Unadulterated Forgiveness.

I am not going to lie to you - the transition back to NYC this fall was the most challenging so far.  I am convinced that hitting the 'easy' button - i.e. returning to the suburbia life in Michigan - for July was part of that difficulty.  It is hard to live a life of comfort and ease and self-serving behaviors in a most luxurious and comfortable environment for nearly a month, and then return to the streets of Brooklyn.  I didn't want to engage with serving others first.  I kind of enjoyed serving myself for a while.  But the more time I spend walking around this place, the more I am reminded of why we are here on earth as followers of Jesus.  To lay down our lives and serve others first.  This is no small task.  As a matter of fact, I don't truly think it is possible to do.  Unless of course, we press into that which Jesus calls us to do - to rely on Him.  To trust that He knows what is best, to trust that His perfect limitless will for us is enough.  That through His death on the cross, our selfish nature and our sin is gone.  Completely.  Unadulterated forgiveness.  And by His resurrection, we are renewed in the life of the Spirit.  And that Spirit will guide us to the truth.  Even when it hurts.  Even when it means sacrificial living.  Even when it means that life is H. A. R. D.  I walk these streets and see that God continues to bless me with wonderful nuggets each day.  A smile from a child.  A thank you.  Encouragement from others engaged in the life of following Jesus.  Laying next to my superstar knowing that I am on mission with the woman I love the most.  What glorious resounding pleasure overwhelms my soul. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Too, Too, Too Much Fun

Alright. So you're sitting in front of your computer right now. And you're saying to yourself at about 8:00 pm: "Huh. It's been dark out for nearly three and a half hours now. What else can we do for fun?" Well, sir, we have the answer. Take a look at this.
Read more

Righteous or Unrighteous?

Today, as I thoroughly enjoyed my walk to the school, I pondered quite a few things, as I often do on my walk. Sometimes I pray for people like Hammy, Jimmer, sick pete, mg, cdubs, pastor, beary, and the like. But today, I simply reveled in the fact that God loves me. As I watched the snow melting away, I could see the dirt and garbage left behind throughout my walk. I think of how God melts away our dirt and our garbage. How he longs to be in relationship with us, and how he cleanses our sins from existence. As the sun rose, I couldn't help but think of the verse I read this morning in Matthew 5:45 - "...that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." I pondered if Jesus was walking with me, which of the above categories would HE put me in? I'm pretty sure the unrighteous one at times. But yet he still walks with me and leads my steps. He brings the heat ...
Read more

Casa de Kelly - a nice place to dine.

Image
It has been a challenging week for me personally. Struggling with some things personal in nature, nothing that I need to go into, but just working hard to keep my chin up. But encouragement comes to me through others that follow God. Thanks to sick Pete for his encouragement to me this week. Thanks to BK for his prayers and vulnerability. But my biggest thanks goes out to the kkft. After a tough week, I got an email yesterday from superstar saying she was hoping to take me out to dinner for drinks, conversation, and even dessert. But no sitter. So her and the girls were working on 'casa de kelly' restaurant in our apartment. I am almost certain it was the best restaurant I have ever visited in my life. Candlelight, mexican food and latin music, time to sit and chat with my wife, the girls serving us and giving us privacy (even had the taboo buzzer to call them when we needed something :)), it was my best night of the year by far. But perhaps the biggest part of the n...
Read more