Airing Things Out
Sometimes our thoughts get stuck in the spin cycle—and airing things out—sort of vents, if you know what I mean. And, so it went. Just before an event, just before the food was served up, an offering of sorts—was offered up.
As people bowed their heads, it began. The words which followed were pleasant enough. The words spoken were meant to include. So inclusive were the words that one could not tell to whom the words were prayed—I suppose. So inclusive were the words that all but One seemed to be invited in— thus making it more exclusive, if you will—excluding Him, Jesus Christ.
It’s been just over a month now, and the aftertaste is yet palatable. I still wonder to whom it was the conversation was directed. An alleluia was raised but that was about as close as it got to referencing anything remotely familiar. I suppose the bigger part of my heart understood the desire to include, and I’m all about inclusion— but not to the exclusion of Him. Tumbling around within was an emptiness, a void if you will, as I look back. The desire to give a shout out “In Jesus name,” was heartfelt, but not a one cried out. Why? I suppose it would have offended some. And, here we are.
Here we are smack dab in the midst of a world in which we find Jesus, once again, being falsely accused. Seems to me, not so long ago, He died on behalf of the very accusers who nailed Him. By dying, He invited each and every one from the beginning of time to the end of time to receive His love. So, what do we do when those around us desire to be in vogue with a culture that falsely accuses? As the culture proclaims the Comforter is not mutually inclusive, we can either become like minded or we can tell the truth. Truth be told, He shed His blood for all. For all He laid His life down. Out of love, He loved.
What more can one do than to lay down one’s life for another? John 15:13 answers that question. “There is no greater love than this—that a man should lay down his life for his friends.” And until the end, like He did for the thief on the cross, He invites in. The purpose of His death was to resurrect the brokenness once and for all when we fall. The purpose of Him laying down His life was to give life and make a way for all to receive His love. False accusations are nothing new as He was crucified accordingly. And yet today, people gather in circles, justifying their perceptions of how others come across as they misrepresent—in other words, falsely accusing those who pray in His name—and push in by leaving Him out.
Like scaffolding being built over the altar, people climb on up, seeking their own ways over His.
Yet, He died for all—and here we are at a point culturally where we, too, are dying. We are dying to be on the throne. We are dying to make our own way over His. We are dying to justify our sin as if to say He must accept it/us as we are. Funny thing is, He already accepts us as we are—but “He loves us too much to leave us that way.” (Quote spoken by many, long before I.) He awaits each and every one to come as we are—to just come—to Him. He mutually includes each of us in His death and resurrection. May we enjoy the gift of life laid down by raising an Alleluia in the name of Jesus. Amen.
