...There's beauty in the middle of the messy place we call church. For every hand that grabs a knife to stab you in the back, there's two or three hands that reach down into the ditch to pull you out and bandage your wounds. For every word spoken that pierced your heart with pain, there are other voices speaking words of encouragement to you telling you to not give up....
I'm guest posting at Imperfect Prose today. To read this post is its entirety, won't you join me here?
Still following,
Elizabeth, I wish I could have said it as beautifully as you did! I wish EVERY Christian would read that post. ♥
ReplyDeleteJust got back from reading it. Your words are very timely for me. I think my favorite part of all is where you turn it around by the end to remind us that the best end result of the wounding is for us, as God's very children, to break do the supernatural thing and break the cycle of abuse by confirming on our hearts to be healers. You might not have used those exact words, but in my heart while reading, God did. Hope that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteIt's beautifully written, Elizabeth! My almost-93-year-old mother was "wounded" by elders and the new young minister of the church she grew up in---this was probably 25 years ago. There were two things, but one was the result of her taking communion to church members who were in the nursing home. She left the little Christian church and started attending a Presbyterian church 8 miles away whose pastor was a Methodist ... no communion there without an ordained Presbyterian elder. Then she moved to the Methodist church just down the block from her "home" church. Again, they rarely had communion because no one was ordained. Last month, she "lost" her coat and decided one of the women had taken it by mistake. She even called her. (Meanwhile, my sister and I were assuring her that Colleen couldn't get the coat on, and she certainly wouldn't take it!) This went on for two weeks or longer....until Mother found the coat in her closet, where it had slipped off the hanger. This past week, she has talked about returning to her old church---she has forgotten who the "offender" was. We're not going to tell her, either, because we want her in a church where she can take communion every Sunday again.
ReplyDeleteWords from an old song filled my thoughts as I finished reading your wonderful article - 'oh to be His hand extended reaching out to the oppressed'. Thank you for the beautiful way you shared the truth, dear friend.
ReplyDelete~Adrienne~
Fabulous job on your post. So concise, heartfelt but most importantly Biblically sound. I have had a couple of hurts, nothing serious but a part of my spiritual journey. I have seen people get hurt or "offended" by things and leave the church though and it hurts everyone. We've recently dealt with that and it hurts "the big church" and people's personal walk with God when they leave without trying to resolve the issues. Actually, James Merritt had a sermon about this very thing on his broadcast last Sunday. Again, great post!! :)
ReplyDeleteIf we didn't 'take' offence we wouldn't end up as hurt. From experience I've found that most offences taken are as a result of a careless word or miscommunication not as a result of vindictive premeditated behaviour. Good post Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully said. Someone I love is dealing with this. How important to remind us that our focus is Christ and His work, and He will shape us into healers. Great post.
ReplyDeletei came over from emily's and thought i'd take this opportunity to thank you for this post. i am thankful for your experience, viewpoint and objectivity. i'm guessing it results from a lifetime of struggles, battles and crying-out-to-the-Lord moments. :) i understand those. we've been on the missionfield for some years, and have been planting a church for the last couple... your words in this post hit the spot for someone who is on the frontlines as well!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteEvery Christian should understand that they have been give equal rights by God.
Online Bible Study examines the New Covenant regarding our human rights instituted at its creation.
Where does the right to personal liberty for men and women come from...(The Bible teaches all liberty comes from Jesus Christ).
Suggestlink: Http://whatisthenewcovenant.1hwy.com/index.html
Online Bible Study takes a close look at God-given human-rights ---Concluding that when Jesus Christ established the New Covenant He instituted a personal relationship with each believer and ended forever authoritarian religion.
Thank you