The Unforced Rhythms Of Grace

Are the unforced rhythms of grace, the ever expanding knowing of God's unconditional love, producing in me a security that is not intimidated, not easily disturbed?

In how the Father 'seems' to be moving in such unconventional ways, ways that seem so foreign, obscure or abstract at best, or as it is put so beautifully in the book, The Shack, when one of the main characters asks, 'Are you saying God that all roads lead to you...and God (Papa) explains most clearly, as in offending the mind, to reveal the heart, His heart..I will go down any road to meet up with whomsoever.'

It talks about Jesus being a rock of offense, a stone of stumbling, and in another place where He himself says, blessed are you if you are not offended in me.

The man (Paul) who wrote the letter to the Romans in the New Testament, talks about it this way..'The next question is, "Are they (the Jews) down for the count? Are they out of this for good?" And the answer is a clear-cut No. Ironically when they walked out, they left the door open and the outsiders walked in. But the next thing you know, the Jews were starting to wonder if perhaps they had walked out on a good thing. Now, if their leaving triggered this worldwide coming of non-Jewish outsiders to God's kingdom, just imagine the effect of their coming back! What a homecoming!

I want to be someone who rejoices in seeing one who has been blind and bound and held prisoner to shames mocking torment, released from this prison house, not by weapons of warfare, but through something far more powerful, the unconditional love of the Father's embrace.Even in Jesus' day, the self-righteous religious leaders were miffed, at what seemed to be blasphemous, exuberant, and highly emotionally charged voices exalting this one coming in the name of the Lord God.

I liked what Jesus says to such ridged and fearful thinkers..'Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, "Teacher, get your disciples under control!" But he said, "If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise."

He is the way, truth and life, as long as things are unfolding His way, lives coming into a living sobriety, even though I think it violates the 'prescribed' order of it happening, am I able to rejoice and celebrate with Him?
What a friend my elder brother Jesus is, his winning love removing the torment of fear from deep within, making me to BE as he is, willing and able to welcome all of the prodigals He is bringing home to live in His house forever.

Rich