Steve’s Devotional - Uptight Christians

Key Life ^ | October 2, 2014 | Steve Brown

[Idaho_Cowboy]

We Christians are a pretty uptight bunch of people. You know it’s true. I’m tired of it and I think God is too. I notice that he is often blushing.

The thing is…

If we’re going to be like Jesus and follow him, we shouldn’t be weenies about it. If we’re angry, we should burn with it. If we’re going to show compassion, we should have a broken heart. If we’re going to cry, we should sob. If we’re going to laugh, it shouldn’t be a little girl’s giggle, but a big belly laugh. And if we’re going to sin, we ought to, as Luther put it, “sin boldly.”

I suppose all this uptightness comes from our desire to please God, to have a clear witness and to be holy. And let’s get something straight upfront: I’m big on pleasing God, having a clear witness and being holy. Being against those is like being against motherhood, the flag and apple pie.

You believe in pleasing God, don’t you?

No, definitely not. I like to tick him off…especially in thunderstorms. Are you crazy? Of course I believe in pleasing God.

You surely think you ought to have a clear witness?

No, I’m into running away as many pagans as possible. There are already too many Christians around and I don’t want to be responsible for any more. Of course I’m for a clear witness. Don’t be silly...

Quit asking me silly questions.

But I do think that we sometimes misunderstand God’s pleasure, what a clear witness is and the nature of holiness. So listen up...

[Idaho_Cowboy]

Romand 4:22-25 " And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

II Corinthians 3:6-7 "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:"

Thank God it is all about his Grace! Amen

[Tax-chick]

What a good article!

In my prayer group recently, we talked about how many things happen that make us want to cry ... but we can’t, because crying upsets people. We’re grown-up suburban church ladies: we’re supposed to be in control all the time. You can’t just go and CRY because your children are being horrible to each other, or because your friends are divorcing, or because people are dying from Ebola. That’s TACKY.

G.K. Chesterton is reported to have said, “Keep the Commandments, break the conventions.”

[Idaho_Cowboy]

G.K. Chesterton is reported to have said, “Keep the Commandments, break the conventions.”

---

That's a tag-line worthy quote if I ever heard one. Jesus cried, other times got angry; I'm glad we don't have to pretend everything is sunshine and buttercups all the time.

Sometimes I think if we don't let ourselves experience the pain we will miss the joy.

[Tax-chick]

Sometimes I think if we don't let ourselves experience the pain we will miss the joy.

I once read a commentary on the Beatitudes that said, regarding, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted," that the first step is you have to mourn. When bad things happen, you have to let yourself be sad. Otherwise, you can't experience the comfort God wants to give.

[boatbums]

Thank God it is all about his Grace! Amen

A hearty AMEN! I like listening to Steve Brown - talk about a basso profundo voice! ;o)

[GOP Poet]

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