Back to Basics.

This poem was written in a 24-7 prayer room and tries to explain why Jesus died and what His death means. 

BACK TO BASICS.

In the beginning all was perfect. God’s creation in harmony. His children created. 

Free. Free to worship. Free to be.

Free to sin.

God’s children, His creation leave.

Tempted.

Evil enters. Suffering begins

Billions upon billions run. Looking, searching. Nothing fits, nothing works, nothing satisfies.

God is a just God. He’s angry. His own creation, lost. We were too weak for that freedom.

God doesn’t give up.

He loves far too much for that . He’s got a plan.

The cross. Jesus His only son. He can pay the price.

Burdened with our sin, our crap, our mess amongst His perfection. 

He takes it.

Pays the price we should pay. God’s justice. Unlike any justice I’ve ever seen. Beautiful.

What’s it mean? It means I’m free once more. No longer can sin hold me down. He took that.

Relationship restored.

My salvation secure.

My hope in Him.

God’s anger – satisfied.

My response is what I was created for – the only rational thing – worship.

My salvation isn’t easy. I’m saved by grace through faith. My God’s a brilliantly gentle God. I can leave. At any moment I can deny that sacrifice, deny that hope, deny the very thing I was made for. 

I’m free

He’s got a plan. A good plan for me. I’m free to follow that, I’m free to leave.

I’ll struggle. The world’s messy.

But when I see the cross I know I want God’s plan, my new life. Life in the truest meaning.

And one day I’ll stand before Him, my creator. A sinner. A mess. Not nearly half of what I was made to be.

But, I won’t be alone - Jesus stood at my side.

The verdict? Saved.

THE GOOD BOOK: A Secular Bible by AC Grayling

So a chap has written a secular, humanist bible. It's filled with what he believes to be the best stuff from secular, humanist classical literature. His name is AC Grayling. I read an article reviewing his book. And I found it interesting, ironic and good...

''This anthology of humanist wisdom serves chiefly to highlight the scriptures' divine sublimity.'

'It powerfully suggests that if you drain the 'poison' of Judaeo- Christianity from western literature- as Grayling might describe this project- the remnant is strikingly bland and anaemic.'

'Grayling aims to avoid the 'divine' and stick to the 'human'. And so, self- defeatingly, there is no room in this humanist scripture for the biblical but passionately human.'

'Left with only a cool, disinfected air of reason.'

'The original 'Good Book' may be far more frightening, messy, irrational, violent... but it's also more human and indefinably sublime.'

'Everything that today's secular liberal humanist values most- universal human rights, racial and sexual equality, peace rather than war- comes not from Greece or Rome, but from the New Testament. Eg. Galatians 3:28. There is nothing remotely approaching this radical vision of human equality in all of classical literature.'

'Compared to the Bible, it's a molehill at the foot of Everest.'

'Nobody will ever kill for its sake. Nobody will ever die for it either. Perhaps that's secular humanism for you.'


Hmmmm...


John 14: 6
"Jesus answered, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

Father, May the Truth of your word be known throughout the world. May the Truth of who you are be revealed to all people. May it be shown and received as the Good News it is. Salvation not Condemnation. May lies be silenced and evil destroyed. May peace and mercy and great love reign. May we live in kindness, patience and compassion. May we never pass judgement against anyone. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. May we all be convicted of our wrong doing and may we live lives of grace, laying down our own needs for the needs of others. Bless us with the wisdom to not lean on our own understanding. May we not be proud, but humble. May we not hurt, but heal. May we live as children of light. May we follow Christ's example of all that is good and right. May we know life in all its fullness and may we share our blessings with all people. May we always keep walking towards good and may we fight for justice. May we know that we are known and may we seek to know you more.  May the blind, see. May the weak say 'I have strength.'

For it is for freedom that we have been set free.