I wrote the following to a friend in an email specifically referring to a narrow understanding of grace and gospel we were noticing in the church . . .
Coming back from . . . retreat, which was so much wider in scope, understanding and practice of the gospel - coming back to [the church's] narrow view is like trying to fit into a rabbit hole. My chest constricts and I feel tense and anxious. I need help in bringing myself back out into the wide grace of God which is always available and free-flowing from Christ. But it's a mercy to us that we have times like that, times exposed to a bigger God. Maybe we're not allowed to live (yet) in that wide-open place b/c God wants us to bring that wide place to all the narrow holes our brothers and sisters dwell in, often without any idea that there is anything else out there. Until suffering pushes them outside the confines of the hole and forces them to open their eyes to the bright hugeness of the reality of God's heart. Then maybe we can be there to take them by the hand (as others do with us) and lead them to landmarks that are important.
I thought this was interesting parable to reflect on, for whatever it's worth.
No comments:
Post a Comment