LOCKDOWN

 

“Por que estás abatida, ó minha alma? Por que te perturbas dentro de mim? Espera em Deus, pois ainda o louvarei, a ele, meu auxílio e Deus meu” (Salmos 42:5).

Este texto foi escrito por uma alma abatida diante da situação que temos vivido em nossos dias, com a condição de pandemia do coronavírus, a quarentena, o confinamento (“lockdown”), e o que mais estiver reservado na soberana, boa, perfeita e justa vontade do Senhor para acontecer com este mundo, até a Sua volta triunfal, em poder, majestade e glória. Maranata!

Esta é apenas uma das almas abatidas com o confinamento, que têm procurado ir continuamente aos pés da cruz do Calvário, para encontrar a misericórdia e o socorro, junto ao trono da graça, em ocasião oportuna (Hebreus 4:14-16). 

Aos pés desta cruz, há uma estreita (Mateus 7:13-14), porém, refrescante sombra, produzida pelo sol escaldante que transpassa (Isaías 53:5) esse madeiro maldito. Esta sombra, em forma de “T” (considerando uma cruz Tau - crux commissa), talvez seja um lembrete de que neste mundo teremos “T”ribulações, mas que também podemos encontrar “T”ranquilidade quando confiamos Nele (Mateus 11:28-30).

Pensando ainda sobre “lockdown”, é inevitável relembrar as palavras do apóstolo Paulo (Efésios 6:13-20), diante do seu confinamento (“pelo que sou embaixador em cadeias”, v.20), onde ele é desafiado a pregar o Evangelho de Cristo de forma ainda mais audaciosa e intrépida.

Em outra passagem bíblica (1Coríntios 7:22), o apóstolo Paulo usa um interessante jogo de palavras contrastantes, para mostrar que a nossa verdadeira liberdade, como cristãos, está no fato de sermos servos de Cristo Jesus, nosso bom e gentil Senhor, que não “esmagará a cana quebrada, nem apagará a torcida que fumega” (Mateus 12:20; Isaías 42:3).

As almas abatidas com o confinamento (“lockdown”) precisam agora refletir no fato de que o próprio Senhor Jesus Cristo, o Deus encarnado, o Emanuel (“Deus conosco”, Mateus 1:23), já experimentou também os mais extremos de todos os confinamentos: 

- Em primeiro lugar, Ele, “subsistindo em forma de Deus, não julgou como usurpação o ser igual a Deus; antes, a si mesmo se esvaziou, assumindo a forma de servo, tornando-se em semelhança de homens” (ver Filipenses 2:5-11). O Deus onisciente, onipotente e onipresente, eterno e infinito, Criador do espaço e do tempo, esteve confinado no espaço de um corpo humano e em uma certa época do tempo, a cerca de 2 mil anos atrás. 

- Em segundo lugar, Ele foi confinado no cárcere, como está relatado nos Evangelhos (Mateus 26:48,55, por exemplo), para ser apresentado diante dos seus acusadores, apesar de ser perfeitamente inocente. 

- Em terceiro lugar, Ele foi confinado fisicamente em uma cruz, sendo transfixado nos pulsos e nos pés, com pregos de cerca de 13 a 18 cm de comprimento, e 1 cm de diâmetro. 

- Em quarto lugar, e de forma conclusiva, o “Deus vivo” (como o próprio salmista define em Salmos 42:2) foi confinado em uma sepultura, depois de ter sido morto como um Cordeiro pascal (1Coríntios 5:7; Isaías 53; Apocalipse 5:12).

Contudo, mesmo enfrentando estes confinamentos extremos durante o seu ministério terreno, particularmente nos últimos momentos relatados nos Evangelhos, Ele disse, diante dos seus acusadores e da multidão que era testemunha ocular da Sua crucificação: “Pai, perdoa-lhes, porque não sabem o que fazem” (Lucas 23:34).

Desta forma, o confinamento final da morte do Senhor Jesus Cristo, em sua dupla natureza perfeita como Deus e como homem, não conseguiu detê-lo por muito tempo, porque depois de 3 dias Ele ressuscitou: o Seu túmulo está vazio! E esta é a mesma esperança para todas as almas abatidas com o confinamento (“lockdown”), mas que confiam neste Senhor como seu Salvador, mesmo diante de uma ameaça como esta pandemia de coronavírus. O Senhor Jesus é as primícias dos que “dormem”... as primícias da ressurreição (ver 1Coríntios 15:20-21,54-57).

Segue abaixo um resumo magnífico do Evangelho de Jesus Cristo:

“O Infinito tornou-se finito. O Criador se tornou uma criatura. Ele (que fez todas as coisas a partir do nada) nasceu de uma mulher. Ele (a quem os céus não podem conter) estava contido no pequeno útero de uma mulher. O pão da vida estava com fome. A água da vida estava com sede. O maior descanso estava cansado. A maior alegria estava triste. A maior fúria e o maior favor se encontraram na cruz. O maior ódio e o maior amor se manifestaram na cruz. Infinita justiça foi satisfeita e infinita misericórdia foi garantida na cruz. Estamos enriquecidos por Sua pobreza, preenchidos por Seu vazio, exaltados por Sua desgraça, curados por Suas feridas, confortados por Sua dor, e justificados por Sua condenação. 

'Graças a Deus pelo seu dom inefável!' (2Coríntios 9:15)” 

[pr. Stephen Yuille, “Um dom inefável”, traduzido do original]

Ó minha alma, não parece, agora, que estás mais tão abatida como antes... continue esperando em Deus, pois Ele é o teu auxílio, continuamente!

Glória somente a Deus, pelo Seu dom inefável!  

Confinement

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.” – Psalm 42:5

This text was written by a downcast soul in face of the situation we have experienced in our day, the coronavirus pandemic, the quarantine, the confinement ("lockdown"), and whatever else reserved in the sovereign, good, perfect and just will of the Lord to happen to this world, until His triumphal return, in power, majesty and glory. Maranata![1].

This soul that writes is both justified and sinful (simul justus et peccator). It is the soul of a publican, not a Pharisee[2]. A soul that has continually sought to go to the feet of Calvary’s cross to find the perfect justice and mercy which is abundantly available only in Him, the Author and finisher of our faith[3]. Yet, even though the faith of this downcast soul is, for a few brief moments, faltering in the face of so many uncertainties, it is built upon the Rock[4], the Cornerstone[5], and has the assurance of being "the exclusive property of God."

At the foot of this cross, there is a refreshing and narrow[6] shadow, produced by the scorching sun that passes through this cursed “T”- shaped wood (the Tαυ cross), and this shadow may be used by the Lord to remind us that in this world we will have “T”ribulations, and even the "great  Tribulation"[7], but it looks like we can also find “T”ranquility, for the Lord Jesus himself has invited us: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30.

Still reflecting on confinement (or lockdown), this soul recalls the words of Paul, one of the true apostles of Christ, who inspired by the Holy Spirit, recorded this wisdom and testimony in scripture:

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” – Ephesians 6:13-20, added emphases.

The Apostle Paul, before his confinement (“for which I am ambassador in bonds”, he says), is challenged to preach the Gospel of Christ in an even more audacious and intrepid way.

In another biblical passage[8], the Apostle Paul uses an  interesting set of contrasting words to show that our true freedom, as Christians, lies in the fact that we are servants of Christ Jesus, our good and kind Lord, who “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory” – Matthew 12:20; Isaiah 42:3.

To conclude, O my soul, reflect now for a little on the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the incarnate God, the Emmanuel (“God with us” in Matthew 1:23), has also experienced the most extreme of all confinements (or lockdown). First, He, “being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” – Philippians 2:6-7[9]. The omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent God, eternal and infinite, Creator of space and time, was confined in the extension of a human body and in a term in time. Second, He was confined in prison, as it is reported in the Gospels[10], to be presented before his accusers. Third, He was confined in a cross, being transfixed on the wrists and feet, with nails about 5 to 7 inches long and 3/8 inch in diameter. Fourth and last, the “living God” (as it is also written in the very text of Psalm 42:2, O my soul!) was confined to a grave after being killed as a Lamb[11].

However, even facing those confinements during his earthly ministry, He said, before his accusers and the crowd that witnessed His crucifixion: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” – Luke 23:34

Likewise, the final confinement of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His perfect double nature – both God and man, could not stop him for long, for after 3 days He rose again – O His tomb is empty! And this is the same hope for you, O my soul, even in the face of a threat like this global scale pandemic. You are safe, for you will also be resurrected with your body one day, just as He did first, for He is the firstfruits[12], and will dwell with Him for all eternity in the glory of the new heaven and new earth[13].

A magnificent summary of the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

“Infinite has become finite. The Creator has become a creature. He (who did everything out of nothing) was born of a woman. He (whom the heavens cannot contain) was contained in a woman's small womb. The bread of life was hungry. The water of life was thirsty. The biggest rest was tired. The greatest joy was sad. The greatest fury and the greatest favor were found on the cross. The greatest wrath and the greatest love were manifested on the cross. Infinite justice was satisfied and infinite mercy was guaranteed on the cross. We are enriched by His poverty, filled by His emptiness, exalted by His disgrace, healed by His wounds, comforted by His pain, and justified by His condemnation.

‘Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!’ – 2 Corinthians 9:15 (ESV)”

[pr. Stephen Yuille, “An inexpressible gift”]

It doesn't seem, now, that you're as much downcast as before, o my soul... keep waiting on God, for He is your help, continually!

Soli Deo Gloria, for His inexpressible gift!

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Notes:

[1] 1 Corinthians 16:22.

[2] Luke 18:9-14.

[3] Hebrews 12:2.

[4] Matthew 7:24-29.

[5] 1 Peter 2:1-10.

[6] Matthew 7:13-14.

[7] Matthew 24:15-28.

[8] 1 Corinthians 7:22.

[9] See Philippians 2:5-11.

[10] As in Matthew 26:48-55, for example.

[11] Isaiah 53; Revelation 5:12.

[12] 1 Corinthians 15:20-21, 54-57.

[13] See Revelation 21 and 22.

* KJV used, except when otherwise explicitly noted.

*** This text was translated from the original, in portuguese, with the invaluable help of a friend and brother, Anderson Oliveira, and I thank God for his sincere friendship and fraternity, in the Lord.

Download a PDF version of this text here.