Just sa
w a live performance of A Christmas Carol at Meadowbrook Theatre. Man, but they do a wonderful job! I have a bit of a bias since my daughter and son-in-law are in it. Still, it’s my all-time favorite Christmas show. Like Les Mis, another fave, it is a story of true redemption, and I’m a sucker for a good redemption story. There’s just something about when evil rears up, brings harm, rankles with hatred, or simply causes grief by omission, that makes me want to have hope in that individual(s).I had a friend, overflowing with love, but was so surprised to learn that she didn’t think murderers or rapists or anyone with a dark past had any chance of salvation. Nor did she think they deserved it. I was shocked. I asked her if she understood the Grace of God. “Of course. And we need to work hard to try and deserve it.”
OUCH! His Grace just became so much less. She got really angry when I said we didn’t know just WHO we might meet in heaven. I’m awfully glad she wasn’t the one to make a decision about Paul entering the Pearlie Gates, but I do understand her disgust at the evil that exists in our world. BUT, shouldn’t a killer, or someone even worse, finding Christ be an amazing miracle to see? Isn’t that what the real Grace of God is all about?
Well, I’d better hop down and make room for the preachers, I’m not too good at his, but let me just end with this:
Scrooge brings such joy to my heart. I hope you all love the story as well and that you find joy during this wonderful season of the year. Maybe we can all concentrate on one Scrooge in our lives or on the national or international scene that we feel needs our prayers.
His Grace. His love. His redemption…
7 comments:
Your friend is right about one thing, a murder doesn't deserve to go to heaven. For that matter, according to the Bible, neither do the sexualy immoral, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, people who covet, people who drink too much, people who stir up trouble, nor extortioners (1 Corinthians 6:9,10). Seems like all of us fit in that list somewhere. Praise God he provided a way for us to be saved without deserving it.
Oh, Amen, Timothy. That was the concept she just didn't understand. After a lot of discussion, she started to understand just what Grace really meant. She's such a nice lady and I wanted her to get the full scope of just what He accomplished for us. Though she's moved on, retired, we still share a wonderful bond of "sharing" Jesus Christ. And I think she's finally resigned to meeting some once-upon-a-time scary characters when she gets to heaven.
What about King David, a man after God's own heart. Because he repented!!!!
I don't think you need to scoot over and make room for the preachers--you did a great job of explaining grace, Linda.
It only takes one sin to break relationship with God, so technically, no one deserves to be saved. Thank GOD He doesn't count our trying, but our trust in Him to remove our sins!
I HOPE I see some former murderers, rapists, etc. in Heaven. They'll be the most grateful ones, washing Jesus' feet with their tears of joy.
I'm with you, Linda--redemption is the one element that always makes a story resonate for me. "There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous ones who need no repentance."
I adore Scrooge in all his incarnations, but I especially love the Alistair Sim film where he wakes up on Christmas morning and dances about, singing, "I don't know anything, I never did know anything, but now I know that I don't know, all on a Christmas morning!"
Yes! So do, I, Katherine. He's so filled with joy and dances about. I just know it must be the same when we face Christ. I'll be dancin' for sure...
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