I end with a blessing from Larry Hine, Brennan Manning’s spiritual director, who delivered this benediction at Manning’s ordination service: May all of your expectations be frustrated, May all of your plans be thwarted, May all of your desires be withered into nothingness, That you may experience the powerlessness and poverty of a child, and can sing and dance in the love of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
― J R Briggs, Fail: Finding Hope and Grace in the Midst of Ministry Failure
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” … Just then His disciples came back. They marveled that He was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to Him… Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
~ Jesus, King of The Universe, and Son of His Father, in John 4
Oh beloved, it is true. There are few privileges greater than getting to share the Good News of G_d’s forgiveness. And this fool of a writer had the chance to do just this, with nearly 200 students today at a school in the Asian megacity wherein i work and reside.
And during the message, there were many that allowed the pain of the times they have been hurt to show on their faces. Dozens of people in the audience were moved as the ache of injuries sustained from others moved to the surface of their thinking. It is, for a speaker, nearly heart-rending to see the memories emerge in the countenance of those listening.
We spoke through the truth that forgiveness was the only path to freedom. Forgiveness is one of the things that keeps the flow of what G_d is doing in our life, well – flowing.
Then, to help make the point of forgiveness, we all took a moment to think of some times where we have hurt others, and are in need of forgiveness ourselves. And again, the look of pain on so many people’s faces was easy to see.
We are so broken apart from Christ.
But G_d!
As the message continued we began to see the truth of who we are in Him from Ephesians 1&2. We are:
Lavishly forgiven
Chosen by Him
Redeemed from sin
Adopted into His family
Blessed in The Beloved
United with Him and each other.
And as we saw all of these things, the faces of dozens in the crowd began to see both the power of forgiveness, and the foolishness of not extending it to another. Everything was going well.
Then it happened. It always does in a good sermon.
A few of the people who were in the crowd were grumbling and stomping their way out of the auditorium after the meeting. And one man, another teacher, would not even make eye contact with me as he went out in a huff. I could be mistaken, but it seems the message actually made him angry.
For many hours after the message, I felt my flesh buffeting me. And as my flesh inflamed, the fiery darts of the evil one were launched upon me too. All of this was so painful, that in a few hours, it felt like the day was a waste, and that any time i had spent on the platform was a waste as well.
Then the other thing happened. It often does after we do what He wants us to do.
He spoke to me and said “why are you more concerned with what people think than My opinion?” And thankfully, this fool is smart enough to keep listening now… “Did you speak what I told you to speak son?”
“Yes Father.”
“Then you have done your job. Is this enough for you?”
And thankfully, i have learned the truth, “Yes. Yes. It is more than enough…. But, thank You.”
Then it is generally at the bedrock of our humility that He pours on Grace we cannot even begin to deserve. It is as though He sets before us a rich feast (it is). We could go for weeks on a couple words from His mouth… But stuff like this sets one up for life. i then realized that throughout the day, He had been communicating with my spirit something very much like, “Well done Mak. I AM proud of you. you are coming along nicely son. Right on schedule.”
Wow, what a day. Full to the brim with the richest of foods: Doing His will.
So, are you afraid, that if you give your life away, you will lose something? Don’t be. It is simply not true. Cast yourself into His Hands, that He might use you as He sees fit – and see if you do not come out this experience more satisfied than you could ever imagine.
Tonight is your night beloved. Time to do His will.
