Hole in our Gospel Chapter 4

Okay, I've read the entire book. But blogging it seems to be taking me much longer. But this process of putting it in, and then putting it out seems to be cementing it in. Which is exactly why I stalled in the process. This isn't easy stuff to put in and then put out, and cement in. To say this has been life changing is an understatement. Some of which we are not free to share on a public forum as of yet. So it's hard to blog honestly, while not being able to be fully honest. I either spew it all, or keep it in. Alot like vomiting. Either it stays down, or it all comes up. Yep, blogging is my brain and heart vomiting over the Internet.

So I continue on with Chapter 4 - holding back a little.
Isaiah 58 summed up...
God "I see you going through the motions and how people are impressed, and yet I'm not happy with you. I want more than your attendance at church, your tithe, your fasting. I want you to care. To care about those who are oppressed, hurt, poor, and naked. I want you to bring my kingdom to them, and when you do - I WILL SHOW UP."
The other part, the part I'd like to gloss over is quoted here by Richard. "So he suggested in this passage something that ought to stun our own beliefs about prayer-that because of their hypocrisy, He would not even listen to their prayers! We take it as foundational that God will always listen to our prayers, but this passage suggests that we should not expect God to listen to prayers offered by insincere hearts." WOW - that sends shock waves of fear and awe through my spirit. He is the GOD of the UNIVERSE - he is not obligated to listen to me whine about needing more, when I'm not doing his work. How often I've prayed and wondered if God was just saying no. Now, maybe he was saying, "I'm ignoring your religiosity, come to me when you are ready to hear me above your whining, I got work for you to do and then I'm going to blow your mind."
Richard then goes on to break down Matthew 25. So here I am feeling awfully convicted. Not because of what Richard has written, but because of what Isaiah says. And then, there is this Matthew 25. The summary...God is coming back, and all will stand before him. He will sort them out into two groups. So far so good, I'm thinking. So I'm thinking it's got to be -Those who believe in Christ, those who don't. Those who are written in the book of life, those who aren't. Those who are ashamed, those who aren't. But it's not. The two groups are these - Those who feed the hungry, cared for the poor, visited the prisoners and those who didn't. The righteous and the unrighteous. As determined by how they treated other humans, the least of these. Righteousness determined by how we LOVED those who were hurting, and in turn LOVED him. And the amazing promise to the righteous- You are blessed, you have an inheritance, and I've prepared a place for you in my kingdom. And to those who turned their back on him, as they ignored the hurting - the promise is equally powerful. 'Then they will go away to eternal punishment".
So God sees past our outer appearances, and when our hearts aren't lined up to his, he may choose to ignore our petitions. And when our hearts are lined up with his, when they are broken for what breaks his, and we do something about it, he promises to 'you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.' And when we stand before him, we will be judged our not just our church attendance, but if we did something about what breaks his heart. That is how he will know we loved him.
It's not earning our way into heaven. That is through grace alone. However, if we are in relationship with God, and our hearts are becoming like his, it will show up in our lives in the way we treat the least of these.
This is what I come away with, personally.
Anita, you say you love Jesus. And if church attendance and tithing is good indications of that - then your golden. Unfortunately, they are not. They are not bad things, and are certainly necessary. But don't be content with them alone. God is not. He asks more of you. He ask that you love him tangibly, here on earth, by caring and loving the least of these. And if you do, he has an eternal reward. If you don't, know that there will be a time of accounting. And your earthly excuses will be sooo lame in light of the throne of heaven, and the tribes of the nations. So just a little convicting. Alot convicting. And we have been praying for answers about what to do with that conviction. And some of the answers have been quite painful. Some have been surprising. Some are still unanswered. At this time, we know that we are not doing what God has commanded of his people. I know that most would consider us to be quite okay in this department, adoption and all. But I've come to realize we will not be judged against other Americans. If so, we are probably pretty safe. Nope, we will be held up to the light of the throne of God. And surrounding us will be the tribes of the world. So we may be standing next to the African widow, who regularly shared her food with the orphan. Or the Chinese man who risked his life to give a bible to his neighbor. Or the missionary in a third world country who lived with the physical restraints and discomfort that comes with that. In light of that, I hang my head in shame. Covered by the blood, but with an awareness of the patheticness (not sure if that is really a word?) of what is going to come out of my mouth when I stand before him and account for my life.
So prayer about what is next. . . wish I could share more. Wish I had more answers, but right now there is just alot of questions. But God is preparing us for something. The answers we have are challenging and are testing us for something.

I wrap up with this quote, Matthew 25 put into modern language and culture by Richard.
"For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water. I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported. I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness. I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved."