Reflections on the Gospel, the whore and the Savior, community, and the journey...

Lately, my life has been go go go and I want it to slow slow slow.

This morning I taught on church planting, something I myself am incredibly passionate about. But I can't really explain it, but this morning, I wasn't in my element. I was bummed that something I feel so passionate about probably wasn't communicated like I was incredible passionate about it. It's times like these I am thankful God uses us in our weaknesses. I guess every once in a while, you have an "off-Sunday."

I can't say how encouraged and blessed I am to be part of a community like Jacob's Well. My closest friends are a part of this community - a community of people committed to journeying together towards Jesus, learning more and more what it looks like to live in light of the Gospel.

And a community that is not content to be content. A community who sees themselves as sent - who are trying to figure out what it looks like to live as a missionary where they are right now. I wish it were a bunch of easy answers, but I'm thankful that I have people who are all trying to figure this out together.

John 12:32-33
"As for Me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to Myself." 33 He said this to signify what kind of death He was about to die.

I'm thankful I'm a part of a community that desires to lift Jesus up, because we know when we do, He draws people to Himself. But when we lift Him up, we aren't talking about singing songs and the like that all goes on during the Sunday Gatherings of local churches around the world, although that is well and good.

To lift Jesus up is to make Him famous. And to make Him famous - to lift Him up - is to tell the world of His love and demonstrate to the world His love. To lift Jesus up is to realize the extravagant love Jesus has shown us. Even though we are hopeless sinners, Jesus gave Himself for us. To lift Jesus up is to love people with the extravagant love Jesus has shown us.

And when we do this, when we lift Jesus up, He will draw people to Himself.

I am struck more and more with my own depravity - my fallen nature. It was my sin that nailed Jesus to the cross. My sin was the reason He had to die. But what's really got me lately is the thought that when I am unable to forgive myself, or I continue to beat myself up for something that I have done or said and later regretted, I am telling Jesus His death on the cross wasn't enough - that somehow I have to pay for this particular sin. So I spit in Christ's face when I sin, and I tell Him His death wasn't enough by refusing to forgive myself - I am in one terrible mess.

But Jesus forgives even that. And God who starts a work will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Learning to walk in light of the fact that I am a mess, but the death of Jesus was all-sufficient is quite a journey. But it is freeing! I'm thankful God reached down through Jesus and saved me when I could not save myself. I'm thankful His hand is at work and that my God is in the business of Life-Transformation and shaping His people to look more and more like His Son. I'm thankful that Jesus, the bridegroom, is always faithful to a neverfaithful whore who continues to turn her back time and time again and He continues to take her back time and time again. It is this extravagant everfaithful love that I am trying to learn to walk in light of. And it is this love I want to love others with through the power of Jesus.