gospelofthekingdom:

It was Bonhoeffer who penned,  “The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists of listening to them. Just as love of God begins with listening to his word, so the beginning of love for our brothers and sisters is learning to listen to them.”

To love is to listen, to listen is to love.  We are desperately missing the point when our zeal for ‘correct doctrine’ (whatever our tradition says that is) surpasses our desire to love our neighbors as ourselves.  We are desperately missing the point when our zeal for correct doctrine surpasses our desire to listen to our brothers whom we disagree with.  When our theology gets in the way of loving (and listening to) our neighbors, it is time to rethink our theology.

Oh how we desperately need to allow that first century radical, who repeatedly subverted the religious norm of his day, to love his neighbor change our view of holiness.

Start with me.” 

I cannot explain how much this resonates with my heart, and how sad it makes me that so many times I’ve failed to realize that the Lord wants to love through me, not just offer a quick rebuttal to others’ views. Especially to hurting people, mere words seem empty and far-off, even if they’re true; turning to the Lord in their discouragement is just what people’s hearts need, but sometimes they don’t have the faith to do it.

I believe God can love through me…and maybe this is my very purpose. Maybe to share in Jesus’ sufferings I need to share in others’. And maybe love can change the world.

To think, after all my mistakes You still love me.

And, to think, after all my running away I still love You. (Hopelessly. Did You know that?)

Wonder of wonders! Sometimes I forget You knew exactly what you were doing when You picked me.

you’re not convicted; you’re free

I’ve heard many Christians say they’re “convicted” when they really mean, “the Holy Spirit is changing me.”

Conviction usually means you’ve been proven guilty in a trial. That was true of us once, but Jesus stepped in and set us free. Our guilt is done forever—hallelujah! We don’t have to re-live it constantly.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1-4)

THERE’S something we can re-live forever and ever :)

If you knew how near I have stood

All your life, to you,

Gazing into your lovely face,

Marveling, assuring,

Breathing, shining, leading, protecting—

All your days—

You would never, in a thousand years,

Cease to look at Me.

Always know how near I AM;

Don’t break your gaze.

I probably just need sleep,
But I feel bad.
I assumed too much
And left you hurt, I’m sure.
I’M SORRY…
The best I can do.
After all, a girl’s walls
Never let in many friends,
And all my pain
Only gets passed around.

There is much to do; reams of paper with checkboxes on to-do’s and should-do’s flutter all around me, drowning. Think about nice things, my mother once told child-me, and I see it written down in the Bible, too. And I would close my eyes and escape to a sun-kissed meadow by the sea, daisies tickling my toes and butterflies weaving through goldenrods. Now the imaginary meadow beckons me again, and all I want to do is lose myself inside of it, for my heart has little tolerance for the bleak, gray reality of the world.

I am heart-burdened and world-weary, but I hold to the hope of a very real resting place for my soul. It looks like a yoke at an ancient crossroad. And I must choose.

“Ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16)

the lamb

Stop believing you can make yourself better.
And just believe He is better.

You can’t try harder to be greater;
It’s when you know you’re nothing and trust him to be everything.

He is greater.
Believe.

See? He sits on a throne in heaven.
The lamb, once slain.

HE ALONE CAN.
Nobody else in all the earth.

Sufficiency.
Believe it.

Those strong arms of love carry us, His children.
The Lamb was slain for us, and He is worthy and able.

Believe it.
Receive it.

My hands wrapped around a mug of warm coffee, I try to breathe deep. I try to slow down, stop this spinning cycle of life. Too fast, but it’s not waiting for anybody.

A snoozing, stretching cat behind me, and I wish I could be as carefree as she is. Why do I let these cares weigh on my shoulders?

I’m weak and human today. And every day.