Trinity and Humanity

Regular readers of our blog will no doubt be familiar with this headline and the one who made it, especially as this Sunday caps a season focused on, around, and in him.  If we stated, “And then there were three,” we would all know to whom we were referring.

Perhaps Phil Collins did also when, in 1978, he sang “Follow you Follow me,” with hauntingly beautiful lyrics by band members of Genesis, released on their ninth studio album labeled “…And Then There Were Three…”  I have come to hear the timeless 1978 original and their first to reach the American Top 40, along with their performance almost thirty years later, Live in Rome (2007) as one of the most beautiful Trinitarian love songs of what Jesus is communicating with his followers.  I would encourage all of you to purchase it on your digital media of choice so you can play it as often as you feel moved.  I encourage you to listen to the song as you read these written words.  You can also listen and view it on YouTube.

Every time I listen to the words, I can’t help but imagine Jesus singing them to each of us…

Stay with me,
My love I hope you’ll always be
Right here by my side if ever I need you
Oh my love

And our response as we proceed through life in relationship with Jesus, sometimes our faith is unwavering…

In your arms,
I feel so safe and so secure
Everyday is such a perfect day to spend
Alone with you

And at other times when we look at the stuff around us, we may hold personal doubt…

I will follow you will you follow me?
All the days and nights that we know will be
I will stay with you will you stay with me?
Just one single tear in each passing year

But then realize there is no need to ever question Jesus’ relationship with us…

With the dark,
Oh I see so very clearly now
All my fears are drifting by me so slowly now
Fading away

I can say
The night is long but you are here
Close at hand, oh I’m better for the smile you give
And while I live

Why is it that we doubt?  The fact that he chose to empty himself of his Glory, live on earth as he did, and then die a painful death (while we were still sinners), only to be resurrected and ascended to heaven with all humanity, should quiet our concerns forever, permitting each of us to always stand in relationship with God with no fear, no shame, no guilt, and no doubt.

How can we claim such a thing?  Knowing that acts of sin and the shame and guilt that come with it is always nearby?  Because of the events of this week, the Father doesn’t look at us the way we look at ourselves.  He looks at us through the eyes of the resurrected Jesus, who died for our sins, past, present, future.  Because of that, from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit’s view, there is no reality of fear, no shame, no guilt, and no doubt.

Because we stand in relationship with God from the same vantage point (albeit it’s harder for us to accept ourselves than it is for God to do that), we can respond to the call, Follow me, with no fear, or doubt.

In each passing year (from 1978), when Collins had long brown hair, to the 2007 tour in Rome with no hair, and Tony Banks on the amazing keyboards when his hair went from dark to gray, as we age and experience change, hopefully our faith is growing (not graying) as we follow him, and we will always feel so safe and secure.   Our fears drifting by so slowly now, fading away.

As we heed his words to Follow Me, and we reflect on what happened during this Easter week that ended with the inclusion of all humanity (God’s plan from the foundation of the world), let’s rejoice that we stand before him with no fear, no shame, no guilt, and no doubt.

~by Craig Kuhlman