This passage made me think about many things. I mix with sinners plenty (including myself) but rarely do I invite them to partake in a relationship with God. I am still very shy with my faith. I wish I could control the Holy Spirit and let it guide me always but it is not to be controlled and then I tend to make "rules" for myself that probably result as a barrier more than a help to the work of the Holy Spirit and God's call. I pray that my hands will be much more "open" during this Lent season (and always) and my "rules" importance diminished. Kathryn
Living with an "open hands" attitude is a great visual image. And it describes the way I want to be. Yet I tend to hesitate and pull back when the moment happens. I pray this picture in my head will help me think "yes" and not "oh dear!".
When I was quite young and had a friend from the "other side of the tracks," my mother said, "By your friend you are known." I'm not quite sure this fits into the lesson but what mother said has always bothered me. What is a friend? What was the meaning of her "known?" May I reject or change her adage? I thought of this a month or so ago when Pastor's sermon was about "mercy." The real meaning of mercy finally became just about clear to me on that evening. I am so filled with God's mercy, but often don't even recognize it. MERCY but not RELIGION. Interesting.
This reading brings lots of ideas to me so it's hard to narrow down one thought or so to comment on. Suffice it to say, it is surely a good thing that Jesus chooses to be with the sinners. Otherwise he wouldn't be sitting with me. Such comfort. And especially on Ash Wednesday when we cogitate on our sinful selves. Wow. Thank you, Jesus, for sitting with me.
This passage made me think about many things. I mix with sinners plenty (including myself) but rarely do I invite them to partake in a relationship with God. I am still very shy with my faith. I wish I could control the Holy Spirit and let it guide me always but it is not to be controlled and then I tend to make "rules" for myself that probably result as a barrier more than a help to the work of the Holy Spirit and God's call. I pray that my hands will be much more "open" during this Lent season (and always) and my "rules" importance diminished. Kathryn
ReplyDeleteLiving with an "open hands" attitude is a great visual image. And it describes the way I want to be. Yet I tend to hesitate and pull back when the moment happens. I pray this picture in my head will help me think "yes" and not "oh dear!".
ReplyDeleteWhen I was quite young and had a friend from the "other side of the tracks," my mother said, "By your friend you are known." I'm not quite sure this fits into the lesson but what mother said has always bothered me. What is a friend? What was the meaning of her "known?" May I reject or change her adage? I thought of this a month or so ago when Pastor's sermon was about "mercy." The real meaning of mercy finally became just about clear to me on that evening. I am so filled with God's mercy, but often don't even recognize it. MERCY but not RELIGION. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteThis reading brings lots of ideas to me so it's hard to narrow down one thought or so to comment on. Suffice it to say, it is surely a good thing that Jesus chooses to be with the sinners. Otherwise he wouldn't be sitting with me. Such comfort. And especially on Ash Wednesday when we cogitate on our sinful selves. Wow. Thank you, Jesus, for sitting with me.
ReplyDelete