Because of his kindness, you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves; it too is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it. It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others. Ephesians 2:8-10
I hope this first day after Easter finds all my readers in a warm and secure place in your faith journey.
At my church, we had done a study during Lent about the life of John Wesley- founder of the Methodist movement. He was a strong and dedicated follower of Jesus, and his renewal movement spurred incredible revival of the Christian faith in England, the United States, and eventually around the world.
His understanding of a response to Jesus was a holistic one- one that encompassed “head, hand and heart”. By that I mean, he recognized that our faith could stand the scrutiny of logical and cognitive examination- it makes sense. Further, our hearts would be changed into loving others as ourselves as Jesus taught.
Finally, as a result of those changes in us, our hands- the ways that we reach out to others- would be activated out of that love for others. I find this completely integrated approach to life, transformed by the Holy Spirit through our humble acceptance of the Lordship of Jesus, to be particularly appealing.
So, keep it simple. Our faith must be one that reaches our mind, our hearts and our actions.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the ways that you send teachers into our life, Amen
Reflections of a Counselor 