OUCH!

The Power of the Cross

Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and purpose.

Christ sends us to proclaim the gospel simply, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

Jesus died and rose for all, but many want a savior who is about power for this world, this life.

The power of the cross is the resurrection, which shows us that this life is not all there is.

The power of the cross is that it is the ultimate expression of unconditional love for us imperfect, unfinished people.

The power of the cross can free us to die to our self-centeredness, our self-righteousness, our false sense of superiority, our judgmental spirit, our delusion of infallibility.  These are the mindsets that twist our belief that we belong to the people of God into the blinding sin of pride. The power of the love of God expressed in dying on the cross can free us from our blind spots of pride, so we can become peacemakers.

The Broken Body by Eileen

Reflecting on the Body

You, the hand, I, the foot

Christ, the head, perhaps the heart

Someone else, the hidden part,

I let the scriptures

Flood my mind with images.

Then suddenly one image

Is so harshly real,

I gasp aloud.

I see a person staggering

And stumbling toward me,

Arms flailing, head jerking

Back and forth in spasms,

Body parts all pulling

Different ways.

This then – reality

Christ’s earthly body now.

       Forgive us! Eileen

OUCH!