Placing a child within
Soul Snack 206/10 ... Resident Evil
Lurking within both the redeemed and unredeemed adult spirit remains the sense that effort is a prerequisite mandate to acceptance. Manning captures this well as he separates pharisees and children.
In sharp contrast to the pharasaic perception of God and religion, the biblical perception of the gospel of grace is that of a child who has never experienced anything but love and who tries to do her best because she is loved. When she makes mistakes, she knows they do not jeopardize the love of her parents. The possibility that her parents might stop loving her if she doesn't clean her room never enters her mind. They may disapprove of her behaviour, but their love is not contingent on her performance.
For the pharisee the emphasis is always on personal effort and achievement. The gospel of grace emphasizes the primacy of God's love. The pharisee savors impeccable conduct; the child delights in the relentless tenderness of God.#
If the only resident of all the redeemed, was a child, how alive would Christ's love be and how safe would they feel?
And he (Jesus) said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:3)
Enjoy another Soul Snack
#Abba's Child - Brennan Manning - P86, Pub - NavPress, Colorado Springs 02