Original: December 20, 2007
McMinnville, OR
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6
Please forgive me now for this ridiculous memory that took me back to the sixth grade. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) as well as the New International Version (NIV) translate the first part of verse 5 as, “Now may the God of who gives perseverance and encouragement.” This verse can also be translated, “The God of endurance,” which again sent me back to the sixth grade, specifically and the “Destroyer” album by the classic rock band Kiss!
As a young boy struggling through junior high school and my parents divorce I was instantly drawn to their dark clothing, the painted faces of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Freely, and Peter Criss, not to mention their decorated platform boots. To this day I can draw each of their faces! Gene Simmons, if you dare to remember, went to the extreme measure of having his tongue cut to lengthen it (gross), and used to spit blood and throw fire out of his mouth! As I reflect back on those awkward childhood days in the 70’s Kiss seemed so cool but as a Christian man I am almost embarrassed to talk about it.
Bear with me.
Back them I was the expert at drawing the faces of Kiss as well as band’s name in the classic Kiss font.
Destroyer was my favorite album including hits like Beth, Detroit Rock City and God of Thunder. As I read Romans 15:5-6 describing our God as the “God of endurance and encouragement” I went back to their hit song, “God of Thunder (and Rock and Roll)”. Trying to remember the words to the song is not easy, but as a Christian adult the song appears to have been a by-product (in the song at least) of the god they followed who happened to be this so-named “God of Thunder and Rock and Roll”, which they enthusiastically emulated through explosions, fire, blood spitting, epic drum solos, blasting rock and roll music, and dressing like this dark lord they seemed to follow.
But just as I was starting to feel guilty for reflecting back on this period in my young days before Christ it hit me like an explosion greater than any Kiss concert, that all men are simply by-products of the gods we choose to worship and serve: The god of hobbies, the god of capitalism, the god of conservatism, of environmentalism, of feminism, and the god of you-fill-in- the-blank. Looking only at our verse for today I was struck with the fact that our God (capital “G”) is not only the God of love (1 John4:8 and 16) but He is the “God of endurance and encouragement.” Soon my mind started racing, meditating on life and pondering eternity as I stared for what seemed like hours, even though it was just under 30 minutes until finally; I saw it.
There, waiting for me to notice it was the word “end” right in front of endurance. Yes, it was then I remembered the cross. Oh, the cross and the words Jesus screamed as he spit my blood out of his mouth, “It is finished” (John 19:30)!” Jesus saw the end! He is the God of endurance as endurance sees the end. The end is part of endurance. You cannot have endurance without having the end-without seeing the end.
God has a plan for this age just as He has a plan for you and me. He saw the end of the cross and He sees the end of our lives as well. Just as Jesus finished what he began and just as Paul finished (2 Timothy 4: 6-7) you and I must set our sights on the ultimate Finisher (Hebrews 12:1-2). We must imitate our Creator who sees the end of endurance.
By the way Jesus is the real God of Thunder!
