For the Law of the Spirit...

Has set me free..."
Romans 8:2
NKJV

Ever feel like you had just stepped, barefoot, into the middle of a hornet's nest? You know you are in trouble and it feels like you can't outrun it, it is chasing you down and you are going to lose...

My friend is going through exactly that. She is trying to survive what feels like is impossible to overcome. She is being attacked all around her at a time in her life when she already feels extremely vulnerable. As she and I sat together yesterday, she shared some of the very hurtful things that have been going on in her life recently. She was wounded and bleeding all over the place, figuratively speaking. My heart goes out to her. I sorta wanted to grab the people responsible for this pain and beat them up the way they have mistreated my friend. But, she had come to me to pray with her, not to fight for her. 

And so, together, we sought the Lord. And as we did, He showed up at the table and sat with us and touched us both with the overwhelming and tender grace of a God who loves us and understands our griefs and our struggles. You could feel Him unwinding the rope around her neck that was threatening to strangle her. She began to smile and I watched as the tension dropped from her weary face – the clock seemed to move backward to a younger, freer, sweeter time in my friend's life. She was like a desperately thirsty woman, gasping to get a drink of water that would bring her back from the edge of life and death.

At moments like this, I am a witness to the glory of a God who shows up when I least expect Him but so desperately need Him. I step back and watch in awe as the God of All Compassion visits my house and answers my prayer. Who am I to have Him visit me? Who am I? I am nobody. But, He comes immediately, without hesitation. He sits down in my living room on my beat up old couch. He leans over and looks in my eyes. He doesn't have to say a word. It is clear that He understands. He knows the depth of hurt that words cannot express. He knows the shame. He sees it all, better than I.

Suddenly, there is a joy filling up the room. He throws His head back and laughs and laughs. I feel the freedom He is inviting me to enjoy. I love this God of Healing, God of Grace, God of Laughter, Peace and Joy... I laugh along with Him. He is the God Who Sets Me Free...

I hope you enjoy this beautiful song, one of my favorites: "Be Still My Soul" by Selah

(Just click on the Youtube link below the picture to hear and see the video.)

Source: youtube.com 

Outrageous Love

The reality of sin in my life came home to me again today. How about you? Is it a reality in your life, too? Does it sometimes threaten to bury you? Or at least, to derail you from any thoughts of serving the Lord? I'd like to tell you no, I don't have that problem. But, that would be a lie. And we all know what that is! Truth to tell, though, I don't like the whole concept of sin. It humbles me and teaches me my dependency on God.

These are radical thoughts in our sophisticated, modern society. We are encouraged to pretend sin doesn't exist anymore, if it ever really did. But that's not what the bible tells us. It calls sin what it is and lays it on the table for all of us to see!

There are so many stories in the bible that show us the reality of sin in the lives of the people of God and their complete dependency on Him for forgiveness and restoration. I revel in these stories! So many sinners! They were far from the perfect little cardboard characters you and I would probably create if we were telling the story. But, God shows us their weakness, their depravity, their sin in all of its ugliness. And then He shows us, He loved them anyway!

We all know about Moses, the great leader of God's people. But, before God rescued him, Moses was a murderer and a coward, hiding in the desert for forty years. Or David, an adulterer, murderer, and liar, pretending he was God's man until confronted with his sin. Or Paul, a self-proclaimed murderer and persecutor of the church. Paul never got over the reality of his sin and the forgiveness of his God.

Of course, women were no strangers to the sin game. How about the woman caught in adultery, the demon possessed Mary Magdalene, the bitter Naomi? I love that the Word of God spares none of the ugly details in telling us about His people. By far, though, my favorite sinner of all time just has to be Peter.

Here was Peter, one of the closest confidants of Jesus for three years; the first to declare that he knew Jesus was the Son of God; the one who walked on water with Jesus. But, then, we see Peter taking Jesus aside and REBUKING Him! How out of touch can you be?! Poor Peter! It's Peter that brings forth the stinging rebuke from Jesus: "Get behind me Satan!" It's Peter snoring away under the moonlight as Jesus sweats drops of blood a few feet away, on the night of the crucifixion. It's Peter jumping up out of his sleep and, full of his usual bravado, chops off the ear of the soldier. It's Peter, scared to death of being associated with Jesus, who denies he even knows this Jesus guy, not once but three times! It's Peter punctuating his words with swearing just to make sure everyone believes - he NEVER knew the man! It's Peter staring into the eyes of Jesus from across the courtyard, realizing the full weight of his sin.

It's Peter hiding in the Upper Room, afraid that he might meet the same fate as his friend, Jesus. It's Peter unable to forgive himself for his failure to follow Jesus, like he always said he would. It's Peter ashamed to look Jesus in the eye after the Resurrection.

It's Peter that Jesus sees hiding in the corner, buried in self-condemnation. It's Peter that Jesus reaches for and still loves, in spite of his sin. It's Peter, breaking under the weight of the love of His Redeemer that accepts His forgiveness. It's Peter who understands finally that he is a sinner in need of a Savior. It's the love of Christ that sets him free.

How about you? Do you ever find yourself hiding in the corner, ashamed of your sin? Do you ever struggle to forgive yourself? Do you believe that He loves you in spite of your sin? Is He calling your name? Has He set YOU free?!

Scripture Reference: "Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed." John 8:36