Francis Chan has a book called "Crazy Love." I haven't finished it yet, due to his request of putting the book down and reading the Gospels, but as I reflect on the book, I am thankful for the lessons I have already learned from it. He begins by reminding me how BIG God is. How small I am. yet He LOVES me. Why does it seem that so many of us have such a hard time beginning to comprehend God's love for us? Is it because we don't take enough time to sit down with God and hear Him tell us? Is it because it's too hard to believe because we're so sinful, so we'd rather go try to find a love in other places that we think won't judge us. The thing is.... is that He does judge us, it's true, and we are sinful, and under normal circumstances, He couldn't bear to look at us. We should be eternally separated from Him. BUT He had a plan. Jesus Christ took that penalty by dying for my sin, though He was perfect and without sin. God LOVED me so much that He planned for His Son to do this. So now, when God looks at me, He extends grace and mercy and sees His Son's perfection, and can be in relationship with me. How WONDERFUL is that??
But Chan isn't just a lovey dovey Jesus type of guy. No, he then goes on to discuss the contrast that Jesus makes between those that follow Him and those that don't. There's not much an in between, however, a lot of times we think there is. But the Bible says He will spit the lukewarm ones out. Chan then goes on to describe all the characteristics of what a lukewarm Christian is while backing each characteristic up with the Bible. I fit the bill for a lot of them.
So, God's been showing me that - which I can handle because it was prefaced with a greater understanding of His love - which I can always understand more of. In addition to this though, the young adults group I go to called Inversion is going through Jesus Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:1-16&version=NIV
In this passage, Jesus lays out what his followers, disciples, are to look like. And again, I have work to do. I should say, He has work to do. I am still in the process of being transformed by Him. I don't doubt the faith I have, but I do think He calls us to be more diligent in our following of Him than I am. "Pick up your cross and follow me" and "Leave father and mother behind, and follow me" "Give away everything you have, and follow me." There are so many other Scriptures where Jesus says similar things. I think that especially with a new start in a new city, Jesus is wanting to begin my time here with a better comprehension of what it means to follow Him.
And because I'm a follower of Him, I'm doing well. There are great things in my life, and there are a few areas I could complain about. But, I am well. Someone asks me how I am, and I say great, and I ask why, and I tell them I'm not completely sure. But I think it's just because I'm coming to a greater understanding of who Jesus is and who I am within that. Which is exactly as it should be I suppose.
This post may look really funny on here, but my untechnologically savvy self doesn't know what to do about it.
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