04-22-20

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
April 22, 2020
Scripture: Isaiah 55:8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.

Thought for the Day: I think about these words as they relate to the Apostle Paul who invited his readers to have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). Those words were a part of my walk a few days ago, but not emphasizing my failure to achieve the beautiful ideal seen in the life of Jesus (and desired by Isaiah). Instead, the mind of Christ is that of grace, and so I am given permission to be gracious to myself which is actually the gift that Christ would bring to all of us even as we fall short of having the mind of Christ. I know that sounds a little circular in the logic, but in this moment as we are reacting and responding (not always well) to a crisis that is new every morning, I feel relatively confident in saying that Jesus would have in his mind something like, “Give yourself some slack. You’ve never done this before. It is ok to have a crazy range of emotions all in the same hour. It is perfectly normal to want more information and more answers. And for that reason – be kind and gracious to yourself, especially in those moments when you don’t feel as if you are emulating me as well as you should. We will get better at this together.”

Prayer: Thank you for grace! Thank you for setting the example of grace! Thank you for being gracious, O Lord, when I am not showing a lot of grace. I need that if I am going to have any hope of becoming more gracious. Amen.

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