As a follow up to yesterday’s review of Bill Mallonee’s latest solo release, I’m passing along something Bill wrote to his email list recipients yesterday. For some context, it was written in response to a heated debate among several list members over one member’s expressed desire that ailing singer/songwriter Dan Fogelberg come to Christ through his bout with cancer. Some list members took him to task for insensitivity to what Mr. Fogelberg would probably see as his primary need right now–beating cancer. Here’s what Bill wrote:

Regardless (and this is not something I care to get into), and while I doubt this was [the original poster's] intention, it rather smacks of agenda over concern the way it was phrased. I’m sure it’s meant caringly and lovingly, but it reads callously.

there’s an opening scene in duva’ls “the apostle” that strikes me much the way this flurry of posts did…Duval the preacher, spots an accident on a storm-swept Texas highway…Duval leaps from his car, leaving his aged Mom in the vehicle. He then sprints over to the wounded, near-dead driver with his Bible, spouts his simplified proof text gospel, gets some acknowledgment from the dying young man and then bolts off as soon as Johnny Law arrives, proudly striding back to his car with the conviction that he’s bagged another one for the Kingdom…(no pun intended.)

the message or the messenger?
there ought not to be a shred of arrogance from those who profess Christ when the message is given…and this is what Wednesday was reacting to i believe…i go back and forth on this folks…yes, i’m sure there’s is some minimum knowledge to make an act of faith on…i also bet that most folks in this country have heard it a zillion times to where they are numb…i bet when you stand at death’s mouth it will be an alternately terrifying and a peaceful transition…at least i’d like to hope that the peace will win out in our hearts…but quite frankly i’ve been fearful of death all my life…Is faith not often like a pin-light flashlight…one with weakening batteries?

Here is where we all leave off and where the map is dark…Which one of us, even though we know intellectually that we’re forgiven in Christ, don’t feel that something of fear and dread due to our betrayals and falls, little and large….our presumption on grace.

how does it work?
you sleep…you wake?

Jesus says: “I go to prepare a place for YOU; if it were not so I would have told you…” john 14 Here the Lord steps up to that ragged and rough “little band of good intentions, ” whose spokesperson (upon meeting Jesus the first time) responded with:
“Depart from me Lord! I am a sinful man!” and this Jesus, so Divine and so human, profoundly paternal up to the end, seems to be saying here: “Sure, you’re afraid…but look…it’s ok, this future thing. Go ahead. Bet the farm on Me…I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.”

and that’s all they ever got from Him…and all you’ll ever need.

“Oh, to wake up in the arms of Jesus the Lord.”

bill

I love how Bill called me up above the Christian cat fight to see a bigger picture…and to face how weak my faith and works really are. Indeed, all I can do is “bet the farm” on Christ.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 20th, 2004 at 1:36 pm and is filed under Arts & Culture, Christian Community, Theology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.