Redemptive Grace... and Josh Duggar

The world is often confused as to why we would stand by someone after committing such terrible acts... and I want to share a little bit of my heart on the matter. 

As I've been praying for this situation and family I've been reminded over and over that sin is sin and it is going to happen. Why? Because we are sinners. Simply put. We make wrong choices daily. We, often, have huge skeletons in our closets that no one knows about, because if they did we know we'd be stoned with words and attitudes that often hurt more than rocks themselves. Though past decisions and actions may not be who we are today, they do linger. 

 But the God of creation, Love himself, gave us a way out. That does not mean He is our crutch for doing sinful things and claiming "grace", but that when we fail (because we will... all of us) that there is grace for us to be forgiven and changed. For us to walk in redemption. 

What is redemption? Redemption is saving; it's freeing; its absolution from sin.  Josh Duggar may not be deserving of this thing called grace and redemption... But who among us is? Not me... Not you... Not any of us. This is the truth:

"This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." 

Romans 3:22-24

He is our grace. He is our redemption. He is also Josh's grace and his redemption. And I am reminded of the story of the adulterous woman in the Bible. The wisdom Jesus had in not condoning this woman's sins, but also giving her the grace she needed... it astounds me. The people demanding an answer from Jesus as they declare that this sin is punishable by stoning, and Jesus simply says: "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!" If we thought that way how much would actually change in this world? It's amazing grace.

In all that I've said, I hope you understand that I am not standing for the sins that Josh Duggar has committed in the past. I am not saying what he's done is ok... even in the slightest. My heart is that, is the giver of grace and redemption can wipe my slate clean every time I fail, and change my heart... He can definitely do it for anyone, including Josh Duggar. And so, I do not condone his sins, but I pray for and stand by the man whom my Jesus offered redemption to... and I give God all the glory for rescuing him from a life that was headed to destruction.

Father, you are the giver of life, and every time we fail you are faithful and just to forgive us. I am so thankful for that. Lord, I ask that as the news of Josh Duggars past spreads far and wide and is discussed and judged over and over again, that you will be that family's comfort. That you would remind them and him that, yes, what he did was wrong, but also remind him of that amazing grace. That you rescued him. You pulled him out of the miry clay and changed his life. I pray that there would be people that see through your eyes that can come in and speak life and truth into the midst of this chaos. Holy Spirit please be the releaser of truth right now. Let no lie be given flory, but let truth reign. I just pray for peace Heavenly Father. Your sweet peace. In Jesus' name, Amen!

See His Love

Yep, another song. What can I say, the Lord likes to use songs to stir me up. :) 

"Greater love no one could ever show

Mercy so undeserved, freedom I should not know

All my sin, all of my hidden shame

Died with Him on the cross, eternity won for us"

Such love... such sweet, sweet love! That He laid down His life for us. A basic truth to the foundation of our faith and yet, we forget. We forget that we only have salvation and freedom because of His love for us (John 10:10). That we only love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). That our healing stem from the wounds He bore out of love (Isaiah 53:5). No human on earth could possibly offer us such love.

As easy as that is to type in this moment, often I forget that these things took place. So caught up in the to-do lists, trying to earn a living, my health, my comfort and sooooo much more, that I forget! The very One that my heart longs for, I forget. The very reason I am even alive, I forget. But to prove how vast His love is, how immeasurably amazing He is, He graciously calls to me overtime I forget. He lovingly embraces me until I remember again. Until I stop seeing through these ridiculous human eyes and begin to see and feel and breathe through His Spirit in me. In those moments He reminds me that His love covered all of my sins. His love does not condemn me, but it calls to me saying "I am here... Always!" 

I want that to dwell in the forefront of my mind at all times. Not just every now and then; not just when it's convenient, but ALWAYS! Because as much as I DON'T deserve an ounce of His love, multiply that by infinity and that is how much He DOES deserve my love!

Holy, loving One. I can't even fathom this life without You and Your sacrifice for me. And all I want to do is honor You; all I want to do is exalt You. You are so worthy and so beyond deserving of everything and anything I can give! May Your sweet Spirit remind me of that more often. Would You help me to allow Him to speak and guide me more than just every once and a while. Let me always remember that all of my sin, all of my hidden shame died with You on the cross and eternity was won for me!

Never Lose The Wonder

May we never lose our wonder

May we never lose our wonder

Wide eyed and mystified

May we be just like a child

Staring at the beauty of our King

Today as I drove to work I had my music turned down low and I was thinking about my walk with the Lord. I reminisced about the ups and downs I've had with Him. The times I had set my eyes as flint on Him; and the times I allowed my focus to wander like a dog chasing it's tail. In the midst of the ups and downs I have felt like I had no clue who the Lord was, but even worse than that, there were times I felt like I know exactly who He was. And in that moment of thinking, this song came on (Wonder by Amanda Cook) and I realized what a catastrophe it is for us to think we have the Lord figured out... to lose every bit of wonder!

The Lord is a... complex? No... He's an unexplainable being! Yet, He allows us to know Him. There's no possible way for us to know Him completely, but the parts our human minds can comprehend are AMAZING! But when we think that we know all there is to know, we've taken the wonder out of Him. We've placed Him in a box of humanly explanations. We've brought Him down to our level. But He so far surpasses our level that nothing we could think if could compare to His majesty... His love... His faithfulness... and so much more!

I think about the stories in the Bible when Jesus did unexplainable things, like when He saved the prostitute from being stoned and bent down to write in the dirt. Why did He write in the dirt? Why did Holy Spirit feel that was a necessary part of the story that needed to be in the Bible? Or when Jesus healed the blind man by spitting in the dirt and putting mud over the man's eyes. He could have just looked in the mans direction and healed him... but there He chose the mud. How about this big one... Why did the Father choose to send His Son? Why is His love for us so deep that He gave us an escape route from sin and death?

So many questions (and believe me every time I read the Bible I add on to my list of things I will ask Him about in Heaven lol)!! But I love Him. I am in awe of Him. I want to worship Him. I don't fully understand, which He tells me in His word that I will only understand in part, but it's ok. We have to be ok with not having every answer. With understand that He is sovereign... He is God! 

So, tonight I want to encourage you (especially all you control freaks out there like me)... Take some time and let the wonder of who He is fill you. Be ok with not knowing and simply having faith. Be ok with Him revealing only what He wants, when He wants. 

He's so worthy of our wonder!

If you can, just play this song and listen with your eyes closed and let yourself sit in 

WONDER!