Bad at Relationships? There is Hope!

Yesterday, our pastor made a teaching point (about applying the gospel to the heart) by using the illustration of people who say things like:

– “That’s JUST the way that I AM!”
– “I am just a PLAIN SPOKEN person. I tell it like I see it and if people don’t like it, that’s too bad for them.”
– “I just HAVE to say this to you. I KNOW you need to hear this …”

His word picture was incredibly vivid. And sad.

This is what he described: A person walking through life swinging a verbal machete and then marveling at his (or her!) loneliness and why all of these cut, bleeding people don’t want to come close.

As a (major!) recovering porcupine I could SO relate!

– Truth without grace leads to condemnation.
– Grace without truth leads to licentiousness.

Oh, that our words would minister God’s grace in its various forms!
That every word would edify and love our neighbor and glorify God.

(I am SO incredibly far from this level of sanctification. For me? This weekend? SILENCE was a huge victory. But OH … isn’t it lovely. LOVELY! to be around women whose speech is kind. Wise. Gracious. Beautiful. Christ-exalting! Christ-infused.)

We are all desperate for grace, truth, and redemptive time.
Desperate for a just AND merciful, saving, covenantal, redeeming God.

Praise His name! For HE IS GOD!
He not only saves us from Hell in the next life.
He saves us (and IS SAVING US) from ourselves (our sin! our unbelief!) in this life as well.

And all of His children say …
AMEN!

Thank You for the cross.
Thank You for the cross.
Thank You for the cross, my Friend.