Part 2
Well, Check out my blog from yesterday. This is an update, a part two.
Earlier today I got into a groove of condemning the “sinners” whom I hung out with Friday night. I was really upset that the leader was, well, acting according to the ways of the world.
By the late of the day today, I came to the realization that God does not want me to hold these sins against them but to move on in love. It reminds me of other times in my life – oh yeah, like when Romans chapter 2 totally convicted me. Like who are you, oh man, to condemn those ignorant Gentiles when you know better and do the same thing in your heart? Yeah, that was the message that God taught me in 1987 or so, again, in Philadelphia, the first time I read Romans I think. I was busy condemning my husband at the time. God had to show me over many years that I was not to condemn him but to love him and not worry about much else. I wasn’t sinning by loving a sinner; it was what God wanted me to do. That was a big long and difficult lesson actually. Taught me a lot about God - and me. So easy to become self-righteous (at least for me).
I am glad that I am not learning today the EXACT same message, but it is a sort of spin-off on the same message, but in another context. When Jonah was to go to Nineveh he couldn’t believe, or accept really, the reality that God forgave those people. When Moses stuck the rock twice, he wasn’t supposed to do that. Sometimes it is hard to accept the grace of God. Well, it does defy common sense, and seems kind of unreasonable.
Yesterday when I was crying about the sin of us (the hospital administration) and realizing the predicament that we are in, that it is unreasonable, according to common sense, that God would bless our hospital when the leaders have the sin of folly, it was as soon as I saw our sin and the unreasonableness of God’s blessing, God showed me through His word that He has heard my cry. He is going to bless our hospital because like in Chronicles, I think chapter 20 something when Josiah mourned for the sin and was tender that God had mercy. God let me know that He is merciful, that He is going to bless us – even though, yeah, it is not in keeping with the consequences of our actions.
Yet, it only took a few hours to get stuck back in condemning instead of thanking God for His rich act of mercy. A few hours to move to the place of trying to work to please God, of becoming judgmental when, how else are sinful people supposed to act?
There was a spiritual warfare in all of this. But I think that it has past, by the blood and sufficiency of resting in Jesus and His blood alone.
I can go back to work and work with those people and love them and look past what we all do naturally in our flesh and folly, all the while praying, waiting and expecting and moving towards the high calling of Christ. Of being an example of the grace of God while living a distinctively different life.
Pray for me!
Thank God for His indescribable gift!
Earlier today I got into a groove of condemning the “sinners” whom I hung out with Friday night. I was really upset that the leader was, well, acting according to the ways of the world.
By the late of the day today, I came to the realization that God does not want me to hold these sins against them but to move on in love. It reminds me of other times in my life – oh yeah, like when Romans chapter 2 totally convicted me. Like who are you, oh man, to condemn those ignorant Gentiles when you know better and do the same thing in your heart? Yeah, that was the message that God taught me in 1987 or so, again, in Philadelphia, the first time I read Romans I think. I was busy condemning my husband at the time. God had to show me over many years that I was not to condemn him but to love him and not worry about much else. I wasn’t sinning by loving a sinner; it was what God wanted me to do. That was a big long and difficult lesson actually. Taught me a lot about God - and me. So easy to become self-righteous (at least for me).
I am glad that I am not learning today the EXACT same message, but it is a sort of spin-off on the same message, but in another context. When Jonah was to go to Nineveh he couldn’t believe, or accept really, the reality that God forgave those people. When Moses stuck the rock twice, he wasn’t supposed to do that. Sometimes it is hard to accept the grace of God. Well, it does defy common sense, and seems kind of unreasonable.
Yesterday when I was crying about the sin of us (the hospital administration) and realizing the predicament that we are in, that it is unreasonable, according to common sense, that God would bless our hospital when the leaders have the sin of folly, it was as soon as I saw our sin and the unreasonableness of God’s blessing, God showed me through His word that He has heard my cry. He is going to bless our hospital because like in Chronicles, I think chapter 20 something when Josiah mourned for the sin and was tender that God had mercy. God let me know that He is merciful, that He is going to bless us – even though, yeah, it is not in keeping with the consequences of our actions.
Yet, it only took a few hours to get stuck back in condemning instead of thanking God for His rich act of mercy. A few hours to move to the place of trying to work to please God, of becoming judgmental when, how else are sinful people supposed to act?
There was a spiritual warfare in all of this. But I think that it has past, by the blood and sufficiency of resting in Jesus and His blood alone.
I can go back to work and work with those people and love them and look past what we all do naturally in our flesh and folly, all the while praying, waiting and expecting and moving towards the high calling of Christ. Of being an example of the grace of God while living a distinctively different life.
Pray for me!
Thank God for His indescribable gift!
posted by An Ordinary Christian | 10:16 PM
3 Comments:
working with unbelievers. i can understand. i was told by my small group leader that we should respond in love. well, without God's grace i think, no i'm sure, i can't do it. but i was reminded that "i can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." it's hard but we can do it.
Since you are playing nice in a not so nice situation; I have a present for you over at my place.
I am praying...youknow God never really reserves His blessing for the righteous..scripture says that it rains on the just and the unjust alike...He will bless...because that is Who He is...He is Blessing...and more so that you are His...no matter the situation at the hospital. you are in His hand and a tool in His hand to accomplish His purposes...the hospital will benefit if only because you are there and you belong to Him.
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