More on Church

I am loving this book So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore? I think I was clear in my last post that I am not against church, in fact I love it, but it can be (and so many times it is) seriously screwed up. I also don't think I could be reading a better book so soon after Ragamuffin, it is almost like these 2 books should be sold in a 2 pack, one for the non-fiction "real" perspective, and one for the fiction application story to understand grace and how we so often screw it up (and many times in well meaning and very subtle ways).

I just finished another chapter, and once again I was hit with this overwhelming grace that we get from our Lord and Savior, yet so often we refuse to receive it. It is a gift given to us at all times, but when we get ourselves so wrapped up in judging ourselves and feeling so unworthy of it (basically when we need it most), we refuse it. In this passage from the book, the 2 main characters are talking about how we equate Christianity to good ethics. And one says to the other, "You are so caught up in a system of reward and punishment that you're missing the simple relationship he wants to have with you." The other asks about getting His love by living up to his standards. And I love the response. "That's where you are backward. We don't get His love by living up to His standards. We find His love in the most broken places of our lives. As we let Him love us there and discover how to love Him in return, we'll find our lives changing in that relationship." Christians love to say, "He loved you when you were yet a sinner." But even after salvation, we are sinners, and HE STILL LOVES US!!!!! He loves us in spite of our sin...He hates the sin, loves the sinner...He doesn't have a hierarchy of sins, some He can overlook and love you through, He loves you through them all. How 'bout them apples? My Christian "Sunday School" mind wants me to add, "He is disappointed, but He loves you," but I am not so sure about that. All I know for a fact is He hates sin, but He loves YOU. Disappointment conjures ideas of removal of love, and I don't believe that, no matter how much my mind tries to convince me of it. It makes me feel unlovable, but it doesn't affect His love. It just causes me to harm my relationship with Him. He doesn't change...God is always there...I just pull away.

I love the phrase..."We find His love in the MOST BROKEN PLACES OF OUR LIVES." Have you ever found that, one the way down, while the cracks are forming and you are starting to fall apart, you feel no love...you feel unlovable...but if you ever "hit bottom" and you give up your pride and self-consciousness...when you are completely broken and you can no longer hide it...do you not ALWAYS FIND HIM THERE...ARMS OPEN...TEARS FORMING...NO QUESTIONS...NO CONDEMNATION...NO PUNISHMENT...JUST A GIANT BEAR HUG FROM YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR.

Why is it important to get this message out? Why are TWLOHA and HopeLine and other networks of their ilk so important, and why does the church need to become relevant and outreaching again? Because there are people out there that are hitting bottom...they are suffering...and their picture of love from people is so messed up that they can't recognize the love that Jesus has for them...even at that rock bottom place they are at. Jesus is the only thing that can save them, but you and I and other people can help to be that bridge to get them there, to listen and love and not judge or condemn and let them know love from us so they can see the more awesome and powerful love from HIM.