Eye-Roll Code

 "Your eyes are going to get stuck like that!"  This was a warning I used to hear from Rosa all throughout my childhood.  Actually, she would say it to my sister way more than to me...but I can't pretend the admonition wasn't meant for me too.  

The thing is that my sister and I are major eye-rollers.  It's like our second language.  We have it coded:  One eye-roll=UGH.  Two eye-rolls + one sigh="you idiot."  Two eye-rolls + shaking the head = "your stupidity has no limits." Two eye-rolls + shaking the head + a deep sigh = "you're not dead because God is Good."  One eye-roll followed by a long, long blink + a sigh = "you've better be gone when I open my eyes or not even the Power of the Blood could save you."

Yep...patience has not been a fruit easily grown neither cultivated in abundance in the garden of my soul.  It's one of those things I really struggle with.  My sinful nature and the old me conspire to keep me trapped in this stronghold, causing me to stumble over and over again.

I read Paul's letter to the Colossians, chapter 3, and I can't help but wonder: how in the world am I going to "put to death, ..., whatever belongs to my earthly nature"? (Colossians 3: 5a)

I know Paul lists things such as sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, and things that lead to idolatry.  But he also mentions, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language...and my behavior is bordering this territory.  My eye-rolling is a sign of my impatience, which in turn is derived from my pride, and when this one is wounded, it quickly flows into anger, rage and even malice, and all the other stuff that keep my earthly nature alive and well, rather than dead and in the grave.

The remedy is to "put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." (Colossians 3: 10)  My problem is: I don't think I know how to do that?

When I don't know how to do something, I need to read the instructions over and over again, until a single sentence is broken down in my head into smaller portions or single steps.  In this sentence, we have that the first fragment says: put on the new self.  OK, what's that? Well, that's my earthly sinful nature which I'm supposed to have killed.  But, did I really kill it? The truth is, I would not know the first thing about killing my earthly and sinful nature.  Jesus had to do that for me.  Only by His death and resurrection this could be accomplished! So, by His wounds I have been healed! PTL, AMEN! But then, what?

Well, Jesus' also imputed His righteousness in me as a result of His sacrifice on the cross.  He took my sin and gave me His righteousness.  He put a new self in me.  Alleluia!!  So by His work and sacrifice, and by dwelling in me, He has taken care of this part because there's no way I could do it on my own.  I believe Him and I receive His grace and He cleanses me and gives me a new me.

"Which is being renewed," and here we see an action that is progressive, meaning, it is still on going.  I'm being renewed.  So, there's no need to panic, for I believe this is the work of sanctification which takes place for as long as we are still walking on this earth.

And how does that sanctification happen? I believe Paul is saying that it is accomplished by the constant seeking of the knowledge of Jesus so we can become closer and closer to being what we were meant to be since the beginning: the image of our Creator.

I don't know if I'm even close to being right, but I have to keep the hope that God's mercy includes covering me with the providence of His patience.  For when I am weak, He is strong, and when I am prideful and impatient, He is loving and compassionate...and I put my hope on that...praying that I can stop the eye-roll as a sign of obedience and that I'm am still on the road to sanctification.  In the Precious Name of Jesus, My Redeemer and Friend.  Amen!