I love the idea of God totally accepting us, welcoming us into his arms, and even celebrating our return…no questions asked, just as the father in the passage of Luke 15:11-32 did with his youngest son, who squandered his money and lived with pigs. I love the idea of our Heavenly Father’s unconditional love, but do I really accept it, do I really understand it?
When I think of the story of the prodigal’s son, it brings to mind my young adulthood. I think of the car that my parents bought me when I was in high school. I felt so cool, driving around in my own black Subaru Loyal, the car that my parents trusted me enough to buy just for me!
Ok, so you are probably wondering. What does this has to do with God’s unconditional love? Well, I think I wrecked that car three times. It was stolen twice, and backed in to once. Each time something happened to that little car I had to go home and try to explain the story to my parents. I would recite what I was going to say before I was face to face with them. I was so embarrassed and ashamed to disappoint them again, but when I got home they would just put their arms around me and make sure that I was safe (however, there were some questions asked!). It was always hard for me to face them but each time I did I was reminded that they always accepted me back, no matter what mistake I had just made.
Our Father’s character is that of unconditional love, but what does that mean? I believe that when we are told not to do something, some people call it the “Law”, the Ten Commandments, or just the rules we are to live by, it is out of total love. Just like my parents told me, “Sami, don’t leave the keys in your car, it’s going to get stolen,” for my own benefit, our Heavenly Father only wants what is best for us. He does not put boundaries in our lives to send us straight to hell if we cross them. I am learning that He actually is trying to protect me from some potentially horrible consequences. Getting my head around this thought gives me a greater understanding of His unconditional love.
Luke 15:20 says, “So, he (the youngest son) got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Our Father knows we are coming home before we arrive. Everytime I pull into the driveway after I get into yet another car crash He is waiting with open arms, full of love…it is a beautiful thing.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
KEVIN- Freedom
When I think of freedom loads of images and thoughts come into my mind. Some good, some not so good, especially when thinking about things I thought were freeing but actually brought guilt and condemnation.
It seems to me that there is great freedom shown by the shepherd in the story Karl talked about on Sunday from Luke 15:1-7. In this story, the shepherd gives his sheep real freedom; he really loves and cares for his sheep. As I wonder why, the bigger picture shows me that he hungers for his sheep. An ancient letter written to the small church in Rome by the Apostle Paul tells me that he wants them to have a freedom, free from any guilt or condemnation. I get the picture that the shepherd’s desire is for his sheep to grow and develop in their individual gifts, skills and attributes. Not in comparison to others but as individual loved beings. He even gives the sheep freedom to get lost, if they want to, knowing that he will intentionally and continually hunt for them.
In another ancient letter written to a small church in Ephesus I am reminded that this is because his desire is for the sheep to journey and grow into the fullness of being like Jesus Christ. That just blows me away, that the shepherd wants us to become like Jesus. Just LIKE JESUS. And to do it he will give the sheep the tools they need by giving the gift of his wisdom and spirit for counsel.
As we taste true freedom, we can pass it on to others. As God’s people, we can then help, assist, love and tell others who are hurting and weighted down by the guilt and condemnation of false freedom that there’s something better, that true freedom is staying close to The Shepherd.
In the stories the shepherd is God and the sheep are a representation of us human beings. When I link it to this ancient festival of Christmas it kind of reinforces the whole point. That Jesus came naked and weak into our history. That He then traveled part of this planet illustrating that with the nurturing boundaries of God in our lives and as part of a gracious, loving, guilt free Kingdom community we can journey into expanding personal freedom.
The funny part is that this freedom can sometimes be the hardest thing for me to take hold of because it’s given with no strings attached and is unconditional. I often think I’ve got to do something for it. In the ancient mystical letter written by John--someone who walked alongside Jesus--he says, ‘when Jesus sets us free we are truly free’. This is so true. It’s only with this kind of freedom that I can with growing confidence walk the uncertain adventure of life.
It seems to me that there is great freedom shown by the shepherd in the story Karl talked about on Sunday from Luke 15:1-7. In this story, the shepherd gives his sheep real freedom; he really loves and cares for his sheep. As I wonder why, the bigger picture shows me that he hungers for his sheep. An ancient letter written to the small church in Rome by the Apostle Paul tells me that he wants them to have a freedom, free from any guilt or condemnation. I get the picture that the shepherd’s desire is for his sheep to grow and develop in their individual gifts, skills and attributes. Not in comparison to others but as individual loved beings. He even gives the sheep freedom to get lost, if they want to, knowing that he will intentionally and continually hunt for them.
In another ancient letter written to a small church in Ephesus I am reminded that this is because his desire is for the sheep to journey and grow into the fullness of being like Jesus Christ. That just blows me away, that the shepherd wants us to become like Jesus. Just LIKE JESUS. And to do it he will give the sheep the tools they need by giving the gift of his wisdom and spirit for counsel.
As we taste true freedom, we can pass it on to others. As God’s people, we can then help, assist, love and tell others who are hurting and weighted down by the guilt and condemnation of false freedom that there’s something better, that true freedom is staying close to The Shepherd.
In the stories the shepherd is God and the sheep are a representation of us human beings. When I link it to this ancient festival of Christmas it kind of reinforces the whole point. That Jesus came naked and weak into our history. That He then traveled part of this planet illustrating that with the nurturing boundaries of God in our lives and as part of a gracious, loving, guilt free Kingdom community we can journey into expanding personal freedom.
The funny part is that this freedom can sometimes be the hardest thing for me to take hold of because it’s given with no strings attached and is unconditional. I often think I’ve got to do something for it. In the ancient mystical letter written by John--someone who walked alongside Jesus--he says, ‘when Jesus sets us free we are truly free’. This is so true. It’s only with this kind of freedom that I can with growing confidence walk the uncertain adventure of life.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
KATHY - Equality
Christmas. Everyone responds to this time of year differently. For some, it’s a great season filled with food and family and happy memory-making. For others, it’s a time of dread. Money’s tight or nonexistent. The reminder of losses—of loved ones, jobs, relationships, faith-- sets in. In the season where we’re supposed to feel joyful we sometimes feel loneliness, anxiety and fear instead. The “reason for the season” gets lost in the reality of life and we just try to bear down and make it to the new year where our resolutions await and we might get a fresh start.
Christmas is a time, honestly, where things don’t feel too equal. Those who have money and jobs get presents. Those who don’t, can’t. Those who have intact families—or some semblance of one—get to be together. Those who have broken families, no family, exes who make things hard, or weird inlaws get to manage through that mess instead and often end up alone or angry. Some people have tried all year to get a job, keep a job, enjoy a job, to no avail while others are soaring up the corporate ladder getting one raise after another. Others are worried about gaining some extra pounds over the holidays while others are fighting for their lives battling cancer or trying to stop using drugs. Some people are happily married while others are still reeling from a painful divorce. Sometimes it just doesn’t seem fair.
In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s not fair. I don’t know where I got this crazy idea that life was going to be fair. And even though I know life isn’t, I still desperately want it to be. And fairness in my little pea brain usually means equal. Equal means we all get the same—the same blessing, the same help, the same hope, the same attention, the same _______. You fill in the blank. But of course I only want equality when it comes to the good things—money, possessions, jobs, influence, God’s “blessings.” I can do without equality the other direction…I mean who wants health issues or job losses or bankruptcy or more pain? I am learning, the hard way, that life isn’t fair. And life isn’t equal, either. Some of us have harder roads, others have easier. Some have deeper pain and loss, others just haven’t experienced some of the more life-defining struggles. One isn’t right and the other’s wrong. One’s not better, more important or more valuable. It’s just different. And to somehow try to explain why in the world God has made it so complicated is utterly impossible.
But this Christmas here’s what I keep clinging to—His ways are higher than mine and what’s unfair here on earth somehow gets made right in heaven. Jesus loves me as much as he loves the next person. And that’s not dependent on anything I do or don’t do or they do or don’t do. He doesn’t place greater value on any of us because of our looks or power or money or Bible knowledge or status or lack thereof. That’s a man-made thing. But God says to all of us that we are His treasured possessions and that when we get lost, He’ll go searching for us.
On Sunday we looked at the Story of the Lost Coin in Luke 15. It really was a simple gift from Jesus, a reminder that we are equally valuable in His eyes. Worth searching for. Fighting for. Celebrating for. Do you believe that? Most days, if I’m honest, the answer is “yes, if….”. I feel valuable when I’m doing the right things and I am staying “on top” of my life (doesn’t happen too often). When I’m lost--struggling to gain back some of my past fervor for God, controlling my life instead of trusting God, feeling sad and alone or full of shame for some stupid mistake I made--I’m not feeling too valuable.
But Jesus reminds me in this passage that my lostness has nothing to do with His value for me. In fact, it is just the opposite. He’ll turn the tables to find me not because of anything I can do, prove, muster, or mess up. It has nothing to do with my circumstances, how hard or easy my life is going at the moment. I don’t always understand His “finding”. Sometimes I’m like “hey, God, are you sure you are looking hard enough?” but then, when I take a closer look, I notice that usually it’s me that misses His looking. I am distracted by all of the things that are wrong and easily miss the things that are right—the small things to be thankful for, the simple and subtle ways God is saying "See, here I am. I've been looking for you."
Christmas is a time, honestly, where things don’t feel too equal. Those who have money and jobs get presents. Those who don’t, can’t. Those who have intact families—or some semblance of one—get to be together. Those who have broken families, no family, exes who make things hard, or weird inlaws get to manage through that mess instead and often end up alone or angry. Some people have tried all year to get a job, keep a job, enjoy a job, to no avail while others are soaring up the corporate ladder getting one raise after another. Others are worried about gaining some extra pounds over the holidays while others are fighting for their lives battling cancer or trying to stop using drugs. Some people are happily married while others are still reeling from a painful divorce. Sometimes it just doesn’t seem fair.
In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s not fair. I don’t know where I got this crazy idea that life was going to be fair. And even though I know life isn’t, I still desperately want it to be. And fairness in my little pea brain usually means equal. Equal means we all get the same—the same blessing, the same help, the same hope, the same attention, the same _______. You fill in the blank. But of course I only want equality when it comes to the good things—money, possessions, jobs, influence, God’s “blessings.” I can do without equality the other direction…I mean who wants health issues or job losses or bankruptcy or more pain? I am learning, the hard way, that life isn’t fair. And life isn’t equal, either. Some of us have harder roads, others have easier. Some have deeper pain and loss, others just haven’t experienced some of the more life-defining struggles. One isn’t right and the other’s wrong. One’s not better, more important or more valuable. It’s just different. And to somehow try to explain why in the world God has made it so complicated is utterly impossible.
But this Christmas here’s what I keep clinging to—His ways are higher than mine and what’s unfair here on earth somehow gets made right in heaven. Jesus loves me as much as he loves the next person. And that’s not dependent on anything I do or don’t do or they do or don’t do. He doesn’t place greater value on any of us because of our looks or power or money or Bible knowledge or status or lack thereof. That’s a man-made thing. But God says to all of us that we are His treasured possessions and that when we get lost, He’ll go searching for us.
On Sunday we looked at the Story of the Lost Coin in Luke 15. It really was a simple gift from Jesus, a reminder that we are equally valuable in His eyes. Worth searching for. Fighting for. Celebrating for. Do you believe that? Most days, if I’m honest, the answer is “yes, if….”. I feel valuable when I’m doing the right things and I am staying “on top” of my life (doesn’t happen too often). When I’m lost--struggling to gain back some of my past fervor for God, controlling my life instead of trusting God, feeling sad and alone or full of shame for some stupid mistake I made--I’m not feeling too valuable.
But Jesus reminds me in this passage that my lostness has nothing to do with His value for me. In fact, it is just the opposite. He’ll turn the tables to find me not because of anything I can do, prove, muster, or mess up. It has nothing to do with my circumstances, how hard or easy my life is going at the moment. I don’t always understand His “finding”. Sometimes I’m like “hey, God, are you sure you are looking hard enough?” but then, when I take a closer look, I notice that usually it’s me that misses His looking. I am distracted by all of the things that are wrong and easily miss the things that are right—the small things to be thankful for, the simple and subtle ways God is saying "See, here I am. I've been looking for you."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
