These last couple week have been filled with a lot of things many of never imagined would happen. Unprecedented events, great uncertainty, and inconsistent information has swirled since the Covid-19 Pandemic. Now the latest shelter in place orders from many state governers have ramped up the anxiety meter at least for me. It's one thing to say stay-at-home it's another thing to order people to do so.
Amid all the fear and anxiety the place where I have found comfort and courage during this time is in my faith in Jesus. I know some of you who read that might scoff and think to yourself oh no another Christian or shrug and say that's fine for you but I don't believe in religion
I totally get the scoffing. Likely you have encountered your share of "Christians" who judged without a speck of compassion, threw unloving unkind words at you or those you care about, left you to struggle in darkness as they placidly said they'd be praying for you. I get it. Believe me. If that's what Christians are like, no way you might think to yourself, would I want to be one.
I get it. I really do. I've been the outcast. The misfit. And I want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for any Christian that failed to represent who Christ is to you. I'm sorry for the times I have failed to show you with my words, my actions, and my thoughts who Jesus is and the unfathomable depths of His Father's love.
Christians are people and people mess up. Don't misunderstand, I'm not making excuses, I'm not saying the wrongs committed by Christians is ok. By no means. It's not ok. I'm just putting the all too factual reality of human fallibllty and frailty out there. Christians don't always get it right 100% of the time. But that doesn't mean Christ doesn't.
Sometimes the kindest most helpful people I have ever known weren't Christians at all. And sometimes the stingiest, most materialistic, harshest people were found at church.
But Here is the Heart of the Issue: Who do you say Jesus is? Because at the end of it all (and all of us have an end which is still as 100% true today as it was before Covid-19) it's not about who they said or showed Jesus to be, it's about who you say Jesus is. I implore you, I plead with tears as I write these words, open The Gospels and read through what Jesus said and did. He asks each of us - Who do you say He is? Will you put your faith in Him? xo
Mark 8 — And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”
Matthew 16 — When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
