Just a reminder to all of us.. it keeps the tune of "Amazing Grace" on the tip of my tongue.
Is the Gospel of Jesus Christ for you?
Read and See.
Who is the good news of the gospel for?
The good news of the gospel is not for the super-spiritual.
It is not for academicians who would imprison Jesus in the ivory tower of hyper-exegesis.
It is not for noisy, feel-good folks who manipulate Christianity into a naked appeal to emotion.
It is not for hooded mystics who want magic in their religion.
It is not for Alleluia Christians who live only on the mountaintop and have never visited the valley of desloation.
It is not for the fearless or tearless.
It is not for red-hot zealots who boast with the righ young home-owner of the gospels: "All these commandments I have kept from my youth."
It is not for the complacent, hoisting over their shoulder a tote-bag of honors, diplomas, and good works actually believing they have it made.
It is not for legalists who would rather surrender control of their souls to rules than run the risk of living in union with Jesus.
Who is the good news of the gospel for?
It is for the sorely who are still shifting the heavy suitcase from one hand to the other.
It is for those in survival mode.
It is for the wobbly and weak-kneed to know they don't have it all together.
It is for inconsistent, unsteady disciples whose cheese is falling off their cracker.
It is for poor, weak, sinful men and women with hereditary faults and limited talents.
It is for earthen vessels who shuffle along on feet of clay.
It is for the bent and the bruised who feel that their lives are a great disappointment to God.
It is for smart people who know they are stupid and honest disciples who admit they are scoundrels.
It is for spiritual whores.
It is for people like us if we realize that the our weakness and brokenness that we can feel are only a faint scent of the nauseating offense of our sin to God.
(adapted from Brennan Manning's "The Ragamuffin Gospel")
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled."Jesus Christ c.31 A.D.
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1 comment:
I love Brennan's book, a timely read that effected my walk. to be invited inside the crowd that seemingly has it put together and find out they don't and that they share in some of the same struggles is good stuff. lead with a limp.
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