Friday, July 6, 2012

Bonhoeffer

Today I return to blogging. After a long break, I am stirring again within and sense that I would be faithful to the Spirit within by resuming writing these pieces. I have been prone to try to outline the way ahead, but instead sense that I should come at this as I did prior, with simple trust that the journey, and present sense of God at work will be enough to guide a process that is helpful to all.

 So, welcome back. I look forward to our journey together in the days ahead.

Since completing our assignment at Church at Briargate, a great feast of time has resulted in wonderful family gatherings, great nights of hospitality and a chance to read at length.

 The quest for what I should read (along with the scripture) seemed addressed by the strong urgings of others to read BONHOEFFER - by Eric Metaxas -Thomas Nelson-2010. I resisted for a time, in that I have read other accounts of his life, but finally picked up a copy at Barnes and Noble and began anew.

It is a remarkable biography.

The writing seems so matched to the quality of his life and I found myself underlining a lot of thoughts and insights that the book contains. At the end of the book I sat quietly, very moved within and praying earnestly that God would get beyond the me factors and bring honor to His name through my life at whatever cost.

So moved in fact that I got my dog-eared copy of his, THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP and have begun to reread it with renewed hunger.

 From the early pages of that book, this quote: "Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price...the kingly rule of Christ, for which a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him." p.47

 I commend to you Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who stood against the Nazi regime, and stood with Christ, and spoke truth easily misplaced, and paid for it with his life. See you again, soon.

1 comment:

Scott said...

Nice to have you back 'online', David!