I have been quite frustrated and, indeed, angry recently with a few people in my world who make a big deal about their Christianity: they tithe (money that, by all rights, isn’t theirs); they coordinate the living nativity at their church (the day after going on a date with someone they met on Millionairematch.com who is decidedly not their husband!); they quote the Bible (within hours of telling a whopping lie). And they believe in their heart of hearts that they are going to be with God one day and I am not because they are “saved” and I am not. I know, I know. And I am not posting this to begin a debate about the human foibles that affect Christians and non-Christians alike these days. I am posting this so I can remember that at this moment in time, I believe that God knows my heart and God is not disappointed in me. And that is the very heart of my spiritual center. 5 months ago
The pastor at the church I attend with my husband has been doing a year-long series on “Back to Basics” of Christianity. Oddly enough, this series has reaffirmed many of my foundational beliefs which are not supported in the basics of Christianity. This has led to some good conversations in our Sunday School class, where people know where I am in my beliefs. This past Sunday, someone was talking about a [“non-believer”]friend of hers with terminal cancer and how one time when she was with her, another friend sent a text message to the woman with cancer, letting her know that she was very concerned about her eternal salvation. My immediate reaction was, “Please, if I am ever in hospice care, do not send me messages about your concern for my eternal salvation.” One other woman in our class said, “Well, but if you are that close to death, you don’t know how you might feel about it.” I have a very high level of confidence about how I will feel about it. I will be eager to chat with whoever or whatever I encounter when I leave this realm but I don’t want people here who haven’t been there yet, telling me what I need to do to get there! 21 months ago
