Frequent commenter, Eric P., is a guest writer at the Quivering Daughters blog. And boy has he has been tearing it up!!
In, the Myth of the Lukewarm Christian, Eric unpacks the verse that so often beats us over the head, “So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth” (Rev. 3:16). For the last 10 minutes I’ve been sitting here trying to recap it – but all I can say is Holy Crap, this essay is awesome – so just go read it for yourself!
In Broken, he says:
When we’re broken like this, in our shame or despair or pain, we start to think that God doesn’t want us, that we’re not good enough for Him, that we have to wait until we’re whole again before we go to God. Who wants a broken heart lying around cluttering up their house? Broken things belong in the trash, not in the throne room…
Brokenness is an affliction (not an aspiration), but the Lord is in the business of saving people from afflictions. The Lord doesn’t just want you to bring your broken heart to Him; the Lord sees your broken heart as a reason to come near to you.
In his latest essay, Sheep Story, he talks about God’s view of spiritual abuse:
Someone once asked me, when you hear stories of spiritual abuse—horrible cruel things done by well-intentioned religious people—where do you think the Lord’s heart is in all of it?
Thanks, Eric P, for being a part of our little community! If you are looking for worship music, Eric just came out with a brand new CD.
Thanks Eric (I’m referring to the lukewarm word. I haven’t read the rest yet.)
Another concept I heard as well is the reason our Beloved is actually spitting us up is because it hurts so badly. Not because He’s angry. He doesn’t do it cause He hates us but because He loves us so much that it literally hurts Him.
Jesus loves us so much more. As a psalmist I know said, ‘I wonder if we would have known You were God if we wouldn’t have killed You sooner.”
We so do not want Him but He wants us.
(I recognize what I just said doesn’t really flow too well. But it makes since to me. lol.)
The CD is all finished and will be available to order for real very soon; I’ll have more information on my website in the coming weeks. (Plus sheet music and chord charts and MP3s and such.)