Read pgs. 144-147
"I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture."
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." -- Jesus
Confession time: sometimes I cringe when I hear Christian, church folks say phrases like, "plan of salvation." Today's reading in in our guidebook describes a "plan of salvation" kind of moment between two friends in a coffee shop. I hate that I sometimes find that cringe-worthy, though I think there's good reason why I do. Too many times I've found myself in churches, or surrounded by Christians who focus exclusively on that moment of "crossing the line," or "praying the sinner's prayer." They rejoice, just like in the earlier post from this week, because a new name has just been added to the heavenly roll.
And then things just kind of stop. There's no plan for becoming a discipleship. It's like starting a race, celebrating the huge first step, and then leaving the runner on her own.
I've just always felt like, "we can do so much better.'' Not to mention that we can leave a new believer feeling used and confused.
But, let me be the first to say, I and other groups of Christians are definitely too often guilty of throwing out baby and bathwater, and that's just not excusable.
You see, I think it's true that we need a life-long plan of growing in our faith.
But, we do need to start. And most of all, we need a way to bridge the divide.
Sin is a very real problem. I think the ancient, Greek New Testament way of thinking about it is extremely helpful. Sin is to "miss the mark." It is the separation between where we are, and the place that God wants to give us as a new and better way.
Christians have lots of not too flattering words for people who are moving through life with that deep sense of unresolved separation, and I'll be the first to say that I don't like most of them.
But I do kind of like one. Even though some people might find it offensive to hear it if somebody's applying it to them, I think the best and most charitable description of life apart from God might well be, "lost."
Lost.
I've been lost before. Spiritually, and physically. And sometimes when you're lost, it's not even really your fault. To be lost means you can't find your way. If I'm really lost, I don't even know which direction might take me toward something that can take me toward something else that might take me in the right direction.
Lost. Scared. Something's wrong. Wanting to be found.
The Old Testament was obsessed with how to make that situation right. There was an elaborate system of sacrifices and rituals that could make a person put down their guilt and know themselves to have somehow closed the gap of separation that sin creates between us, God and other people.
Christianity says that gap can be closed forever, finally, once and for all.
It is an offer of grace. The perfect sacrifice chose to give himself.
There is a bridge across the divide. When someone who "once was lost but now is found," sees the truth of walking across that bridge. There is well and truly reason for celebration.
And a whole new life is just beginning.
Grace, Peace, and Forgiveness that Closes the Gap,
Adam
Today's Small Step: Learn "the bridge" illustration as presented in today's Guidebook reading.
Today's Big Idea: Pray that God will show you the right person, in the right time, in the right relationship, and in the right way to have a spiritual conversation in the near future.
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