Christ is calling for .... WHOM?

Lent 2012 A Clean Heart Create in Me
Saturday February 25, Luke 5:31-32

How does Christianity work? Who is it for? Interestingly, Christianity is not necessarily for the righteous but for sinners. According to Luke, Jesus has come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance. Why would you call those living in right relationship with God to begin living in right relationship with God?
I have several problems with leaders who in the name of the "church" teach prejudice against a group of people. Often it is that group that needs God's presence in the form of God's people. Now I am not suggesting that the alcoholic should continue to hang out at the bar among his friends who will lead him back to addiction or other such similar idiocies. I am not telling moms and dads to put their children in crack house day care. However, when the church says through words or policies that certain people are not welcome we are becoming judges, which has never been humanity's strong suit. We are called to reach out to the least and the last and the lost. These people may not look, act, talk or dress as "the righteous" do but these are the very people Christ came to call. When Jesus comes he will not allow cultural, financial, physical barriers to inhibit his work. We can emulate this now. Do we know how God will help? No! We are not called to understand and approve, we are called to be obedient and have faith.

Do I stink? or Do You Smell What I smell?

Lent 2012 A Clean Heart Create in Me from C.S. Lewis

Psalm 51:1-2 cleanse me.

C.S. Lewis brings up a very good point: Christianity has nothing to offer the person who does not recognize their need. I have been watching a bbc show called Kingdom, where one of the characters has such an odor that others have to cover their faces to converse with him. How could this man not know that he stinks? Even if he, (like Erin's boyfriend, Cody)has a limited sense of smell, wouldn't he notice the behaviors of those arond him? If we had no sense of our germiness, odor, dirt, or fallen nature would we ever seek to be made clean? I think back to times when regular bathing was considered unnecessary and even unhealthy. Are we back in those times now as we consider our souls? Do we all bear such marks of sin that we cannot detect our own need for forgiveness? Open my eyes that I may see.... Create in me a clean heart O Lord.