The greatest need for you and me is a regular encounter in our experience with the God of grace revealed in Jesus Christ. It is in the experience of this grace -- the unmerited, unearned, undeserved love of a self-sacrificing God -- that we come to a new life in Christ. The old song declared, "You're nobody till somebody loves you." Well, SOMEBODY loved us and does love us. That SOMEBODY is God.
-- H. Eddie Fox in Grace-Esteem
#2452
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
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AMEN!!
ReplyDelete-janet
In response to the quote from H. Eddie Fox's Grace-Esteem, It's more than a regular "encounter" with God's grace; it's a personal relationship we ought to cultivate daily through prayer, meditation, reading scripture, etc, and on Sunday attending a worship service at the church of our choice so we can give thanks to God and draw strength to be a leavening agent in the community and world. The idea of a "self-sacrificing God" is simply the other side of the love coin; what is given to us is meant to be shared with others: a grace gift that never runs out. I liked the quote from the old song, "You're nobody till somebody loves you," but it's only the first step, realizing we are loved. The sacrificing part of that first step is gratitude and thus generosity towards all others. The necessary second step is realizing the empowerment God's grace-presence or Spirit gives us so we become transformed into the leavening agents mentioned above. Peter talks about this in I PETER 13: "then, have your minds ready for action (service)." MATTHEW 5 quotes Jesus himself urging us towards the second step: "doing what God requires..., being merciful to others..., being pure of heart..., working for peace." Being a Christian is more than mere believing; it's responding to the Spirit and to the needs of the world around us. The unlimited, boundless love of God makes it all possible and wonderful to behold, something to pray for, hope for and work for every day.
ReplyDeleteChaplain Mike Murphy
thank you. i had knee surery to day. this was great
ReplyDeleteChuck Teege