15 Jun 2010
Faith in a bloke
Coming to terms with the person of Jesus.
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of teaching our Certificate IV students about the life of John Wesley.
As I researched Wesley’s life I came across an article that explained his journey of faith in his own words, I came across one sentence that has been going around in the back of my head since reading it:
Wesley. in talking about himself before discovering a living faith, says:
I was strongly convinced that the cause of that uneasiness was unbelief, and that the gaining a true, living faith was the one thing needful for me. But still I fixt not this faith on its right object: I meant only faith in God, not faith in or through Christ.
What hit me about this sentence is how clearly it puts a finger on one of the real challenges for the Christian church, and for me.
It is safer to relate to an amorphous God of the universe, who doesn’t have distinct shape and form, and so can therefore be adjusted to fit into the shape of my life. Jesus however, was flesh and blood, and inconveniently both challenges how I live my life and tells me that the only way I can come to God is through him:
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
I must confess that sometimes the person of Jesus can go missing for me, and when He does somehow I become more self-centred, even if I’m talking to God or the Holy Spirit.
I feel a bit awkward saying this, because it’s about a bloke, but I find myself loving Jesus more and more as I get to know him.
I love that he doesn’t fit stereotypes, and that he doesn’t let me get away with being full of myself.
I love that he doesn’t expect me to get it right all of the time.
And I love that he keeps calling me out to an adventure.
i reckon this is so true, well at least for me, it’s like Jesus is the best friend that is right there all the time when doing wrong or right and God is just the parent that isn’t always there know whats happening (or at least it feels like he doesn’t know). i mean sin is so more real when someone close knows of it and i feel so much more wanting and responsible to make things right when i focus on Jesus . Jesus is the reason that propels, inspires and enables us to live with God, to be in line with his purpose, which in turn is ultimately our purpose and meaning. thanks for giving me words to understand my journey ay! God Bless
Josh
June 16th, 2010 at 11:22 ampermalink