Paradox

Author: Daniel Rarela
Word Count: 63
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Paradox

I had this crazy idea that Heaven was full of very imperfect people, and that God is so good that Hell might be a whole lot emptier than most pastors suggest… stupid of me to think that God might actually love us that much, eh?

No matter what we do
No matter what we say
We’re the song inside the tune
Full of beautiful mistakes
And everywhere we go
The Son will always shine…
~ Christina Aguilera/ Linda Perry

I’m so sane it’s driving me crazy
I’m so thrilled to finally be failing
It feels just like I’m falling for the first time
~ Barenaked Ladies

At the end of myself, at the end of the day
I can find little else but the courage to say
“I need You” – that’s all!
“I need You!”
I never could be good enough to measure up
But You wanna take me as I come
You’re the only one who can
Take me as I am
~ Nichole Nordeman

The Christian has absolutely no grounds for self-pride or “boasting” as long as he worships God. For he will know that only God is God, and that his own relationship to God is created and sustained ENTIRELY by God Himself. Man’s own belief in his own “free will,” his autocracy, is nothing more or less than the most common and pernicious form of self-righteousness/ self worship… As a Christian, “I” can never be humble; “I” can only be humbled. No one who seriously believes that HE has done justly, can walk humbly with his God. The self righteousness of “free-will” should never be considered a minor defect of the Christian. The Christian’s righteousness belongs ENTIRELY to Christ or he is no Christian.
~ Robert L. Short, The Parables of Peanuts

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. But this precious treasure – this light and power that now shines within us – is held in perishable containers, that is, our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and not our own… Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7, 10

Because he is human, he is able to bear patiently with the ignorant and erring, since he too is beset by weakness.
Hebrews 5:2

“Why do you eat with such scum?” they asked. Jesus replied, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do. Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to be merciful; I don’t want your sacrifices.’ For I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough.”
Matthew 9:11-13

Paradox belongs to the following groups:

All Things Poetic, Artistic, Philosophical, Living Christianity and Religious Art & Photography