Think with me for a moment.
Psalm 23:5(a) says “You prepare a table before me in the
presence of my enemies….” The Message renders it, “You serve me a six-course
dinner right in front of my enemies.” We can discuss what kind of
provision the “six course meal” represents, but notice first where that
provision comes: “in the presence of my enemies.”
Romans 5:20(b) declares, “…where sin abounded, grace abounded
much more….” This time it’s in the presence of sin that is emphasized as the
place of great provision (“abounded” is a big word!).
Luke 7:34 describes how the ungodly saw Jesus: “The Son of
Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a
winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” Apparently, Jesus
frequented such places, and hung out with such people. I’ll bet that he still
does.
Let’s think about it: when I’m feeling weak and needy, and I
need an extra dose of the grace of God, where shall I go?
First, let’s nip some potential problems in the bud:
·
We don’t go “sin much more” so that we get more
grace. The book is really clear on that topic. Romans 6:1&2 provides a
starting point on this one.
·
We also don’t go get in a place where we’re are
personally, severely tempted to sin. That’s just plain stupid. If you don’t
want to get shot, don’t wander onto the firing range.
·
We don’t place ourselves or those with us in
real danger, whether physical or not.
Traditional religion has always said, “If you need more of
God, you go to church, where God is, of course.” That, of course, presupposes
that God is more present in a particular building more than in his son or
daughter, and I’m not sure that this can be supported Biblically. If there are
good people at church who can help you, that’s great, though you’ll probably be
able to deal with the issues you face better meeting with them outside of the
church’s programs. Just an opinion.
But our verses hint at something else: God’s presence can be
found unusually strong in other places, places where “my enemies” gather,
places where people are not afraid to sin.
I reiterate: we don’t choose to put ourselves in danger: if
there’s a temptation that’s hard for us, don’t go to that place. But just
because sinners gather there is not a reason to avoid a place: Jesus didn’t
avoid those places (cf Luke 7:34). (And there’s always the “go” part of the
great commission that so often gets overlooked.)
This is, frankly, not an exercise for spiritual babes. And
it’s a good time not to practice 2 Peter 2:22 (“But it has happened to them
according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,” and,
“a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’”).
Some would argue that such places are indeed more full of
God’s grace, but it’s because they also provide a greater need for God’s grace,
and the two influences balance out, leaving the believer no better off than
s/he would be at home in bed. That’s actually not a foolish argument, but
neither is it conclusive; it’s absolutely worth considering, and perhaps field-testing.
In the town where I live, there’s an austere micro-beer
tavern near the famously-liberal, liberal arts state college. So naturally, it’s
full of non-Christian and anti-Christian college students, expounding on their
views over admittedly delicious brown brewed beverages. There’s an old-world
coffee lounge downtown that caters to the more permanent residents of similar
persuasion, who expound their views over similarly delicious brown brewed
beverages of another nature. I’ve found that both places are excellent places to bring my laptop or a Bible and enjoy the Father’s healing presence and think creatively with him. The tavern is also hosting a number of Bible studies and “cell-group” type fellowships, so maybe the word is getting out.
On the other end of the scale, some friends and I
occasionally visit dance clubs for the purpose of spiritual warfare dance,
specifically counting on a table of provision being prepared before us in the
presence of the spiritual environment found in those places. From a natural
viewpoint, we look ridiculous: a bunch of overweight shaggy old men – I wear
earplugs – completely ignoring the writhing young people around us on the dance
floor. But it is has been a marvelous place for engaging the heavenlies, and
the temptations there don’t even speak to us. (Note: we don’t do this alone,
and we don’t go without substantial prayer covering.)
I’ve also surprised myself with this discovery: the secular German band Rammstein is actually pretty good for worship. I can’t understand the words, so it’s as if it was instrumental music to me, and I enjoy the table prepared for intimacy with Father in that dark place.
I’ve also surprised myself with this discovery: the secular German band Rammstein is actually pretty good for worship. I can’t understand the words, so it’s as if it was instrumental music to me, and I enjoy the table prepared for intimacy with Father in that dark place.
And of course, God is still committed to the Great
Commission, which still begins with “Go ye….” The command is still to take the
light to the places of darkness. I’m convinced that one of the reasons that so
many Christians are so ineffective at sharing the gospel with non-believers is
that they don’t actually meet any non-believers. When we bring the light into
the darkness, the light is quite a lot brighter than when we put all of the
lights into a big room that is outside of the world of unbelievers.
Now, I have known of a number of men who have heretofore
been effective in the Kingdom who have been discouraged, and wandered into
similar places specifically in order to find temptation, which they do in fact
find, and which has all too often led to moral failure. This, of course, is the
danger of finding the presence of God in the places of darkness, and it is for
this reason that caution is to be exercised.
Don’t take this farther than I’m presenting it. But let’s
not be afraid of taking the light into the darkness. Let’s also not be afraid
of finding the light in the darkness.
