what I learned today

One of my best friends in the world, Deering recently talked about how much more relaxed and less stressed he finds himself since he doesn't have cable anymore.  He's unplugged from the negative 'doomsday' blathering of the news media.  I wonder how sad it makes the Lord to see us sitting in front of the hypnotizing spell of our TVs- filling our minds with whatever they want to say?

I've always watched music competition shows on tv and HGTV - that's about it.  And it's largely because they amuse me, I don't have to think and sometimes they even get my creative juices flowing!  Beyond that, I don't need information from the tube.

That may seem like mindless watching, but I came out of a childhood of doomsday proclamations every time I walked through the doors of the church.   I spent nights awake following fiery threats from the pulpit and endless 'don't you dare do anything wrong!' warnings.  It made me always feel 'not good enough'.  Throw my aunts continuous evaluations into the mix and it's a wonder I ever walked back in church again!

But even in my most doom and gloom filled days, there were true believers around me, including my parents, that got it.

What God intended to bring to the earth was grace - not threats.

Phillip Yancy said this in an excerpt from Vanishing Grace
God entered our world and demonstrated in person that nothing — not even death — can separate us from God’s love. That the story of Jesus has this main theme: “For God so loved the world that He gave . . .” That human existence will not end with the imminent warming of our atmosphere or the gradual cooling of our sun, and my particular destiny will not end with death. That God will balance the scales of human history not by karma but by grace, in such a way that no one will be able to accuse God of unfairness.

No one will be able to accuse God of unfairness....WOW!  I guess that means that looking back it will be obvious that His grace was there, just waiting to calm our fears and release us from guilt and the worry of not being good enough...

Our fellow non-believing friends desperately need to hear the Gospel of Grace!  Grace-filled eyes are my goal today - Lord Jesus, let me see everyone whose path I cross with YOUR EYES today - the eyes that held so much love for us that you gave up your own life...