Yes

Last week we considered Alyosha from The Brothers Karamazov and how Father Zosima gently commanded him to leave the monastery; an alarming unveiling to the brother who desperately desired to remain at the feet of his elder.

Yet this week, we remember that God is the God of ‘perpetual yes’ with Latayne Scott’s next poem and reflection from Passion, Power, Proxy, Release. This tension of receiving hard commands and suffering through them links closely to what Marcus Aurelius emphasizes in his Meditations. What appears to be the obstacle becomes the way. And what better representation do we have of this reality in life than the cross of Christ where death was precisely the way — to resurrection life. The ultimate Yes. May it be so for us.

- Meghan Ochoa

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For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ”Yes” in Christ.

- 2 Corinthians 1:20

This is no vengeful deity

Who cuts off the outstretched hand

This is no capricious idol

Who plays chess with men’s souls;

No eternal checkmate

This is no prankster god Who twists words and

Impales them upon intents

This is He

Who knows needs before they’re perceived

Who grants favors as they’re verbalized

Who invites us to believe

In what is not

Just so that He can make it

So:

This is the mighty God

of the perpetual

Yes.

In times of crisis we tend to re-evaluate our concept of God based on how He is answering our prayers. That is always a mistake. He doesn’t want to be judged by us, least of all on the basis of how we perceive His “performance.” He chooses, instead, to be known by two characteristics from Psalm 62:12 that are rock-sure: He is strong (strong enough to bring about whatever He chooses) and loving (which means He wants the best for His people). So when it comes to pure spiritual welfare, to our deepest needs, He is always ready to say, “Yes.”

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Dr. Latayne C. Scott is an enthusiastic proponent of Christian Classical Education and taught various subjects in the School of Logic of a classical academy. The award-winning author of over 30 published books and thousands of shorter published works such as poems, she continues to write, publish, and serve as a spirituality coach and a writing coach.

- Photo credit to Melissa Lancaster for Dr. Scott's bio headshot