If you’ve ever wondered how far God would go to show His love, look in the mirror and wonder no more. We need not look any further than ourselves to find the most shocking and amazing displays of God’s grace. If we think otherwise, it is only because we have not seen ourselves as we truly are.
It has been said and sung many times: “There but for the grace of God go I.” At first this sounds grateful, but such sentiment masks a dangerous pride. It is actually not unlike the statement of a religious leader in Jesus’ day as he looked upon a sinner on his knees who was crying out for God’s mercy. “I thank you, God,” said the Pharisee, “that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there” (Luke 18:11 NLT)! It is a view that focuses on someone else’s misfortune. Someone else is worse than I am. Much better to be thinking and praying, “Here, because of the grace of God, and for no other reason, am I.” I am the only person I truly know about when it comes to sin. I am the authority on the subject.
The Pharisee hasn’t a clue about the sinner—who he is or what he has done. He has no point of reference to judge the man’s life but from his own inflated view of himself. If he had even the slightest clue about his own sin, he would realize he doesn’t have any business making the assumption that the sinner is any worse than he is. The only prayer any of us can pray on the subject of sin is: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” This is the one prayer that sends heaven scurrying.
It is best to steer completely clear of the comparison game. Any attempt to better ourselves at the mercy of someone else’s failure will always bring a twisted view of ourselves and others.
The immensity of God’s mercy is not displayed in what He did for the world, or for someone else. It is not displayed in someone else’s story about how low they were before Christ picked them up (of course, never as low as we would ever go—heaven forbid!). Nor is it discovered through some theological understanding or study of the many nuances of His grace. No, the immensity of God’s mercy is revealed finally—and only—in the incredible realization that, lo and behold, it found out the worst of the lot. God’s mercy looked down from heaven and found out me!
I am so glad that Jesus loves me Jesus loves me… Jesus loves me. I am so glad that Jesus loves me; Jesus loves even me.
Phillip P. Bliss, 1870
Friday 29 June 2007
Tuesday 26 June 2007
True Religion?
True religion is found by being fully engaged in the needs of those around us.
True religion is not found in paid employment, where we are rewarded for our good efforts, it is not found in High Church congregationalism, where healthy people come to only receive from God without a thought for their neighbour who is need. Rather true religion is found in a heart attitude, where we consider those around us, those in front of us in the street, those we encounter who are in need, where we have compassion for their plight, both physically as well as spiritually. True religion desires to meet the whole need of the man.
In his book Resurrection and Discipleship, Lorenzen writes, “When God shared his life with His creation, he does not only want to save a person’s soul, but he wants to save the person’s life.” The Salvation Army’s heritage is to speak on behalf of those who have no voice, to use its influence as an advocate for those who have no influence. To stand in the gap between a world hell bent on individualism and prosperity, and those who do not know who they are and who lack the energy and will to do anything about it.
I am looking forward to the series Boundless Salvation, the DVD series that John Cleary, David Philp, and other are working on. It will afford us the opportunity to look at our heritage, and remember the ‘mission spirit’ of TSA. To critically look at where we are today, and what we are doing. To recall us to the founding principles of True and relevant religion, that really is grass roots. A religion that truly is a reflection of the way that Jesus lived his life while we walked amongst us.
When WT Stead was imprisoned for his work with Bramwell Booth in fighting the Maiden Tribute campaign against child prostitution, he wrote a series of letters from his cell. In one of these he reflected on the nature of Christian mission.
“Do you know what I think Jesus Christ would do if He came now? He would go to church and chapel ever so many times and listen, and no one would speak to Him. He would look to see who sat round Him and he would see no ragged people, no harlots, only respectable people. And He would hear all these respectable people singing hymns to Christ, and giving all the glory to Christ, and then after standing it a long time, Jesus would stand up some day in the middle of the Church as say just two words, ‘Damn Christ!’ and then he would go out and go down some slum and put His arms round the neck of some poor lost orphan girl, who was having a bitter cry, and say ‘Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest…’ The hardest cross Christ has to bear is the cross that is made of those who call themselves His own church”. Shortly after, he writes “Never tell anyone to be a Christian. Always tell them to ‘be Christ’”.
Estelle Stead, My Father, pp142-145
True religion is not found in paid employment, where we are rewarded for our good efforts, it is not found in High Church congregationalism, where healthy people come to only receive from God without a thought for their neighbour who is need. Rather true religion is found in a heart attitude, where we consider those around us, those in front of us in the street, those we encounter who are in need, where we have compassion for their plight, both physically as well as spiritually. True religion desires to meet the whole need of the man.
In his book Resurrection and Discipleship, Lorenzen writes, “When God shared his life with His creation, he does not only want to save a person’s soul, but he wants to save the person’s life.” The Salvation Army’s heritage is to speak on behalf of those who have no voice, to use its influence as an advocate for those who have no influence. To stand in the gap between a world hell bent on individualism and prosperity, and those who do not know who they are and who lack the energy and will to do anything about it.
I am looking forward to the series Boundless Salvation, the DVD series that John Cleary, David Philp, and other are working on. It will afford us the opportunity to look at our heritage, and remember the ‘mission spirit’ of TSA. To critically look at where we are today, and what we are doing. To recall us to the founding principles of True and relevant religion, that really is grass roots. A religion that truly is a reflection of the way that Jesus lived his life while we walked amongst us.
When WT Stead was imprisoned for his work with Bramwell Booth in fighting the Maiden Tribute campaign against child prostitution, he wrote a series of letters from his cell. In one of these he reflected on the nature of Christian mission.
“Do you know what I think Jesus Christ would do if He came now? He would go to church and chapel ever so many times and listen, and no one would speak to Him. He would look to see who sat round Him and he would see no ragged people, no harlots, only respectable people. And He would hear all these respectable people singing hymns to Christ, and giving all the glory to Christ, and then after standing it a long time, Jesus would stand up some day in the middle of the Church as say just two words, ‘Damn Christ!’ and then he would go out and go down some slum and put His arms round the neck of some poor lost orphan girl, who was having a bitter cry, and say ‘Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest…’ The hardest cross Christ has to bear is the cross that is made of those who call themselves His own church”. Shortly after, he writes “Never tell anyone to be a Christian. Always tell them to ‘be Christ’”.
Estelle Stead, My Father, pp142-145
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