. Well all right, there comes a time when we want risk and adventure, when we want to gamble rather than have everything handed to us on a plate; that's healthy and it makes for a fuller life. But there are times when we have nothing to offer. We're too tired or worn down to run with the fast horses and it's wonderful to know that we don't have to "earn" everything we get.
One older lady had it right. Somebody asked her what she did all day. She said she sang till her voice got tired, read her Bible till her eyes got tired, thought till her mind got tired and then she just sat back and let God love her. I don't know if I'll ever be as smart as that older lady but I especially like the notion that she could "just sit back and let God love me."
There's something childlike about it and Christ said childlikeness belonged to the heart of the reign of God. At the right age (and it differs with each child) kids are able to see themselves as the rightful heirs of good things without having to prove they're worthy to get them. It might not suit us older people but most of the time kids think they deserve to be treated well. Without being obnoxious the healthy-minded kid expects to be fed because he's hungry, given drink because he's thirsty and given clothes because he can't go around naked. It isn't a question of "rights"--what has rights to do with it? He exists so where are the clothes, the beds, the eats and the rest?
Almost all of us outgrow that willingness and capacity to receive without proving our worthiness. It's how the world and life is; but there's something sad about the loss and in the realm of the spirit it can even be dangerous. "Nothing in my hand I bring; simply to thy cross I cling" mustn't be forgotten or sidelined. God doesn't love us because we exist; we exist because he loves us and since he is our Father it isn't really surprising that he doesn't want to sell us anything.
