The Way I See It #250 (6-6-17)

In reality, hell is not such an intention of God as it is an invention of man.  God is love and people are precious.  Authentic truth is not so much taught or learned as it is remembered.  Somewhere in your pre-incarnate consciousness you were loved absolutely because you were.  Loved absolutely, and in reality, you still are!  Remember who you are!  Bishop Carlton Pearson as quoted on a Starbucks Cup

A few years back, I would begin my work on Tuesday’s at a local Starbucks in Littleton, CO.  There is nothing like a hot cup of java at 6 am with an interesting mindful quote to boot followed by some well intentioned time in the Word of God.  Somehow, I just feel myself coming alive throughout these very first minutes of the day.  Is it the caffeine or something else?  On that particular Tuesday, I was blessed with the above quote, followed by the words of Job. 

Remember who you are!  Remember whose you are!  Remember!  I thank God everyday for my childhood experiences where Jesus was shared so freely and fully.  I thank God that I have those memories to draw upon.  I thank God that those days have shaped my past and present and future.  I remember this day that we are the children of God.  This is our identity – this is who we are – and whose we are.

For Job, the wrestling through plagues, famines, losses of family and friends, and the sheer pain of having to be ridiculed for his faith in God, were enough for him to throw in the towel and submit to the temptation of giving up on faith in God.  But this would not be so for Job, for at every turn, he resisted that temptation.  He stood tall, he remained in faith, not necessarily because he had it all figured out, but because of whose he was.  He belonged to God.  He remembered from deep within his soul who he was. 

And so…..we are encouraged to remember who we are and whose we are.  We are invited to sing boldly that we know that our redeemer lives, and because he lives we live too.  We are defined by something much more than this life can throw at us or give to us.  We are led into a faith by this Jesus who is raised from the dead.  We move and live and have our being in Him.  We are an Easter and Holy Spirit people.  We breathe in the promises of God and the world sees the difference that this makes in our lives for the living of these days. 

This is how we as the Church see it! 

Write your story.  Remember who you are and whose you are.

The Way I See It #251

Pastor Chad