A Reminder of God's Love
Have you just thought about it lately? About what Christ did for us? It's too bad that the message is so often superficialized by pastors and Sunday school teachers... it's really too bad because the sacrifice Christ gave to us--to the very ones who continually reject, deny, spit upon, persecute, beat, and mutilate him--should be overwhelming and inspirational to us. But here's the real question; do you ever let yourself be overwhelmed? Or have you trained yourself to shrug it off, to categorize it into your "atonement" box. Do you let yourself be inspired anew by the reality of Christ's love? Or do you pretty much have it figured out to the point where no more reflection is necessary?
Let this serve as a reminder to anyone like me... to anyone who forgets to reflect on Christ's sacrifice, anyone who understands the complexity of salvation to the point that they are prone to forget it's simplicity. Remember that Christ, the person not the idea, really does passionately love you--to the point that he would pursue you as a lover even to death. He loves you and pursues your freedom--freedom from poverty, slavery, sin, death, apathy and indifference--with his own blood and with the tears from his own eyes. He invites you into his love, into his passion; to be people of his resurrection and people who celebrate freedom through peace and interdependence. He invites us to celebrate his salvation by living it out in community with others.
However vastly complex the gospel may be, and it is complex, remember that it is equally vast in it's simplicity--the God who created the world offers life and salvation for free, as a gift that cannot be bought or sold as a commodity or a possession, to whoever might accept it. And as a lover who has forsaken all to pursue his lover, God invites you to forsake all else to live the life of the beloved. God invites you to let your passion and your love get involved with your faith... that it will not just be an idea but a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Take the time to reflect in worship and remember the simple and passionate love God has for you.
Let this serve as a reminder to anyone like me... to anyone who forgets to reflect on Christ's sacrifice, anyone who understands the complexity of salvation to the point that they are prone to forget it's simplicity. Remember that Christ, the person not the idea, really does passionately love you--to the point that he would pursue you as a lover even to death. He loves you and pursues your freedom--freedom from poverty, slavery, sin, death, apathy and indifference--with his own blood and with the tears from his own eyes. He invites you into his love, into his passion; to be people of his resurrection and people who celebrate freedom through peace and interdependence. He invites us to celebrate his salvation by living it out in community with others.
However vastly complex the gospel may be, and it is complex, remember that it is equally vast in it's simplicity--the God who created the world offers life and salvation for free, as a gift that cannot be bought or sold as a commodity or a possession, to whoever might accept it. And as a lover who has forsaken all to pursue his lover, God invites you to forsake all else to live the life of the beloved. God invites you to let your passion and your love get involved with your faith... that it will not just be an idea but a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Take the time to reflect in worship and remember the simple and passionate love God has for you.
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