Daily Prayer - Kiss slowly?

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

  

Today I bring you another of John Fischer's provocative articles.  This one was inspired by his wife, Marti.  Enjoy.  

  

Marti dared me to write about this - what she sees as a sort of non-evangelical list of axioms she hung on a plaque in the kitchen as her mantra on life - a celebration of normal human emotions that Christians have a tendency to shun. You would expect to see a Bible verse or a Max Lucado quote in a Christian home, but Marti decided to go for the secular

So I accepted the challenge, because the last thing I want to be is an evangelical who looks and acts like one. To be an evangelical for what I believe is one thing; to be an evangelical because I fit the stereotype - fill the bill - is another, and frankly, I'm not interested. So I'll give it a go...

LIFE IS SHORT - Well we have no argument here. The biblical interpretation might lean toward getting yourself right with God, while the secular approach would say get the most out of it. Nevertheless, I would venture that Solomon would lift a glass for going for the gusto.

This one sets the stage for the rest; since life is short, this is how to get the most out of it:

BREAK THE RULES - Now this is definitely a non-evangelical sentiment. TOE THE LINE would be more along the lines of what you would expect. But put Jesus up against the Jewish law-enforcers of His day and you'll find a law-breaker among you. Jesus would say that if you are using rules for anything other than love ... you might as well break them. At least that's what He did.

FORGIVE QUICKLY - Hopefully there's no argument here. No place for holding grudges. If I can't forgive it's usually because I haven't been forgiven - that is, I haven't accepted my own forgiveness - and if that's any part of evangelicalism, I'm out, now.

KISS SLOWLY - Sex is dirty. Get it over with. God doesn't want anyone having fun, now, does He?

LOVE TRULY - It I could do this, we would be forever happy, and I think God would smile.

LAUGH UNCONTROLLABLY - Ever notice how we can have a sort of tight laughter? It just doesn't go all the way down; stays in the throat somewhere. Belly laughs are for unbelievers or the intoxicated. Why? If God incorporates all of life then you can laugh from the bottom when you're sane.

AND NEVER REGRET ANYTHING THAT MADE YOU SMILE - This is Marti's favorite and the one that may sound most suspicious because it seems like you are getting pleasure out of something wrong. But this doesn't have to be that. This can mean pulling something good out of your life, even your past. In fact, that's what God is going to do. He's going to burn all the bad away and leave the good, so that what makes you smile is the fact that His hand is in everything that happens to you, past, present, future.

There, I accepted the challenge. How did I do?

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (Romans 12:9)

John Fischer                

Fischtank.com            

 

  

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

  

A Prayer for Grace

Thank You, God,

  

For those moments in my life

when You opened a window

and offered a word

that nourished the hunger in my soul.

  

Give me the grace to realize that these are the words I live by,

not by bread alone,

whatever form that bread may take,

however satisfying it may seem at the time.

  

Give me the grace to live not just reflectively but receptively,

that I may not only notice when a window is opened

but also receive what is offered,

understanding that what is offered

is my soul's daily bread...

  

(a prayer of Ken Gire, from Windows of the Soul, p. 59)