Learning grace
If we have difficulty learning the depth of our own sinfulness, we have even more difficulty learning the depth and extent of God’s love for us. Because I myself understand so imperfectly and poorly how well and thoroughly God loves me, I tend to love others less well than I ought. Instead of starting with the sin of loving others too little, I believe God wishes to begin at the other end, with his relationship to me. He desires to elicit my fears of love, and my stubborn unwillingness to be completely vulnerable to him. He patiently pursues me, quietly reminding me of the dangers of busyness and self-reliance. He seeks to bring me to the times of quiet and reflection necessary for remembering who I am, finding where my pain and hurt reside, and admitting my brokenness to him. He wants to know and be known, and to demonstrate grace unforeseen and inexplicable, to love me all the way through and down. Until we are loved so well, how can we love? Until we are so greatly graced, how can we grace others? Until we face our fears of being known, how can we take the time to truly know another? And until I understand God’s grace and love for me, I will never be able to grace myself. So long as I am hard hearted, heavy handed, punitive, and unforgiving with myself, so I will continue to be with others.
January 18th, 2006 at 9:46 pm
Wow. There is so much there. And the depth of it is beyond measure. No one can give what they don’t have. “Until we are loved so well, how can we love?” We ARE loved “all the way through and down.” It’s just difficult for us to fathom it. You are exactly right. When we begin to understand our worth in light of His love for us, His mercy and grace, and the value we hold in His eyes, we have more than enough to share with others. May we each be inspired to find that quiet time with Him, bask in His love, be filled up with it, and allow it to overflow onto those around us.
January 24th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Any more interviews recently? Or upcoming?