Amazing Grace

Jesus is the heart of the mystical life, giving us new dimensions to explore. In Him we do not take flight from our world, but reenter it with a divine mission: to love people as Jesus loved them.

- James M. Houston, Joyful Exiles

God says in Ezekiel 20:44 "You will know that I am the Lord, O people of Israel, when I have honored my name by treating you mercifully in spite of your wickedness . . ."

Likewise, the world will know that we are of the One True God when we honor Him in loving and showing mercy to one another despite our horrible and cruel deficiencies. The truth is that we are horrible and cruel when left to our own. If you ever begin to believe otherwise, consider once again the flesh-torn, thorn-crowned Jesus nailed to a cross.

Yet as with all things by God's gracious design, there is blessing even among a curse. Were we to live in a world of relationships that never soured and were never spoiled by our failed humanity, we would never have the opportunity to walk out the difficult truths we claim to believe.

We can "count it all joy" because for our sake, for our very sanctification, we are being tested, refined and approved as we are granted abundant chances to live, walk, speak and forgive as Christ. And in this is accomplished by mystery -- which to us is the greatest reality -- the death, destruction and complete demise of our old sinful self.

By all of this, the hope set before us is that one day nothing will remain but what fully resembles Jesus Himself in us.

Not too long ago, I read Amish Grace, which recounted the incredible forgiveness demonstrated by the Amish community after the Nickel Mines schoolhouse shooting in Pennsylvania. Not only did the Amish speak forgiveness toward the man who killed the youngest and most innocent among them before taking his own life, but within hours of the shooting, they went to his family, embraced his wife and parents and extended grace, compassion and the opportunity for restored relationship.

Far from being shunned and despised, the shooter's wife was actually one of only a few "outsiders" invited to the funeral of one of the victims.

In reading the book, I was of course amazed at the level of conviction held by the Amish for Matthew 6:14-15 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins," in that it led them to fully live out their faith and to leave vengeance to God.

But the most extraordinary thing to me, as recorded in the book, wasn't necessarily the merciful response of the Amish, but how greatly the nation took notice of it. The resounding question in the media and from the "man on the street" was "How can they do that?"

There were debates and disputes about the answer. But, I believe that at the deepest level, most, if not all who heard about the Amish response, recognized that mere humanity is incapable of that measure of mercy. And even for the ones that considered but could or would not admit to involvement of the Divine, I think the Amish community's faith in action drew their hearts in the direction of the Author of Grace.

So it can be with us, and I pray that we will allow it to be. For when we love through our hurt and disappointment, through our despair and disillusionment, we become a signpost to Christ.

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men" (Luke 6:35).

One Question

"What a blessedness when I came to the knowledge that I had been looking in the wrong place, when I found that victory, sanctification, deliverance, purity, holiness -- all must be found in Christ Jesus Himself, not in some formula. When I claimed Jesus just for Himself, it became easy and the glory came to my life."

- Albert Benjamin Simpson; 1843-1919

In thinking about the unity of the church in recent weeks, the burning question on my heart has been, "Do we desire Jesus Christ above all things?" Not an idea of Christ, or an imitation of Him or a life of deeds similar to those recorded of Him, but actually Jesus Christ Himself.

As one of my favorite church mission statements says, "To know Him and to make Him known." Actually, I'm just concerned about the first half of that line, because I truly believe that if we really know Him, we will make Him known without even trying. We won't be able to help ourselves!

But I also believe that as fallen human beings, with ego dying a tediously slow death, if it is dying at all, the only honest answer to that question is "no." At worst, simply "no." At best, "not all of the time and probably not even most of the time."

So I have a follow-up question, "Do we want to desire Jesus Christ above all things?"

If the answer to that question is a "yes." If it is even a tearful whisper of "yes." Then, we have found the most firm and faithful common ground that exists on which to stand together and reflect Light into a dark and dying world.

If there is any hesitation at all, any second guessing or sideways glancing, I'm afraid there is not much unity to be attained. We will continue to be distracted and destroyed by a countless number of details and differences. I would say that the earth beneath our feet in that case is crumbling faster than we can try to scurry from one solid fragment to another.

The possibility for relationship from one answer is as precious and powerful as the possibility for separation from the other answer is tragic and disheartening. Yet, I believe there aren't many, if any other questions, that need to be asked of one another. And I don't believe this question is asked or answered nearly often enough.

"But if from there you will seek (inquire for and require as necessity) the Lord your God, you will find Him if you [truly] seek Him with all your heart [and mind] and soul and life" (Deuteronomy 4:29).

Do we "require as necessity" the Lord our God? "Inquire for Him" as though we cannot take another breath and have no desire to unless we attain Him in it? If we do not yet, do we desperately desire that kind of desperation for Jesus, the kind where we willingly and absolutely abandon everything else?

Israel Houghton put words to my heart's desire for every believer in the lyrics of his song, I Will Search . . . "O Majesty, I live to see your face and be transformed."

If this is our common cry, then what we are after is Love, and He has promised that we will find Him. Indeed, He will find us, and we will find one another as our hearts resonate together with His. And somehow, someday, by the mystery and grace of He Who Is greater than we can ever imagine, we will be the fulfillment of Christ's prayer. We will be One.