Mercy 8: Level Ground
‘For Jesus Himself is our peace, who has made the two one, and who has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross.’ (Eph. 2: 14-16)
I do not like dividing people into categories of sexual brokenness (gay, straight, addicted, abused, abuser, misogynist, ‘amazonian’), any more than St. Paul in the above passage liked ethnic division (Jews versus Greeks) in the one body.
Jesus gave us one goal—to become a chaste, trustworthy gift to either gender; He provides one path on which to become a mature expression of that gift. Together in Christ, we seek security and clarity in our gift-giving humanity. We are one.
Still we profile people. I go to the gym and greet a variety of people whom I am tempted to categorize according to superficial assessments: striver, seducer, airhead, macho boor, gender bender, etc.
The Spirit challenged me. ‘Why do you categorize those whom I simply see as my beloved children?’ Sure enough, as soon as I get to know a gym-mate I discover an exquisite (and usually frustrated) expression of God’s image, usually open to any help they can get in resuming the journey toward wholeness!
If given half a chance, most people want to become good gifts. They live in shame for failing to be true to God and others and need huge drafts of mercy to face what they must in order to become who they actually are.
Every week at Living Waters I gather with men and women who aspire toward just that. Our symptoms differ: fear, shame, arrogance, crippling insecurities, misdirected desire for one gender or the other, no desire, the weariness of a frustrating marriage, the frustration of weary singles. Yet we are all united in Christ, and the aspiration to know Him more and love others better.
The cross creates one pool of mercy where all sinners can come and immerse themselves in the water. All it takes is the cry for mercy: ‘God, help me. The gift that I want to be I cannot be without Your help. Free me to resume the journey toward becoming a mature expression of the gift for others.’
‘For Christ’s love compels us…From now on we regards no-one from a worldly point of view…If anyone is in Christ, (s)he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!’ (2 Cor. 5: 14, 16, 17)
Prayer Points:
Desert Stream/Living Waters: A younger generation of leaders! Please pray for young adults to rise up and join the work of Living Waters throughout the USA.
Restored Hope Network: Love & Truth Network, Endicott, NY. Pastor Garry Ingraham, Director. Specialty: working with churches to educate them on how to care for their SSA members. Networking healing opportunities for the Northeast. First Stone Ministries, Oklahoma City, OK. Stephen Black, Director. Specialty: working with men, women, families and friends, running Living Waters, speaking engagements.
Courage: Please ask God to protect young people just discovering their SSA; may they not be swallowed up by the lies of the culture and be directed to wise council in their time of dire need!
Ministries of Pastoral Care: Please pray for God’s favor as they seek to share His truth, healing and love, one precious soul at a time.
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