Even now you are still not ready - March 10
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 50; PM Psalm [59, 60] or 19, 46; Gen. 39:1-23; 1 Cor. 2:14-3:15; Mark 2:1-12
Have you ever felt guilty about how faithful you are, or maybe more specifically about how you live into your faith? I do all the time. I spend a lot of time reading stories in Scripture and learning about the lives of other faithful people. It’s still amazing to me that all of the disciples dropped everything and followed Jesus leaving behind careers and family and probably a whole lot of what they felt was security. Would I have done the same? I hope so, but I also doubt it.
Becky and Katherine kicked off a discussion on a book titled “Good Enough” by Kate Bowler. I wasn’t privy to the conversation as I led a Bible study at the same time, but I am intrigued by the title. I am guessing it’s a reminder that many of us are saddled with the feeling that we are not good enough. Even when intellectually, we can believe that God’s grace that we experience in Jesus Christ still touches our lives, we can’t seem to let go of not being good enough. We ask ourselves over and over, “God may love me and forgive me, but why I am not a better Christian?”
Paul has an interesting take on the Christian faith as he writes to the church in Corinth. “Even now you are still not ready,” he tells them, people who follow Jesus, and yet have not fully embraced the ethic that Paul imagines is necessary for the Christian life.
“Even now you are still not ready.” He sees the community in Corinth as infants in their faith without not only the knowledge but the ability to live into the faith as we ultimately will be able to one day. And he loves the community in Corinth. He begins his epistle with these words: “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus.” He loves them and recognizes God’s work in them, and yet sees them still as infants!
You and I do not have to have perfected our Christian Faith. We just have to agree to love Jesus and follow him. And this means we get to grow in his love. What new ways of love will we learn tomorrow?
John+
Questions for Self-Reflection: Where do you think you have come up short in your Christian faith? Who do you admire that you think has figured it all out? What are some ways of living that you have found impossible yourself and let others inspire you to consider?
Daily Challenge: Come up with three ways that you would like to grow in your faith in the coming year. Write them down on a postcard and put them somewhere that you will see regularly in your house.