considerable grace

Lots of encouraging things happening in the last few days ...

I met a sister in Christ on my third flight yesterday. Her name was Phyllis and she performed her flight attendant duties for our little prop-jop full of weary travelers with such a sweet countenance and such genuine kindness that I thought, “I wonder if she is a Christian?” Because either she was, or she was one of the most remarkably gentle unbelievers I’ve ever met.

Towards the end of the flight, after I had turned over every piece of paper / baggage receipt / scrap from a magazine I could find in order to continue to journal ...

(Those of you who “need” to write to really work things through / pray will understand what I’m describing.)

... I squirreled up my courage and asked her if she had a Bible that I might borrow for a few moments. (I had violated my cardinal rule for traveling and checked my suitcase—including my Bible—because I didn’t think my knees were up to schlepping it through four airports, all with very short connection times.)

She did and she graciously got it for me from her purse. (She also asked, in such a loving and kind way that I felt like the kid grasping to the piece of floating wood after the Titanic sank and the pastor cried out, “Are ye saved, laddy?!?” ... “Are you born again?” "Yes, mam," I replied. “Great!” she said. And handed me her—well worn—Bible.)

Oh! Like water to a thirsty man. I drank it in. I read all of 1 Peter and, of course, was soothed by God’s mercy, convicted of my sin, broken in repentance, and finally filled with gratitude and HOPE—that God would love a sinner like me; that He would forgive me. Again. That He would continue to give me everything I need to walk in a new way—a way of life and of gracious forbearance (rather than the selfish, self-centered, proud, defensive, ugly way I was tempted to walk).

Such is the fruit of godly repentance!

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." 2 Corinthians 7:10

Repentance is such a grace.

I’ve also been blessed by a Sermon Series on Hope suggested to me by Susan P. (Thanks, Susan!) I regularly have it playing now and it is extremely edifying.

Lastly, I just read on the IX Marks blog that Jonthan Leeman’s new book is out so I immediately ordered it from Amazon:

The Church and The Surprising Offense of God’s Love

Can’t wait to read it! The description sounds spot-on:

"When the world speaks of “love,” it often means unconditional acceptance. Many churches have adopted this mind-set in their practice of membership and discipline-if they have not done away with such structures entirely. “Yet God’s love and God’s gospel are different than what the world expects,” writes Jonathan Leeman. They’re centered in his character, which draws a clear boundary between what is holy and what is not. It’s this line that the local church should represent in its member practices, because the careful exercise of such authority “is God’s means for guarding the gospel, marking off a people, and thereby defining his love for the world.”

So how should churches receive and dismiss members? How should Christians view their submission to the church? Are there dangers in such submission? The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love responds with biblical, theological, and practical guidance-from both corporate and individual perspectives. It’s a resource that will help pastors and their congregations upend worldly conceptions and recover a biblical understanding and practice of church authority."

Amen! We can surely use all the (Christ-centered, biblical, gospel-soaked) help we can get with this topic.

Off into my day here in beautiful Greenville now!

Yours,
Tara B.