Galatians 4:9-10 The Message (MSG) 8-11 Earlier, before you knew God personally, you were enslaved to so-called gods that had nothing of the divine about them. But now that you know the real God—or rather since God knows you—how can you possibly subject yourselves again to those paper tigers? For that is exactly what you do when you are intimidated into scrupulously observing all the traditions, taboos, and superstitions associated with special days and seasons and years. I am afraid that all my hard work among you has gone up in a puff of smoke!This evening (well, last evening since it's now 3:27 AM) I was asked in all seriousness - if I was in the right mental mindset, "free from mental illnesses" because I sat and told a man that I did not believe in his religion. I tried to re-iterate with great tact, yet still with great assurance, that I 100% did not have any mental illnesses that would currently prevent or hinder my judgement over the statements I had generated. Though, I couldn't help but laugh when asked - and apparently it stuck out long enough that I now feel compelled to write about...
In my 26 years of life - I have found God & turned my back on God way, way too many times. But what's so beautifuly amazing about the true gospel of Christ - is that it is one that gave us a gift - through blood atonement - that should we accept it, no matter our faults or errors - we are forgiven and given entrance into eternity. Heck, freaking, yes?!
Deuteronomy 31:6 The Message (MSG) 6 "Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. Don't give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you." Hebrews 13:5 New Living Translation (NLT) 5 ... be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,“I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”[a]No matter how many times I have turned my back on God, He always remains, arms wide open, willing to accept me back. Just a nice reminder for myself!
Return to me so I can return to you, says God.
Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. --Jesus
ReplyDeletePerhaps, Anon 7.33, what you see as 'Pharisee-ical' piety as implied, is Blair's attempt to follow Christ's command at His Ascension - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
ReplyDeleteIt seems that Blair is following Christ's commands to the letter. There is a definite difference between spreading piety and spreading the Gospel of Grace, Truth, and Light. Saint James tell us that, "Anyone who sets himself up as 'religious' by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world."
It looks as though Blair is not just talking but walking - and the Lord is right along side her. Her growth in the rediscovering of her faith in the grace of Christ, through my reading of this blog, has continued to mature. Add the support of her Heavenly Father, along with the helpful intercessions of the Blessed Mother, Benedict, and Michael and there is little doubt that she is actively fighting "against corruption from the godless world."