Note “hineni” in the song means “here I am” in Hebrew

By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. —Hebrews 10:14

We trample the blood of the Son of God underfoot if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only reason for the forgiveness of our sins by God, and the infinite depth of His promise to forget them, is the death of Jesus Christ. Our repentance is merely the result of our personal realization of the atonement by the Cross of Christ, which He has provided for us. “…Christ Jesus…became for us wisdom from God— and righteousness and sanctification and redemption…” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Once we realize that Christ has become all this for us, the limitless joy of God begins in us. And wherever the joy of God is not present, the death sentence is still in effect.

No matter who or what we are, God restores us to right standing with Himself only by means of the death of Jesus Christ. God does this, not because Jesus pleads with Him to do so but because He died. It cannot be earned, just accepted. All the pleading for salvation which deliberately ignores the Cross of Christ is useless. It is knocking at a door other than the one which Jesus has already opened. We protest by saying, “But I don’t want to come that way. It is too humiliating to be received as a sinner.” God’s response, through Peter, is, “… there is no other name…by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). What at first appears to be heartlessness on God’s part is actually the true expression of His heart. There is unlimited entrance His way. “In Him we have redemption through His blood…” (Ephesians 1:7). To identify with the death of Jesus Christ means that we must die to everything that was never a part of Him.

God is just in saving bad people only as He makes them good. Our Lord does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The atonement by the Cross of Christ is the propitiation God uses to make unholy people holy.

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Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord,
That first song is a little out of the genre that we’ve been picking from. I ran across it yesterday and couldn’t get it out of my head… so, since you are shaking things up in us, Here it is. It is from Leonard Cohen’s last album, published a few days before he died last month at 90. He had a long and varied career as he searched for, and lost, and found his faith. (“hineni” is Hebrew for “here I am”). You’ve shown us that you are Love and you are Good,… all the time. Even in the dark valleys, as well as the brilliant mountaintops of life. So here it is. About as dark as it gets, musically, but yet retaining hope.

I’m including this last song, his most famous, to balance the first one, which could be seen as too dark.

You worry too much. You don’t need to provide the balance. I am the ultimate balance. You are learning that. Leonard’s song part of the balance. But it’s not your job. It just is. And I reveal it to all my children at different times and in different ways. Balance is best discovered rather than taught or preached. When you encounter a person in a very dark valley or you are in one yourself, preaching and solution peddling is of little value. Remember Job and his “comforters” Rather, just be with them and be with Me. It’s OK to go thru dark times like this. Remember many of David’s psalms started this way …but they always ended remembering my goodness and saying like Leonard Cohen, “I’m ready, My Lord.”

OK, I was going to ask you about the title line of the song. Could You want it Darker? Or is that just Cohen’s view from a dark place? Is he speaking to you or to his listeners? Saying, You want it darker?

You mentioned David and the dark times he went thru. Realize that he could only write the psalms you love after experiencing those dark times. Simply put, the mountain peaks are on the other side of the valley. There are no non stop flights from peak to peak that avoid all valleys. Remember to take my peace with you on the journey. It is provided and paid for. When you walk in it, even the valleys are not so dark. Consider Paul, who wrote a lot of your Bible from a pretty dark prison cell.

“I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27

I notice you didn’t answer my question. At least not exactly. Come to think of it, you rarely answer in the way I want when I ask it. But by the time I ponder your Non Answer… I have my answer.

I just don’t fit in your binary boxes. I won’t give you a black and white answer just because you ask a black and white question. Remember

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. Isaiah 55:8

I knew that. Sorry. I mean, I’m learning that.

Here are the words of Leonard Cohen’s You Want It Darker. Followed by his most famous song, Hallelujah.

“You Want It Darker”

If you are the dealer, I’m out of the game
If you are the healer, it means I’m broken and lame
If thine is the glory then mine must be the shame
You want it darker
We kill the flame

Magnified, sanctified, be thy holy name
Vilified, crucified, in the human frame
A million candles burning for the help that never came
You want it darker

Hineni, hineni
I’m ready, my lord

There’s a lover in the story
But the story’s still the same
There’s a lullaby for suffering
And a paradox to blame
But it’s written in the scriptures
And it’s not some idle claim
You want it darker
We kill the flame

They’re lining up the prisoners
And the guards are taking aim
I struggled with some demons
They were middle class and tame
I didn’t know I had permission to murder and to maim
You want it darker

Hineni, hineni
I’m ready, my lord

Magnified, sanctified, be thy holy name
Vilified, crucified, in the human frame
A million candles burning for the love that never came
You want it darker
We kill the flame

If you are the dealer, let me out of the game
If you are the healer, I’m broken and lame
If thine is the glory, mine must be the shame
You want it darker

Hineni, hineni
Hineni, hineni
I’m ready, my lord

Hineni
Hineni, hineni
Hineni

Maybe one of the best lines in that one is “a broken Hallelujah” that can only be sung from a darker place. Talking and walking in all this darkness… I’m just going to stick close to you…

Now you’re getting it!

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