A Sacred Theology

“Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.’ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. ‘What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked him. The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’” (Mark 10:48-51).

I did not like the song the first time I heard it. I love the singers of the song. I love the melody of the song. I simply do not like the lyrics of the song. I wanted to like it. I have tried to ignore my reasons for not liking it, but when my college age son asked me last night as to my “thoughts” about the song, my spirit confirmed my gut.

Anytime a song invokes the name of God, my ears pay close attention. When God’s character becomes the central theme of a song, my theology pays attention. The more that I come to know my God, the more protective I am about his reputation. My walk with Christ is not casual or coincidental. I do not participate in this faith journey because of convenience. No, my walk with God is an intentional pursuit of the Sacred. Rarely is it convenient, and never is it coincidental.

I take my God seriously. The defense of his character is a sacred privilege. So when a “casual theology” makes its way into the lyrics of a song, I take pause to consider its merit.

The song is called, “God Must Be Busy,” sung by the beloved country duo, Brooks and Dunn. It chronicles the tragedies of life. War, tornados, missing children, and unemployment. Gangs, droughts, and financial woes. Indeed, these topics are the “makings” of a good country song. But it is the fifty-two word chorus that exceeds the boundaries of good country music to voice a theology that does not match up with mine. How does it match up with yours?

“And I know in the big picture, I’m just a speck of sand.
And God’s got better things to do than look out for one man.
I know He’s heard my prayers, ‘cause He hears everything.
He just ain’t answered back or He’d bring you back to me.
God must be busy.”[i]

A busy God. A God who hears, but yet a God whose agenda leads him past a single man’s need to focus, instead, on better things. Bigger needs. A God who does not answer prayers because the sands of the many exceed the speck of the one.

Our God is not too busy. In fact, the characterization of “busy” does not fit with an Almighty Creator. It is a casual and convenient limitation, placed upon a limitless God when life does not make sense. When prayers seem to go unnoticed and, ultimately, unanswered. When blindness boasts its habitation within a soul. No, when we typify our God as busy, we speak of God, as Job would say, “with words without knowledge.”

Jesus Christ shattered such a casual theology on the day that his feet hit the sands of an inconvenient, intentional walk of redemption. Scripture is seasoned with occasions when Christ prioritized the need of the one over the needs of the many. It was not an approach that his disciples easily embraced. After all, Christ was a sought after commodity. He had places to go. People to heal. Parties to attend. Seas to walk. Crowds to feed. Hillside podiums and temple classrooms to mount.

But along his scheduled way to the masses, Jesus always made his way to the one. To the bleeding. To the dying. To the lame and to the shamed. To the leprous and to the lonely. Wherever Jesus walked, his mercy companioned his steps. And it was this mercy that led Jesus, some 2000 years ago, to stop along his Jericho pilgrimage to answer a blind man’s cry for help.

“‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.’”

The disciples wanted to push on. Jesus wanted to pause, and over time, his disciples would learn that Jesus’ pause always trumped their push.

“But Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.’”

The blind man was summoned to his Savior’s side and was given the opportunity to voice his need.

“‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him.”

His response was the right one.

“‘I want to see.’”

Jesus gave him his heart’s desire. He gave him his sight. And in a moment’s pause, a beggar once blind, opened his eyes for the first time to embrace the eyes of Mercy…face to face. His intentional pursuit of God was trumped by God’s intentional pursuit of him. One on one. Creator to his created. A sacred theology that I can, and willingly do embrace.

God has always been about us. From the beginning of time, he has been in holy pursuit of us. He listens for our voice as we cry out to him for mercy. Never once does he “push” past our pain. Never does the need of the masses hinder him from stopping to tend to the need of our one. He is faithful to pause in the midst of our cries and to ask of us what he asked of Bartimaeus so long ago…

What do you want me to do for you?

This is not the question of a busy God. This is a question of entreaty from a God who lovingly waits for a response.

How would you answer his question this day? What do you want him to do for you? He made the journey to Calvary so that you would have the sacred privilege of voicing your answer. He will never force your reply. He only asks because he is our Abba Father, and our Daddy longs to give good gifts to his children.

Oh friends, be of good cheer this day! Come to your feet and cast the cloak of your want aside. Jesus the Savior is calling you. This is the day to receive your sight. To embrace a sacred theology…a better and bigger theology that extends beyond the temporal. Our God is big, and he is worthy of our defense. Let us press on to know him more, so that when the world asks, we will be able to give a reason for the hope that we have.

No higher privilege exists for us as his ministers of reconciliation, and so I pray…

Mold my mind to understand the fullness of your character, Lord. Never let me limit Who you are. Quicken my spirit to false theologies, so that I may defend your holy and sacred Name. Thank you for all the times that you have paused to consider my pleas. You are ever with me, Lord. You are ever listening, Father. You are ever shaping my vision for kingdom living. Thank you for bringing sight to these weary and blinded eyes. Let the words of this mouth and the meditation of this heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer (Ps. 19:14). Amen.

peace for the journey~elaine
[i] Brooks and Dunn, “God Must Be Busy,” Cowboy Town, 2007.