Sunday, May 15

Today we unpacked John 4 in church. There were two points that really resonated with me. The first point was that your faith is personal (your sin, your own need for a savior),but your faith should not be private. The second point is that there is great, fearless freedom when your focus isn't your own pride. That second point sounds great, right? I'm not prideful, right? Well, who am I shying away from discussing faith-based matters with because I'm afraid of losing my cool factor, or I'm afraid of looking uneducated or childish? As our pastor pointed out, we are called to bear our Savior's shame. We are called to follow Him, follow the cross, not simply say a prayer. Do I love people enough to be embarrassed that I don't have all the answers, or I actually believe in sin and Hell?
That second point, freedom! Freedom from that pride that makes you clam up or deny God, with your lifestyle or words, as Peter did. Freedom from allowing other people's opinions to run your life, from how you dress, what car you have, where you live, to freedom from doubt and unease and self-pity. When you choose to believe that Christ died for you--because of your sin--when Christ being fully human felt the weight of all man's sin and the brutality of crucifixion because God so loved the world (you and me) and desires for you to have eternity in perfect union with Him; your focus can not be your clothes, your job, your good activities, how awful you are or how unworthy you feel.
I believe all those things, all those things have a place, but they have a place in Christ. His love for us is deeper than any we can experience here, He will never think us too unworthy or our sin too ugly. We are not bigger than God! Our sin is not bigger than God!
We have to choose. We will either choose ourselves in whatever way it manifests or God.


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