“What??” I asked
alarmed, “Why?” My sister and I hadn’t
been to a family reunion in years and I lived out of state, so why in the world
would I want to run it?
“You’d be great at it!” Cindy insisted, then, “I nominate
Marilyn Foerster!” she yelled. I wanted
to hide. But suddenly it was seconded
and there ya had it.
Now, I love my family, but we are a loud, crazy, chaotic
bunch (as in 200+) and did I really want to do this? But could I say no? Was that even allowed? And to be honest, pride was swelling my head
like a watermelon – I had never been voted in for anything! Plus, Chuck’s flirtatious text message to me
later in the day that ended with “...Madam President” was pretty hot. Haha!
My aunts – a coalition of Ruby, Betty, Shirley, Rose – all had
their set plans for the next reunion.
But the administrative assistant side in me came out and I wanted
spreadsheets of the registration pages, an email survey conducted, suggestions garnered,
venues researched, a budget set up. In
other words, I was exactly what they had NOT expected.
With extra funding, they insisted we provide food for
everyone. I sought to set up a community
project for local schools. They voted to
ban Bingo; I moved to approve alternative entertainment for the kids. In short, our first meeting was two hours of complete
and total disaster. I went from being
the star niece to the family’s new black sheep.
They said, “This is not what we had hoped.”
Frustration retorted, “Then
why did you elect me your President?”
Sometimes, I wonder if we as Christians don’t get all weepy
and step forward during the 4th verse of “I have decided to follow
Jesus, I have decided…” but we forget the part about “no turning back, no
turning back.” Because life is fine and
dandy when God acts like He’s 'supposed to,' but then bad things happen to good
people or the job is lost, the ideas are stolen, the dog dies, the spouse sneaks
online porn and that’s it! God is
UNFAIR! This isn’t the Christianity we
signed up for! Where are the good
times? Why doesn’t this feel ok?
Religion is supposed to fit neatly into our Sunday box, very well-explained. When other people are sad, we whip out
comforting verses, and use them as a Band-Aid cover-all. We get all quippy and bumper sticky and are
astonished when that doesn’t solve the world’s problems.
Maybe you didn’t get God completely when you signed
up to follow Him, but come on. Did you think you would
ever fully understand Him? You can’t. Because we’re people and He’s God.
But the cool thing is, He knew exactly what He was getting Himself into. I’ve done it, myself, dribbling something like, “I can’t
confess everything to God; if He really knew everything about me, He would stop
loving me.”
But He’s GOD. He
knows what I did. He knows what you
did. And here’s the freaky part: He loves us, anyway. And that unforgiveable sin? Oxymoron.
There isn’t one. You’re the one
that can’t let it go. Because He
can. He’s God! Praise Him!
~~~~~Pondering points
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates
His own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."
Isaiah 43:1-7
But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Romans 3:23-24
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:57
But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
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