As I was reading through the book of Mark I came across this passage "And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him 'go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he had mercy on you' (Mark 5:17-19)"
The man obeyed. As I was thinking about this and the phrase "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he had mercy on you" I came to realize that I don't do this. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one out. Yes there are things in my past that I am ashamed of and I leave out with people ask about my testimony. The more I think about it the more I am convicted to tell my friends that way they know what the Lord has done for me and how he has shown me mercy. I think as a society that just doesn't happen. I'm not saying to celebrate our sins, but lets celebrate the fact they we have been healed.
I challenge you the reader to be bold in telling others in how you have been healed. I know it can be embarrassing and shamefull, but I think we need to trust our brothers and sisters in Christ. I'll even start us off. I used to live my life as a homosexual, but I now longer do and that is because of what he Lord has done for me and how he had mercy on me.
Celeste, I am so proud of you for celebrating God's grace in your life. It is so sad that we make is so hard to share and be honest in the church. We of all people should be least judgmental. But I think most of us forget how much we have been shown mercy and begin to pretend that we have obtained righteousness on our own. So we start to think that we have the right to judge others. But we are all so broken. And if we would all stop pretending we have it together, then our fellowship and worship would be so much richer.
ReplyDeleteI have gone through a long process of rebellion and bitterness against God and living a completely secular lifestyle (even though I proclaimed Christ at a young age). I am just now recovering my faith, but I realize I never really understood grace and I had come to believe in my own perfection and goodness apart from God. Nothing is more tragic than someone who has been immersed in the truth of the gospel their entire life and yet completely misses the central message: that we are saved by God's grace alone, not by our own efforts. I think I can finally relate to Paul's claim that he was the worst of sinners. Nothing is more insulting than to have a gift offered to you and then for you to refuse and say that you have to work to earn it. I've been throwing God's gift of grace back in his face my whole life through my own stubbornness and pride.
Well, thanks again for sharing. Love you, lady! Praise God for his grace and mercy to us broken people whom he has redeemed for his glory!