can you believe...

that "If Jesus appeared at your dining room table tonight with knowledge of everything you are and are not, total comprehension of your life story and every skeleton hidden in your closet; if He laid out the real state of your present discipleship with the hidden agenda, the mixed motives, and the dark desires buried in your psyche, you would [still] feel His acceptance and forgiveness." The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning.

This is very hard for me to grasp. Because I lack in all those areas that I'm supposed to be 'good' in because I am a Christian....and I'm not just saying that. I was just talking to a great friend of mine on how Christians are perceived -- and even worse, how Christians percieve others. Some friends of mine have even told me, "I didn't want to tell you that because I was afraid of what you might think." And you know what...I am judgemental, but I can also tell you that I don't want to be. I have a past and things that I really wish I had never done, but guess what? BY GOD'S GRACE I don't even have to worry about all that. Easier said than done, huh? But the bigger point that I want to make is that I am not going to be standing before God and giving an account of other people's sin...so why do I pass judgement??? Good question!! The Bible commands us to LOVE, to LOOOOVE one another. This is not an easy task for me sometimes, but even so, I don't want to be the friend that others don't want to be honest and be real with! When did I give up the hope that God will deal with people and their own sins? After all they're His children, not mine. I have non-Christian friends who I know look at me to find fault in my relationship with God. That is just the reality. I am a bad example for them to look at, but by God's grace, I want them to see how much He had to look beyond....and how much I had to look beyond in myself. Christianity has been linked to legalism far too long. I really think we fail more times than not trying to express this to people who are looking for 'something'. I am nothing on my own, but I desire to grow closer to Him so that others can see how GREAT our God is. No matter what the sin, God's grace is bigger!!!!