Grace and Aggression

I was blown away by Lucado's statement that 'grace is aggressive forgiveness'. Grace is so often the quiet gift of God, the arms wrapped around the hardened heart and the stricken Spirit, the signpost that points the way to the father. 'Aggression' is not a word that I immediately connect with 'grace'.

Stop...aggression is not about violence, it's not about unruliness, or cursing language. It's about dealing with things in a demonstrable, distinctive way. It's about the manner, in this case, of forgiveness.

Grace is there for every sin, of every day, of every failing and fault, for every spoken expletive, every strike and fall, every guilt, every inappropriate word and action...

Gone.

The grace of aggressive forgiveness takes the heart of stone and wrings from it the drop of blood that proves life still beats within.

Ashes and Light

Wednesday of this week was Ash Wednesday, the day before was, of course Shrove Tuesday and on this occasion the day afterwards: Valentines Day.

Depending on your tradition, religious background or relationships these three days will have varying impact on you. I remember the days of my youth of many pancakes and no valentines cards. I don't recall ever seeing anyone with the ah dust on their forehead from is acknowledgement of the first day of Lent. Is that because we like to emphasise the positives, the celebration of life, the indulgence of the world rather than the solemnity of the Soul. As God's people this is no real surprise. The context of our life and ministry is to be life affirming and recognise our place in the world. We like to both enjoy life as well as help those around us recognise that being a Christian is not a dull and dour experience.

We also know that our living a a blend of light and shade. Christ in us enables us to recognise this as His gift. As the 'Light of the World' He makes sense of the very serious business of following Him and so some of us use the season of ashes, Lent, as a time for Spiritual development through a specific devotional approach, a period of abstinence, or a time of particular focus. Through it all His light illuminates the way we take. The journey through Lent darkens as we approach the trauma of Good Friday, but the gleam of the Christlight guides through the way.

Grace

If Lent is about anything surely it must lead us on a path of grace in order to receive grace. Best not settle for cheap imitations on the way. It's an extravagant gift never before experienced by mankind either corporately or individually. Walk with me.

Communicating Grace

So, here I am at Hothorpe Hall attending the training event for Salvation Army Divisional Leaders. We are looking especially at communication and brushing up on some communication skills. The two guys presenting - Rob (Bill Oddie lookalike) and Former PGA Pro, Richard - are communicating with us excellently, encouraging and enabling each in the communication stream. These two 'Kiwis' are grace personified and have drawn out from everyone in the group some of the most moving presentations on our own story, narrative on given topics as well as a presentation on 'our passion'. It would be hard to describe here the depth et have drawn from each officer.

My prayer us that all of us will apply the lessons to communicate powerful stories that tell the Jesus story - for me it. As been important to develop some of these skills as I feel my preaching has been 'off the boil' of late and people have been gracious enough to still accept the words offered.

Grace turns up either in the giving or receiving of the word because it is. The living word of God not the words of man.

Commonwealth

Heard a programme this week about the Commonwealth - it was a bit tongue in cheek fronted by Hardeep Singh (very funny man).

He pointed out all of the worthy things like mutual support while keeping a watchful eye on other less good things like empire building and colonisation of other nations that have no real association or need of an empirical presence.

In these days when we rightly look with suspicion at globalisation and multi national trading is there not a time for a new thinking on commonwealth i.e. a real sharing of common wealth - looking at broad, massive, fair trading, off looking after the most marginalised not only in word but in deed as well of creating funding streams that reach the root of personal need rather than corporate provision.

All sounds laudable ?

But as a member of a global organisation/church it's a challenge - start local and do the best to develop a localised common wealth.

Responsible Living

How do we live responsibly? Is it in what we use? What we don't use? What we pass judgment on? It's probably all of them but it's more to do with who we are - recognising that we all have a responsibility to look after those around us (probably especially the ones that we don't know or have no one else to look after them) the world we live in our families, our finances, our health.
Yesterday I read in the newspaper about artificial trees - is that responsibility or is it inventing something that already exists in order to salve our conscience thatwe're addressing the mess we've made in this world - by 'we' I'm obviously talking about humankind as a whole.

Just stop using as much stuff and leaving a mess everywhere we go.

Christian Soldiers: Soul Martyrs

Today I heard on the radio and subsequently saw on the internet the story of Gayle Williams who has been shot by the Taliban. her alledged crime was 'Spreading Christianity'. Her Christian humanitarian work for the charity 'Serve Afghanistan' was offerred to all regardless of religion or nationality. A spokesman for the charity said 'God loves people so we love people'. That was what cost Gayle her life: her love for mankind.

Just a matter of months ago Colonel Bo Brekke was gunned down in his office shortly after taking part in a worship service. The story goes that he was killed for taking a principled stand - the case is yet to be tried.

These two individuals - and countless others - driven by the gospel call to serve all of mankind have paid the true cost and gained their reward: 'To live is Christ and to die is gain' (Philippians 1:21). Both can be rightly and properly called Christian Soldiers and martyred because of God's guidance upon their soul. No one would want these deaths to occur. Not one person wants another to suffer in the name of Christ - but his living and teaching always let his followers know that the road would not be smooth. For those of his followers whose lives are easy the example of Bo Brekke and Gayle Williams serves to remind each one of us - today is the day we serve Christ. It will be costly to be a disciple and the company of followers gone before who have died in spiritual combat deserve our remebrance of their suffering as an inspiration for our sacrificial serve.

Thank God for our Soul Martyrs - Well done good and faithful servants.