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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
Gods Love Exposed
February 22, 2007
I felt totally naked as I sat there waiting for her to begin. How could I even
think she wasn’t going to know? I opened my mouth and she began the
examination. Within a few minutes she pronounced the verdict. “Not too
bad. I see you have been brushing with a softer toothbrush.” She smiled at
me as she said, “Your gums aren’t as inflamed this time.”
I don’t know why but every time I enter the dentist’s office I immediately
take on several layers of guilt. Okay, I confess. I don’t floss every day.
Sometimes I brush across my teeth instead of up and down. I rarely ever
put the cap back on the toothpaste tube. You see. I can’t help myself.
I kept waiting for the next shoe to drop. Was she going to say something
about my woefully inadequate practice of flossing? As she picked away at
the plaque, I kept waiting for her to condemn my practices. That
condemnation never came.
I am sure she knew. In parting she simply told me to keep flossing
because it is an important part of oral hygiene. Afterwards I thought how
irrational my fear of being found out was. Of course she could tell. Her
aim was not to chastise me and make me feel bad. Her goal was to help
me keep a healthy set of teeth in my mouth.
As I drove back to my office the thought occurred to me that many of us
look at our encounters with God the same way. We are afraid to go to Him
because we are afraid of His judgment. We know that we don’t have it all
together. We know that there are things we do, things we say, ways we
act that God wouldn’t approve of. Of course we are not alone. The apostle
Paul said it best when he declared, “All have sinned. All have fallen short
of the glory of God.”
Some people stop coming to church when they go through a rough spot in
life. I’ve seen this with couples having marital troubles, individuals going
through financial woes, people who have lost their jobs and folks who are
battling depression with alcohol or drugs. Even if they have been regular
attendees they stop coming. Why? It could be that they are afraid that their
failures will be exposed. No one likes to appear naked before someone
who can be their judge and jury.
The good news is that God is on our side. He wants to help us through
the rough places. Like my hygienist, God wants what is best for us. God’s
goal is for us to have happy productive, meaningful lives. He knows what
we have been doing. He knows the mistakes we have made. He doesn’t
hold it against. As a matter of fact, the Scriptures tell us that in Christ we
can start all over. The past doesn’t have to bring us down.
If you have been afraid to come back, don’t let fear stop you from doing
so. The season of Lent is upon us and we will be rediscovering the depth
of God's love. You see, God loves you and me and He wants to bless us.
So why not take this opportunity and make an unscheduled visit to God's
house. You will be glad you did.
God bless. See you in church. Cal.
February 22, 2007
I felt totally naked as I sat there waiting for her to begin. How could I even
think she wasn’t going to know? I opened my mouth and she began the
examination. Within a few minutes she pronounced the verdict. “Not too
bad. I see you have been brushing with a softer toothbrush.” She smiled at
me as she said, “Your gums aren’t as inflamed this time.”
I don’t know why but every time I enter the dentist’s office I immediately
take on several layers of guilt. Okay, I confess. I don’t floss every day.
Sometimes I brush across my teeth instead of up and down. I rarely ever
put the cap back on the toothpaste tube. You see. I can’t help myself.
I kept waiting for the next shoe to drop. Was she going to say something
about my woefully inadequate practice of flossing? As she picked away at
the plaque, I kept waiting for her to condemn my practices. That
condemnation never came.
I am sure she knew. In parting she simply told me to keep flossing
because it is an important part of oral hygiene. Afterwards I thought how
irrational my fear of being found out was. Of course she could tell. Her
aim was not to chastise me and make me feel bad. Her goal was to help
me keep a healthy set of teeth in my mouth.
As I drove back to my office the thought occurred to me that many of us
look at our encounters with God the same way. We are afraid to go to Him
because we are afraid of His judgment. We know that we don’t have it all
together. We know that there are things we do, things we say, ways we
act that God wouldn’t approve of. Of course we are not alone. The apostle
Paul said it best when he declared, “All have sinned. All have fallen short
of the glory of God.”
Some people stop coming to church when they go through a rough spot in
life. I’ve seen this with couples having marital troubles, individuals going
through financial woes, people who have lost their jobs and folks who are
battling depression with alcohol or drugs. Even if they have been regular
attendees they stop coming. Why? It could be that they are afraid that their
failures will be exposed. No one likes to appear naked before someone
who can be their judge and jury.
The good news is that God is on our side. He wants to help us through
the rough places. Like my hygienist, God wants what is best for us. God’s
goal is for us to have happy productive, meaningful lives. He knows what
we have been doing. He knows the mistakes we have made. He doesn’t
hold it against. As a matter of fact, the Scriptures tell us that in Christ we
can start all over. The past doesn’t have to bring us down.
If you have been afraid to come back, don’t let fear stop you from doing
so. The season of Lent is upon us and we will be rediscovering the depth
of God's love. You see, God loves you and me and He wants to bless us.
So why not take this opportunity and make an unscheduled visit to God's
house. You will be glad you did.
God bless. See you in church. Cal.
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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