from Captivating (John and Stasi Eldredge)
"We turn from our self-redemptive strategies. We open the door of our hurting heart to Jesus. We renounce the agreements we made with the messages of our wounds....We forgive those who harmed us. And then, with an open heart, we simply ask Jesus to heal us. Melissa was the young girl who 'vowed I would be tough; hard, like a rock,' and became so for many years. But that is not the end of her story. She came to the place where Jesus asked to heal her wounded heart. She gave him permission to come in. This is what happened.
God went back and got the shaking little girl that was hiding under the bed and convinced her to come out. He unclenched her little fists and took her hand and placed it in his and answered her question. He held her and told her it was OK for her not to be tough. He would protecct her. She didn't have to be strong. He told her she wasn't a rock but a child. And innocent child. His child. He didn't condemn her for anything but instead understood her and loved her! He told her she was special...like no other and that she had special gifts like no other. She knew his voice and trusted him. She could hear the pleasure He had for her in His voice and felt His delight in her as He talked. He was so gentle and loving she couldn't help but melt in His arms.
This is available. This is the offer of our Saviour--to heal our broken hearts. To come to the young places within us and find us there, take us in his arms, bring us home."
Inspiring blogs to spark your cognitive wheels and pleasure faculties...
mmm...my favourite should-be-doing-school-work-but-would-rather...(a.k.a. time-bending procrastination devices):
ASLAN REIGNS!
"Not all who wander are lost" ~J.R.R. Tolkien
“The Bible…does not release the Christian community, especially those [sic] gifted for the task, from the grind of studying and thinking about such matters.” ~John Peck, Uncommon Sense
Rational thought is the servant of faith: “Unless thou believe, thou shalt not understand.” ~Saint Augustine of Hippo
"If we ignore our culture we will be destined simply to reproduce it and those who are wedded to the spirit of this age are destined to be widowed in the next." ~Dean Inge as quoted by Dr. Craig Bartholomew
'Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack'd anything.
"A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here";
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
"Who made the eyes but I?"
"Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.'
~George Herbert, Love III
I am 41% Geek.
You probably work in computers, or a history deptartment at a college. You never really fit in with the "normal" crowd. But you have friends, and this is a good thing.
7 Comments:
i appreciate you and your comments a great deal, adam! thank you. God bless!
Amyann, thank you for your recent posts. I think they are invaluable, especially in the midst of rationalistic academia.
Amyann, I think that your posts are invaluable, whether you are in the midst of "Big Bad Rationalistic Academia" or not. While "BBRA" addresses the "impersonal" affects of sin and potential redemption on the sphere of life in which students will be working and living in the future, your posts address the personal affects of them on our own hearts. Both are invaluable, and necessary. Thank you for sharing your heart with us. May we be inspired.
Sin is personal. It's effects are universal, affecting all of creation, but sin itself is ALWAYS PERSONAL. Heart before God.
Redemption is personal. It's effects are universal, affecting all of creation, in every sphere of life, but the redemptive grace of Christ is ALWAYS PERSONAL. Heart before God.
Any repentence that denies the personal adultery that is sin, or denies the affectionately personal change of worship that is redemption, is false repentence and it offends Jesus.
What exactly are you preaching against? It sounds as though you feel like you need to say this for all those engulfed and consumed by B.B.R.A. Could you be more specific for "all those reading this" (or at least for myself).
Are you implying that we've all been offending Jesus with our impersonal repentance and worship?
I apologize if my tone sounds sarcastic or insulting, Mr. Harris. I truly am very curious about your expanded thoughts.
i'm reading that book right now too.
An apology is in order. Adam, I believe that I misinterpreted your comment to Amyann (due to my own struggles at the moment). The word "rationalistic" is a negative word, meaning "Reliance on reason as the best guide for belief and action," which, as Christians is not what (WHO) we strive to rely on. With this as your starting point, I assumed that the rest of your comment was "reiterating the failure of rationalistic academia." I then took your "offensive repentence" as pointing out some result of academics at Redeemer (or something along those lines).
These days my heart is black, confused and struggling. I apologize for not taking off those glasses before reading your comment (which I should have assumed as being gracious, truthful and biblical...as usual).
Please forgive me, both Adam, Amyann and all those reading this.
You are very forgiven in my books too Joeleriffic! See you tonight!!! :-D
Post a Comment
<< Home