I love that God does not leave us alone - that we are always growing in our love of God and others. Ever exploring the depths of God's grace. Grace used to be a hard concept for me - I thought you had to earn God's love and affection, much like we try to impress over people to earn their respect. But that's not how it works with God at all. God simply loves us because we are the beloved - created for God's love. And that voice in my head that tells me that I may not be enough, that isn't of God.
One of the things I often hear as a pastor as a reason folks don't come to church is because they don't feel good enough, don't feel worthy. Way back in college I started signing my emails and cards with one of two lines "You are LOVED!" and "You are WORTHY!" Brothers and sisters, we will never actually be good enough, but by grace God invites us to come anyway. We cannot earn being loved and worthy, but God bestows these titles upon us just because God is God.
May you fully live into the gift of grace and the love of God!
Monday, May 18, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
Grace: Walking With Us
John B. Cobb, Jr. writes in his book Grace, “Preaching provides an outward stimulus for the inward working of convincing grace”.
One of the thing that bothers me the most as a pastor is when people claim that they are not being fed. I tend to be in the same camp as Pastor Mike Slaughter who asks them what they are doing to feed their souls the other six days of the week. Preaching doesn't exist to feed people so much as to stimulate them to seek God throughout the week. Its not about giving answers, but about leading people to be hungry for grace. God's grace.
God's grace isn't a one time gift. It is new to us every morning when we get on our knees and dedicate our lives to following Christ wherever we may find ourselves. The problem is that we we have missed the point of grace, especially justifying grace, the grace that goes with us. We think the end of the journey is salvation, when really thats near the beginning. Christianity isn't just about being saved, its about seeking God and proclaiming God's love and grace to others.
How have you seen God's grace in your life this week? How can pastors help connect laity to God's gift of grace more throughout the week?
One of the thing that bothers me the most as a pastor is when people claim that they are not being fed. I tend to be in the same camp as Pastor Mike Slaughter who asks them what they are doing to feed their souls the other six days of the week. Preaching doesn't exist to feed people so much as to stimulate them to seek God throughout the week. Its not about giving answers, but about leading people to be hungry for grace. God's grace.
God's grace isn't a one time gift. It is new to us every morning when we get on our knees and dedicate our lives to following Christ wherever we may find ourselves. The problem is that we we have missed the point of grace, especially justifying grace, the grace that goes with us. We think the end of the journey is salvation, when really thats near the beginning. Christianity isn't just about being saved, its about seeking God and proclaiming God's love and grace to others.
How have you seen God's grace in your life this week? How can pastors help connect laity to God's gift of grace more throughout the week?
Monday, May 4, 2015
Grace: Coming Before Us
When I think of words to describe grace, I can think of nothing better then lyrics from U2's song bearing the same name:
"Grace
"Grace
She takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name
Grace
It's a name for a girl
It's also a thought that
Changed the world"
It's a name for a girl
It's also a thought that
Changed the world"
Grace truly does change the world. Grace is the gift that God dreamed of before we were even created. Grace is showered upon us in ways that we don't even notice. Grace heals us.
How have you noticed grace in your life?
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