Jonathots Daily Blog
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I did not sit there and count, but I do believe it was about seven of the good brothers and sisters from Osceola, Indiana, who came up to me and in varying ways, exhorted me to “keep doing what I’m doing” and “please don’t stop.”
These lovely folks are pastored by a fine fellow named Bob. Yes, there’s something truly endearing about being associated with a “Pastor Bob.”
He was a kind, considerate fellow, and along with his wife, (who, by the way, has an infectious laugh) has taken on the responsibility of bringing joy and inspiration to dear folk living in Northern Indiana.
I was so greatly encouraged by all the individuals I met at this church.
Some were aspiring ministers.
Others were hard-working Hoosiers looking for a little piece of hope to both lift up their souls and challenge them to excellence.
There was even one young dude who had a heavy metal band.
It was a mixture of American humanity.
And out of that stirred-up bowl rose a voice challenging me to continue what I am doing, and never stop.
So I asked myself, “What is it these people want me to truck on, sharing across the United States?”
Well, first, I guess they want me to continue to speak to the weakness of power.
Yes, we have leaders who are in control in this country who often pull up lame because their goals are inhuman. In the secular community, it’s the notion that “the meaner you are the more powerful you become.” And in the religious community it’s the proclamation that “we need to get people to come to God.”
The truth of the matter is that it takes more guts to find a way to get along with people instead of fighting, and God never intended people to come to Him. That’s why He sent Jesus–to go to them.
A second reason folks might want me to keep on doing my little work is that I believe it’s important to bring true possibilities to humans instead of insisting that our race consists of either animals or angels.
We aren’t. We are human.
And unlike the animals, we require inspiration; and quite different from the angels, we desperately need to be entertained while receiving it.
When you arrive at that blending, you become a friend to the human race instead of putting them in the monkey cage, or thinking we can ascend to the heavens.
And even though I’m theorizing, I would assume that the Osceolians might want me to continue to broker a deal between “works” and “grace.”
I don’t know why we feel we always have to choose between these two. I, for one, am so blessed by the grace of God that I would like to go out and share some good works. It’s not that I think good works replace the grace of God. But I also do not believe that grace has provided me free admission to anything without tapping my involvement.
The marriage of works and grace is the definition of the life of Jesus: God graced him with being a son, and he returned the favor by making many become sons of God.
Osceola, I enjoyed myself so much, and send my love your way. You have the good news.
And in closing, I offer you one beautiful piece of better news:
There is the life we are given, and there is the life we return. Our only job on this journey is to make sure the life we return … is a bit better.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
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