"Love, & do what you please." -St. Augustine
i am reading through Brennan Manning's The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus which i believe was originally published as The Lion & the Lamb. im enjoying it. i always enjoy Manning. his message is simple. God loves me- just as i am. grace is free & mercy is plentiful. i appreciate Manning's message for its simple singular truth.
last night's chapter was entitled "Freedom Under the Word." it started with an analogy from Wes Seeliger's Western Theology that makes a comparions between setttler Christianity and pioneer Christianity. i havent read Seeliger's book but i think i might. pioneer Christianity sounds so good. following Christ through the wilderness of life, trusting God to take care of me, knowing the Spirit will feed me. but i know this is not what my life looks like. this is a challenge to live actively & passionately.
II Corinthians 3:17 "Now, the Lord is the Spirit, & the wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom."
manning makes the connection between a passionate Christian faith and bold Christian action. which begets the question- what is Christian action? i am convicted on this issue daily. i have chosen to believe that Christian action is showing up for church, reading my Bible, putting cash in the plate, a little prayer and seasonal service. i act as if God were safe, Christ was filled with leave it beaver wholesomeness and the Spirit does not exist. i am wrong. i think the majority of middleclass america is wrong.
i stole and read a book from my roomie, written by the president of her alma mater (Cedarville-its in ohio. she swears it exists). the book was called "Where have all the dreamers gone?" and although i think the author misses on a few points i wholeheartedly agree with his general message- Christians are not living active thoughtful Christian lives. he is a baby boomer and draws comparisons between his generation and mine. the dreams they had to change the world and the lackluster stagnacy of my own peers. even if you dont agree with the message of the '60s you cannot fail to recognize a sincerity, a passion for their cause, and a belief that they can change the world. as christians we should know that the world can be changed through personal belief on Christ and a life lived for him. however most Christians, myself included act as if this world is not something we have to should mess with. we act with little concern for its people or the resources God entrusted to us. i wonder if historians looking back will see an impact left on this century by the church or if the legacy will be left to secularism and humanism.
i have been newly challenged to live a life like manning and seeliger describe. i wonder if my generation will follow. you see this zeal spring up in small pockets. my brother attended the Passion '06 conferences and felt a movement in our generation, a call to action. i believe that it can happen. if we allow ourselves to be used for His purposes.
todays latin quote: " Cum tacent, clamant."- Cicero (By remaining silent, they cry out.)
i am reading through Brennan Manning's The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus which i believe was originally published as The Lion & the Lamb. im enjoying it. i always enjoy Manning. his message is simple. God loves me- just as i am. grace is free & mercy is plentiful. i appreciate Manning's message for its simple singular truth.
last night's chapter was entitled "Freedom Under the Word." it started with an analogy from Wes Seeliger's Western Theology that makes a comparions between setttler Christianity and pioneer Christianity. i havent read Seeliger's book but i think i might. pioneer Christianity sounds so good. following Christ through the wilderness of life, trusting God to take care of me, knowing the Spirit will feed me. but i know this is not what my life looks like. this is a challenge to live actively & passionately.
II Corinthians 3:17 "Now, the Lord is the Spirit, & the wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom."
manning makes the connection between a passionate Christian faith and bold Christian action. which begets the question- what is Christian action? i am convicted on this issue daily. i have chosen to believe that Christian action is showing up for church, reading my Bible, putting cash in the plate, a little prayer and seasonal service. i act as if God were safe, Christ was filled with leave it beaver wholesomeness and the Spirit does not exist. i am wrong. i think the majority of middleclass america is wrong.
i stole and read a book from my roomie, written by the president of her alma mater (Cedarville-its in ohio. she swears it exists). the book was called "Where have all the dreamers gone?" and although i think the author misses on a few points i wholeheartedly agree with his general message- Christians are not living active thoughtful Christian lives. he is a baby boomer and draws comparisons between his generation and mine. the dreams they had to change the world and the lackluster stagnacy of my own peers. even if you dont agree with the message of the '60s you cannot fail to recognize a sincerity, a passion for their cause, and a belief that they can change the world. as christians we should know that the world can be changed through personal belief on Christ and a life lived for him. however most Christians, myself included act as if this world is not something we have to should mess with. we act with little concern for its people or the resources God entrusted to us. i wonder if historians looking back will see an impact left on this century by the church or if the legacy will be left to secularism and humanism.
i have been newly challenged to live a life like manning and seeliger describe. i wonder if my generation will follow. you see this zeal spring up in small pockets. my brother attended the Passion '06 conferences and felt a movement in our generation, a call to action. i believe that it can happen. if we allow ourselves to be used for His purposes.
todays latin quote: " Cum tacent, clamant."- Cicero (By remaining silent, they cry out.)
posted by kaelum @ 9:39 AM
1 Comments:
At 3:00 PM,
Anonymous said…
I do swear it exists. From Arkansas, go northeast until you find the corn. Turn left. See those 400 acres where there is no corn? Pretty, huh? That's it. If you hit a Quaker or a Great Lake, you've gone too far.
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