Imperfect Disciples Like Me

Just completed a wonderful book written by Jared Wilson called "The Imperfect Disciple."  It is an amazing book for those of us disciples that continue to wonder how good is good enough, that are weary of wondering if what we are doing is ok, that have doubts.  I came across this passage on page 194 of the book and it just floored me...

"Jesus is the apex and sum of all that is good and lovely and wonderful. To get lost in him is to finally find one’s true self. You can’t find yourself anywhere else or in anyone else. 

But here we are. Struggling along. Enjoying more of the dead and putrid things than we ought. Fighting sin – or, more often than not, surrendering to it. Our true sinful self keeps poking through the cracks. Every time trouble comes and every time irritation and frustrations come, our real self rises up.

And we...are terrible repenters. We don’t even know even know all of the stuff we ought to repent of. None of us will get to that heavenly finish line perfectly repented. 

So we will finish our days basically crawling across that finish line, dragging our sorry self into heaven, and the Lord who is our righteousness will be standing there, looking down over us, mighty hands on his hips, and he will say, “Well Done.” 

I don’t know what you do with this, but I can’t yawn at it. It makes me stagger. That the holy God of the universe, to whom I owe my very life, would punish his own Son so he wouldn’t have to punish me is staggering. Because he loves me. 

And that Jesus, the only Son of God, would go up on that mountain...not confused about where the sacrifice would come from, but knowing he was the sacrifice...overcomes me by this truest of loves."

Jared Wilson
The Imperfect Disciple

Holy and Dearly Loved

Father God, 

In Colossians we are told that as part of the community of believers, part of the body of Christ there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 

Bear with each other and forgive one another - if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds everything together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. 

Father, we come to you thankful that because of all Christ has done we are your people, holy and dearly loved. How amazing is that and Father we pray that in the midst of such a distracted and busy time, Jesus might become our focus and our center and that as we recognize the grace that has saved us that even in this troubled and broken world we would clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; help us be a people that know and show grace.

Father, in these crazy days we pray that you would help us let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, that you would help us forgive others just as you have forgiven us, that you would help us put aside our personal agendas to become your peacemakers. Father, help us as imperfect as we are to move forward in love – love for you, love for each other and love for others. Help us look at others with love in our hearts so much so that we don’t see that which divides, but only that which binds us all in perfect unity; the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Abba Father, we love you and pray in the most wonderful and remarkable and  beautiful name of Jesus Christ...Amen and Amen!

Prayer for Troubling Times

Father God, 

As I was trying unsuccessfully to avoid the news last week, I was reminded that in Galatians 3 you tell us that there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ.

Father, what remarkable words for such trying times. Words that remind us because of your amazing grace, because of the complete and finished work of Christ we are all one in Christ. Father, helps us to know that when you say we are all one in Christ that you don’t mean just the democrats or republicans, that you don’t mean just the Baptists or the Presbyterians, that you don’t mean only the people gathered here at our Church, but that you mean all believers everywhere, you mean all of your children. 

Father, we come this morning thankful, thankful for the many blessings you provide, thankful for relationships, thankful for this small pieces of your Church. A place where we can come to worship, to grow, to learn, to be in community with one another, but help us to always be a safe place, a place that knows and shows grace, a place where we say give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. 

Lord Jesus, in these crazy busy, distracting and polarizing times, help us as our brother Scotty Smith says to be “in union with you, to know that there are no little people or big people, no dung worthy people groups or ethnic super groups and help us to never boast in our race, but only in your grace. Lord Jesus, forgive, free and focus us always to live and love to your glory.” 

Abba Father, we love you and pray in the most beautiful name of Jesus Christ... Amen and Amen!