Reformed

Halloween, the eve of All Saints Day always seems to overshadow that today is also Reformation Day.

Martin Luther, with his trusty hammer and nails, did more than nail a paper to a door.  

I wonder what he'd say today about the state of the church?

Would he tweet it?

Facebook?

Maybe he'd make a youtube vid that would go viral?

I have a feeling that he'd say we missed the point....

We've weighed ourselves down with the burdens of our masochistic rules and regulations....denominationalized every aspect of faith to try and make ourselves the superior church (notice superior, not righteous).

We kneel, we give, we punch our cards for perfect attendance, we pray (when we pass a cop on the highway).  I'm not even talking about other religions who aim to be good enough, pray certain times of the day....all trying to pave their way...

When is it enough?

Did we forget that we can't earn grace?

News Flash, you'll never be good enough!

It came to me this afternoon:   we struggle and toil to make ourselves good enough to be called His children....when all along, He's been here...waiting..arms wide open...calling us home!

Isaiah 65, The Message 

I kept saying, 'I'm here, I'm right here'
to a nation that ignored me.
I reached out day after day 
to a people who turned their backs on me,
People who make wrong turns,
who insist on doing things their own way.
They get on my nerves,
are rude to my face day after day,
Make up their own kitchen religion,
a potluck religious stew.

I know that this isn't the same context, but if the shoe fits....

It isn't about the numbers or the programs.

It isn't about the brass plaques memorializing every possible thing.

It's about Love!

God's absolute, chain breaking, earth shattering, paradigm shifting Love.

Not for the righteous....but for us all while we were still caught up in our sin.

What does he want in return?  What need does God have that he cannot fill himself?

Nothing.

God wants nothing in return for this gift of grace other than for us to love him in return.   

To love him with a reckless abandon.   

To love him with everything we have...every fiber of our being, with all of our hearts and minds.

It's all about Love, plain and simple....