Whatever You Are Doing: Love Is Available

Last updated on: March 25, 2016 at 10:39 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

Whatever You Are Doing: Love Is Available 2016-03-25T22:39:06-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rosso_Fiorentino_-Risen_Christ-_WGA20133_opt (1) We say we are not judgmental, but we are.

Have the wrong views on a political candidate and somebody on social media will not only judge you, they will threaten you. Try being a conservative in philosophy or a liberal in Bible College. We are very judgmental and the worst thing is our judgments are based on little more than our personal preference.

I love the Green Bay Packers, but I don’t actually judge Bears’ fans as wicked . . . mostly . . . except in the season . . . I am kidding.

Sports is good that way. We can have a preference, feel it strongly, but not lose friendship over it. Because we know that when it comes to good and evil, judgments counts. We don’t wish to be friends with the local Klansman for good reason, but beyond the Klansman our arbitrary judgments are unsound. We still judge adultery harshly, except when we do not. We don’t care about sex before marriage, unless we do.

Forget examples: don’t we all feel judged? My secular friends try to shake the judgment by pretending there is no good and evil, but they can be just as harsh as anyone else. We cannot escape judgment.

We know something is wrong. Things are not as they should be.

I have met two kinds of people: the strongly narcissistic who don’t think anything they do is that bad and the folks who deep in their hearts hate themselves. Most people I know fit the second camp: they judge themselves harshly. I know I judge myself, God help my past life, very harshly.

Does anybody wish to run for President just now? If at the day of judgment all deeds will be revealed before a Good God, our candidates have all their deeds revealed before American media for our entertainment. God help us all.

This is very depressing until I recall the good news: whatever I am doing, divine love is available. This is not because God is “OK’ with my bad deeds. He has a righteous standard. Just now we tend to get the sex rules wrong and the social justice bits right, at least officially in the United States. Forget for a minute our particular disagreement with the Divine Standard for behavior.

He will love us just as we are.

He will not justify our bad deeds, but He will love us despite them. In fact, the Easter message is that while we were yet messing up, Christ provided a way for us to find God’s love. He died for the sins of the world . . . because a world that found a perfect man could not stand Him. We felt judged by His existence, but all He wanted to us to do was change. He would love us in the process.

I am so often stuck in sin. I cannot “pray it away.” I hate what I do: how often I can be crabby to my kids for no good reason. God loves me. He wants to help me change, but while I am changing He loves me. Many want to tell us we are fine, but we know better. Many want to promise that if we do what they say (and give them our money or our obedience) we will change easily, but we know better. We know that our brokenness goes on and on.

It will be better in Heaven, which is hopeful, but not enough.

We want to be loved now and the good news is that while we are broken Christ loves us.

Just as I am. The balance is awesome. I am not “good” and I cannot justify my sin. I should stop, but God loves me. He does not love my sin. He will purge it now or in the age to come. God says: “whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything.” God knows and He waits for us to repent (again) and move forward. We sin, but we do not live in sin.

Love is available always, now, for everyone . . . even the people society hates . . . even for me.

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

March 24, 2016

The Son was like the Mother: They Said "Yes"

Next Post

March 26, 2016 My Big Fat Greek Morals Go to the Movies: My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did the angel say at the tomb?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Fear not, for I bring news. Go and sin no more. Be still and at peace. He is not here; He has risen!

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »