"forgiveness" Tagged Touchpoints (Page 2)
Luther and Copernicus
“[My boys] would cry out, “You can’t do that! You’re not the boss of me!” And I would be more amused than angry, because well… they were living in a space I created for them. They were eating food I provided for them. They were enjoying the world I created for them, as well as the fact that I had literally created them. Which sounds a lot like all the things God has done for us.”
It’s Tempting
“Now, I’m not against Jesus being a role model. I actually wish people had taken seriously those WWJD bracelets they wore. There would be a lot less hunger and homelessness in the world. I never did see one of them go and sell all they had and give it to the poor. Oh well!”
Where God Makes God’s Home
“The one who we say is “Immanuel, God with us,” the one who we say is “The Word made flesh,” the one who we say is “God in our presence” … This one makes his home in a god-forsaken land with god-forsaken people. Which can only mean one thing – there is no god-forsaken land, and there are no god-forsaken people.”
A World of Forgiveness
“God isn’t just content to take sin away, as we might understand it. Sin isn’t just removed. That which is broken is healed. That which is wayward is sought out and found. This is much more than a bookkeeping, scorekeeping adjustment. The Spirit is at work healing, restoring, uniting.”
Father, Forgive US, For WE Know Not What WE Do
“What if we, as a Church, as Christians, focused not on saving ourselves and others, what if we focused on our being forgiven and forgiving others? Do you think the world might see us differently?”
Tiny Faith
“If grace is at the foundation of life – of existence – then why are we striving? If Jesus is the Savior of the world, then quit trying to save yourself or climb some spiritual ladder.”
Christians Shouldn’t Be Scaredy-Cats
“The kingdom is not a hiding place from the vagaries of life, its pain and suffering. It is an encounter with them and an embracing of them. It is finding the Divine Mystery in the midst of them. This is the message of the One who eats with the outcasts and hangs on a cross. This is the message of the One who is resurrected and breathes “PEACE” on those who denied and betrayed him, tortured and crucified him.”
Commending the Dishonest Manager
“The parable catches us in the act. We are transactional at heart. Our revulsion to this steward reveals our true character, not his… and shines a light on where we stand on the economic ladder. Do you think those who were in debt are mad at the dishonest steward?”
The Refiner’s Fire
“Sometimes I wish Jesus would have just come to earth and said, “This is going to hurt me more than it’s going to hurt you.” I would have been good with that. But Jesus is not a Pollyanna. He’s a realist. He will undergo a death and resurrection. And so will we. There’s no way to do an end run around Good Friday to get to Easter. For him or us.”
Lord, You Want the Impossible!
“Life is so much easier when God calls on me to do things I understand, like, and agree with. How will I respond to the things I don’t understand, the things that make me uncomfortable, the things that others tell me are wrong?”
Go Home!!
“So what do we do with a Jesus who doesn’t convert or condemn, but simply heals and sets free? What do we do with a Jesus who doesn’t seek a follower but a thankful heart? What do we do with a Jesus who isn’t interested in how big his church is… errr, I mean… his parade of followers is?”
Forgiveness Leads to Repentance
“But here’s the thing. We don’t need to run and hide like Adam and Eve. We don’t need to live in fear and dread. We know what kind of God we have. We know whether God, at God’s core, is forgiving or vengeful.”