This is one of my favorite people in the world, Jenny Willis - please sign up for her blog and enjoy; she wrote this for Lisa and I this morning...

Pass the Wine

One of the ways Jesus connected with people during His walk on earth was by sharing dinner with them. Invited, He would come into their homes and spend time with them, revolutionizing the ways they thought about religion and love. As I sit across the table from Jesus and listen as he ruins all my previous notions of love, I readily throw out the stale content in my wine glass and shout, "Pass me the new wine"!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

mercy

In the beginning of tragic circumstance, we tend to be full of optimistic theories and cliche encouragements.

Then the tragedy lolls on and we dig deeper into our well of "what-to-say-when"s. We spend a little time on our knees, still optimistic that the answer and the victory are right around the corner.

Then the tragedy continues, and not only does it continue, it gets darker.

What hope can we conjure up now? (And by the use of the word "conjure" I'm implying a self-worked up hope.) Isn't there a breaking point for not only those who are enduring the tragic circumstance, but also those warring along with them? Isn't there an instance where the Brother on the outside has seen enough hurt and pain in his friends and begins to cry out MERCY on their behalf?

You know that last part of Braveheart where Wallace is being torchered? The crowd begins to call out "Mercy" on his behalf! Job, why didn't your friends call out "Mercy" for you? Why didn't they run out of answers when there clearly were none?

I'm all out of answers for my friends.

"Mercy, Lord! Mercy!"