Amazing Grace.
I talked to a friend of mine recently who is struggling with alcoholism. He's not your typical Bible-crunching, hallelujah-chanting, 3-points-on-revival-memorising Christian, and he admits it too.
"I live in the real world, you guys live in holyland." He retorted (in a friendly sort of way) when someone made a negative remark to his sharing about his messed-up life.
Then, at the end of our conversation, he went on to say this:
"I feel like jacob sometimes. God knows my fallible nature, and despite my fallen human nature, God's grace is still showered over me"
This statement of his came to me as powerful as any sermon I've heard before.
I felt like I've finally talked to someone real - a real Christian, in a really long time. Not someone who would tell me all the big big words of 'faith' to force me to their notions of the 'right direction'.
A real person with real problems experiencing a real grace.
Grace, amazing grace.
He pointed me back to God.
Heck, I do have alot of Job friends, people telling me what I've done wrong, and giving me all sorts of advices. Nothing wrong, but maybe someone could have the little sense of humanity left to realise that I don't need solutions - just the comfort of a friend.
Sigh we will never learn. maybe that's one of the reasons why people leave church, because we only care when the status quo is being upset, and then try to settle the issue by talking too much thinking we've got it all figured out with our quasi-religious lingos and phrases.
Maybe thats the reason why God used an alcoholic to give me some hope.
PS: I'm sure some of you are shaking your heads. Continue to shake your heads then, I don't need such friends.
"I live in the real world, you guys live in holyland." He retorted (in a friendly sort of way) when someone made a negative remark to his sharing about his messed-up life.
Then, at the end of our conversation, he went on to say this:
"I feel like jacob sometimes. God knows my fallible nature, and despite my fallen human nature, God's grace is still showered over me"
This statement of his came to me as powerful as any sermon I've heard before.
I felt like I've finally talked to someone real - a real Christian, in a really long time. Not someone who would tell me all the big big words of 'faith' to force me to their notions of the 'right direction'.
A real person with real problems experiencing a real grace.
Grace, amazing grace.
He pointed me back to God.
Heck, I do have alot of Job friends, people telling me what I've done wrong, and giving me all sorts of advices. Nothing wrong, but maybe someone could have the little sense of humanity left to realise that I don't need solutions - just the comfort of a friend.
Sigh we will never learn. maybe that's one of the reasons why people leave church, because we only care when the status quo is being upset, and then try to settle the issue by talking too much thinking we've got it all figured out with our quasi-religious lingos and phrases.
Maybe thats the reason why God used an alcoholic to give me some hope.
PS: I'm sure some of you are shaking your heads. Continue to shake your heads then, I don't need such friends.
posted by DoMiniC at 4/24/2008 02:09:00 AM
2 Comments:
I think you hit the nail on the head with this. The church has difficulty keeping things real and down to earth.
I learn my best christian lessons from "less than perfect" christians too not the sermons unfortunately. Instead of seeing "grace in theory" you see grace in action. It is by far the best way to learn the meaning of grace
Chill brother. :) Job's friends were wrong by judging Job that his troubles were caused by his sins, which was not true. But I gotta agree that sometimes we are too quick to give solutions with all good intentions, but not realising that is not what a person needs sometimes. Perhaps we are too used to it. Perhaps we are not being sensitive to what God wants us to do in that particular situation. I think a balance of both is best.
God accepting Jacob is really a wonderful pic of His grace, and God transform Jacob's life as well - from a deceiver to one that obeys God. Another wonderful story is the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11. Jesus showed mercy, and grace. And he instructed her how to live life as well. That is why i think a balance is best. Comfort and instruction, restoration and admonition - all going hand in hand in the love and grace of God.
Don't be disillusioned bro. We can still find real people and real christians in the institutionalized church. You be one of the real folks. God bless :)
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