Bought with a Kiss

The beginning of James 5 is subtitled in my bible "Warning to Rich Oppressors." I was kind of like, ok, i'll read this but I don't think it's going to pertain to me at all. Until I got to verse 6, something really caught my attention.

In verses 1-6, James is warning the rich of the miseries that are coming to them because they have pursued riches and posessions and the world, basically, over pursuing God. Verse 6 reads: "You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you." When I read this, I was like, whoa. This verse is intense. James is basically saying that these rich oppressors have condemned and murdered the God and creator of the universe-- meaning, that they have called Him out, judged Him and told Him that He is wrong, and have killed Him due to their focus on worldly things. "Rich oppressor-ness" aside, consider us all, just humans, us who pursue our sinful desires and worldly things over our Lord. What right do we have to condemn God? Or to murder the Lord of Lords? None whatsoever. We are miniscule beings compared to His almighty greatness.

But then, here's the kicker: it says that God is someone "who does not resist you." Despite all of that-- us condemning Him and murdering Him, He does not resist us. WHAT? No matter what we do, God does not turn from us. He does not turn His face, He shows no partiality, He does not hold us at arm's length and make a scrunched face as He pushes us away in a form of resistance. No, God doesn't do that...He does not resist us. He does not say, "Eh, man, you have been really sinful lately...I'm resisting you and am not going to let you in my presence." No! God remains with us, in us, a part of us...He continues to stand there with open arms. He takes the blows and the hits from us as sinful humans. He watches it and witnesses it and yet allows us to still call Him Abba Father. What a great and loving God we serve.

This reminds me of the David Crowder song, that goes:
"And the problem is this
We were bought with a kiss
But the cheek still turned
Even though it wasn't hit
And i don't know
What to do with a love like that
And i don't know
How to be a love like that"

Basically this is talking about Jesus and how He was betrayed with a kiss (from Judas). Thus saying, we as humans were bought with a kiss, that's how twisted yet beautiful it was. And the crazy thing is, Jesus didn't think Judas was going to kiss Him...He thought that Judas was going to strike Him on the face and hit Him. But even though Jesus thought this, He STILL turned His cheek in order to take the blow. He willingly turned His face. He loved us that much. And we as humans can't comprehend a love so divine. We don't know what to do with that...someone who, perfect and blameless in every way, lowered Himself and gave of Himself so selflessly for us, who are imperfect and to be blamed. Man. Again....what a great God we serve, what a beautiful Jesus we love.

God does not resist you...He does not forget you. No matter what we do, He remains.