God's plan

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"How does one hold to high standards of moral purity while at the same time showing grace to those who fail those standards?" - Philip Yancey 

When I read this question on p. 260 of The Jesus I Never Knew, in the final chapter entitled The Difference He Makes, he finally hit the nail on the head.  The question I had been asking myself without being able to put it in words was this very question.  My only disappointment was that no answer followed that answered the question to my satisfaction.  What point was brought up was that Jesus was a sinless friend of sinners.  

He did not dissociate from sinners.  He did not do what they did, but he remained in their company.  But if you don't do what sinners do, you have nothing in common, and I would imagine they would soon wonder what you are doing among them, what you want from them, and if you want nothing, what you want to sell them.  

I find myself guilty of being the morals police more often than I wish, but knowing not how else to point out God's existence, I fall for this temptation.

When I am trying to get a spiritual breakthrough, feeling like I am achieving nothing for Christ, as though I am not making a difference, I will receive a comment such as, "You are almost fanatical."  It is meant as an insult, as though I were an ostrich with my head in the sand, not knowing what is going on in the world because I prefer reading books on Jesus than reading the newspaper. 

"The news is important," they say.  

I ask, "Why?" 

And the answer I get is, "Because it's important.  It affects us here and now." 

Oh Father God in heaven, to me it has become so logical to focus rather on heaven, and the afterlife, and trying to find out what pleases You, for You have said that this world is temporary, but there will be a new heaven and a new earth, when Jesus returns, and if I believe in Jesus as God Incarnate, coming to this world to be the sacrifice once for all, then I will ascend into heaven.  I want to know You more, for it is You whom I wish to meet and spend eternity with, not this damned (literally) world. 

I know that religion irritates people.  I know the name of Jesus often incites a rolling of the eyeballs.  That day that I visited a Christian friend and needed so desperately for her to tell me that I can have a different life, I didn't hear the message.  I was down and out, and I wanted to start afresh, but I had neither the strength nor the know-how.  If she had said to me then, it is possible that you get rid of the darkness you feel inside you, and that instead you can be filled with confidence, light, joy, peace and strength, I would have jumped at the chance to find out how.  It wasn't my time.  

God never gave up on me, though.  He sent someone else to give me a Bible study.  And I bought a Bible.  And a year later I started studying the Bible.  And the year after that, I met Charles, who asked me what I believe in.  And a year after that I was baptised into Christ.  And I had joined a church.  

The milestones were clear.  I seem to fail in all my attempts to share the good news with non-believers.  Instead of receiving joy, they seem to feel "preached to", as though they are not listening to the message, but to me.  I died in 2004, when I was baptised.  It is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me.  If I had not died to Christ, I would have died in vain.  Instead I got a new life.  What does God want to do?  What is His plan of salvation?  That is what people need to know.  

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