Thoughts as I'm reading Keller

If you haven't read it yet I recommend it.

I am almost through it now and have appreciated this work. For a few reasons Keller presents a humble apologetic that is not cheesy. And as always he always shows how the gospel is relevant to all aspects of our life.

This is a quote that has me thinking a bit about our situation right now as we wait to go to Kenya. "The most liberating act of free, unconditional grace demands that the recipient give up control of his or her life. Is that a contradiction? No...We are not in control of our lives. We are all living for something and we are controlled by that, the true lord of our lives. If it is not God, it will endlessly oppress us. It is only grace that frees us from the slavery of self that lurks even in the middle of morality and religion. Grace is only a threat to the illusion that we are free, autonomous selves, living life as we choose." p. 185

I find that God's gift of grace is relentless in my life. But whether I choose to constantly give up that control of my life that this grace demands is another thing. As we prepare to go to Africa it seems God keeps changing our plans for this year as we lead up to July 2011. We had thought we had some work issues figured out and everything changed. The question and the challenge from God is clear, What am I living for? What is my functional god? Was it the plans Amie and I had for work? Or are we trusting in the sufficiency and power of our sovereign God. God chooses to use these situations to actually lavish us with His grace. Sounds like a paradox? But really it's not. If my plans end up becoming my god and I serve them I have become enslaved to sin and I am not resting in the grace of Christ.

When we are liberated by the grace of God we can take steps of faith that are not dependent upon ourselves but on God.