Nurturing Spirituality

Erik RaymondI was greatly impacted by a meeting that I had nearly 15 years ago with my pastor at the time. During the meeting I was talking about my desire for ministry and a great burden for the gospel to be clearly preached and central to all that we do.

In the midst of the conversation the pastor got annoyed. His annoyance seemed to be connected to my burdens and how they communicated a referendum on his ministry.

At one point in the conversation he said something that left a tremendous impact on me. He said baldly:

When you get old you come to see that things don't work out so neatly. We'll see if you have the same passion in 10 years.

His statement did two things.

First, it knocked me off my feet. I respected this man. He was a bit of a hero to me. I listened when he pulled from the bag of his experience and dropped some calculated wisdom like this. What if he was right? What if the passion and conviction goes stale? I was taken back to say the least.

Second, it galvanized me. His statement was basically a challenge to the grace, power and faithfulness of God. I wondered, "Do you think God will lose steam? Will his grace go flat? What are you saying?"

Over the last 15 years I have replayed the conversation in my head. I have thought about those words. I hear them again and again. And I come back to them and say, "God's grace is not flat! The glories of calvary will never go stale! Don't project your narrative on the normative pattern of a Christian life!"

Here I am again, 15 years later, in the same time of year, and I'll say it again. God's grace does not go flat. His heavenly manna in the gospel does not mold or go stale. Part of me wants to see him and say, "How you like me now!" But more, it's this grace of God, so, "How you like Him now?!"

This guy taught me many things but none more practical and lasting than when he challenged God's grace and faithfulness. That day has caused me to marvel at God in a myriad of ways. For this I'm thankful.

http://www.ordinarypastor.com/?p=14027

Nurturing Audio & Video

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Reflections to Consider

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Nurturing Publications

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Publications

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Nurturing Music

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Music

  • Jesus be the centre

    Center is a song that speaks of the essence of our life in Christ, and echoes the words the Christ Read More
  • I Lift My Hands

    A powerful hymn of adoration and praise Arkansas Gospel Mass Choir. This succinctly captures the joy of knowing our savior. Read More
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Nurturing Reflection

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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Christ is a Great Savior: a review of the movie Amazing Grace +

    Amazing Grace is a historical drama about William Wilberforce who was elected to British Parliament at the age of 21 Read More
  • Wilberforce, Hollywood's Amazing Grace, Charlotte Allen +

    William Wilberforce's relentless campaign eventually led the British Parliament to ban the slave trade, in 1807, and to pass a Read More
  • Making Beauty out of Ugly Things: Grace by U2 +

    Grace, she takes the blame She covers the shame Removes the stain It could be her name Grace, she carries Read More
  • The True Nature of Grace and Love: a movie review of the Soloist +

    The 2009 movie The Soloist is based on a book by the same name, written by Los Angeles Times columnist Read More
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