Ok, here’s a confession. Right off the start I have to say that with my wife, I watched Jon and Kate’s “big announcement.” While my wife watches the show faithfully, this is my first time, and I suppose you should know, I fell asleep before the end. I kind of knew what was coming because over time, my wife has kept me up to date on what’s led up to this announcement.
Within the first few episodes, Wendy said things to me like,
“She doesn’t treat Jon very well.”
“She’s kind of a bitch.”
“I don’t think they have a very good marriage.”
If I’d cared about the show at all I would have paid attention to what Wendy was saying. I would have paid attention because my wife is VERY astute, especially regarding relationships. In our last congregation, on the second Sunday that our “new” Pastor was preaching, Wendy leaned over to me and said, “There is something wrong with that man and there is something wrong with that marriage.” This was a guy who was really packing in the people. They even began plans for an addition to the Church. Yet, by the end of the year, our new Pastor had left his wife and children for the Church secretary. What has that got to do with Jon and Kate plus eight? Can’t remember. Anyhow -
It dawned on me last night that day in and day out, as a counsellor I work with people like Kate. I work with people who push others away. No - they drive others away from themselves. So annoying, so angry, so conflicted, so contradictory, so difficult to love are these people that a picture could be drawn of each one of them. The client would be standing in the centre of the picture with numerous people, from both the past and the present walking the other direction, away from the person. Be it mental health issues, addictions, or just so much pent up pain and anger, these people make everyone around them miserable. And usually, sooner if not later, their families and friends leave; if not physically at least emotionally. They leave in droves.
However, in this picture, if you look carefully, there is one person who is going against the tide. There is one person whose focus is locked on to the one who is suffering the most. He makes His way through the crowd of deserters and stands there waiting. He’s waiting for an invitation to come and wrap His arms around the one who is so very difficult to love. He’s waiting to come and make you safe. That of course is Jesus. The One who goes against the tide, the One who counters every culture is our Creator, Lord and Saviour, Jesus the Christ. “I come not to those who think they are good enough. I have come to save those who know they are lost and wounded.”
Thank you Jesus for your compassion. Thank you for your love. You love us not in spite of our failings but because of our failings. You love us because we are prone to wander from your love and your safety. Thank you for your patience and kindness and gentleness. Thank you most of all for your salvation.
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10 comments:
I'm jealous - I wish I had an imaginary friend too.
Who are Jon and Kate?
And who is this Jesus?
What is he saving me from?
O Shaun - you just miss my attention - don't you?
Jesus is trying to save you from two things:
- a third rate life on earth, and
- an eternity spent in the total absence of Love
Well, the Flying Spaghetti Monster wants to save everyone too! So does Allah! And thousands of other make believe imaginary friends!
There are just so many to choose from. It's hard to make a decision.
Wrong yet again Ian. In every religion EXCEPT Christianity, salvation is up to the individual. In every religion EXCEPT Christianity, you work your way into paradise through doing good deeds. In no other religion EXCEPT Christianity can you know for sure if you are saved or if you've done enough. Islam is a bit different in that no Muslim can know for sure if s/he is going to heaven UNLESS that individual Muslim is killed while killing non Muslims. Then Allah assures you of paradise.
Only in Christianity is the playing field level. Only in Christianity is there the concept of grace. God's Grace is what sets Christianity apart from all other religions.
Only the profoundly ignorant would think that the choice between religions is difficult.
Makarios, I appreciate your conviction that your chosen flavor of delusion is correct.
Quite frankly, I have a fondness for Christianity. You can debauch, pillage .... hell, basically do anything you want as long as you make sure you repent on your deathbed. Not a bad deal really. Makes alotta sense.
Yeah, Christianity is awesome! You don't have to work for your own salvation! You can rape people, molest children, and do the most horrible, despicable deeds imaginable, but as long as you say, "I'm sorry, Jesus!" you're saved.
It must be awesome not to have to take personal responsibility for your actions, and instead blame Satan for your mistakes. How convenient.
Everyone else is going to hell, though, despite the fact that they work their asses off to be a good person, helping their fellow man. Their crime? Not believing.
An eternity in hell for not believing, despite the fact that they were good people. Seems absolutely reasonable.
Dear Atheist Missionary Position
You said "I appreciate your conviction that your chosen flavor of delusion is correct".
That's pretty damn funny, I bet even Mak is laughing at that one.
But to you and Ian I must reply.
I see no difference in someone who "asks for forgiveness from heinous acts" to ease their conscience or to help them sleep better at night, and an Atheist who pretends there is no God so he can sleep better at night as well, after all
if you can convince yourself that there is no God, then you too are off the hook. How convenient indeed.
Also God can decide for himself
who is truly repenting, and those trying to get fire insurance.
"You can rape people, molest children, and do the most horrible, despicable deeds imaginable, but as long as you say, "I'm sorry, Jesus!" you're saved."
I wonder where you get that kind of idiotic thinking? I assure you that if you live like that with the intent of saying I'm sorry at the last second, it will be meaningless.
In fact, even if you're as good as most atheists imagine themselves to be with the intent of, "Well, if I'm wrong I'm sure God will let me in," you're in a whole mess of trouble.
Do you not remember what Jesus says to some of those who healed people in His name, and who cast out demons and prophecied in His name? Because their works weren't genuine He will say to them, as He will say to anyone who thinks like you, "Get away from Me. I never knew you."
It is one thing to have a disagreement and/or a respectful debate regarding the existence of God or the origins of the universe. I am happy to engage atheists on the subject and, if at the end of the day we still don't agree, still respect them for it.
But if God really does not exist, what is the point of the mockery and silly potshots that are typical of the Atheist Missoinary and his friends? If God does not exist, and we are in fact nothing but matter and energy and biochemical material that will eventually decompose, why is it so necessary to lash out with vehemence against those who believe in God? Time will sort all of that out, right? In the meantime, Vive la difference!
Methinks the atheist doth protest too loudly. My suspicion is that our atheist friends aren't really all that sure of themseles. Atheism is not just a sober conclusion based on evidence or lack thereof that perhaps there is no God. Rather, atheism is itself a religion, and its god will allow no rivals. Neither will it consider evidence that it might be mistaken.
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