Remedial Living
This morning I heard about something called the remedial will of God.
Sometimes when you read or hear something it puts words to truth you could feel but not speak. You think, "I knew that!" because you did. You just hadn't thought it out yet.
What is God's perfect will? That we should live in harmony with each other and the earth.
What is God's remedial will? It is that God does not give up on us when we do not live in harmony with each other and the earth. God offers us ways back into the kingdom.
I really love this whole idea because it offers grace.
This evening we watched the movie "The Mission". It has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Rodrigo, a hardened man who lives as a mercenary and slave trader in Paraguay, finally sees what he has become after he kills his brother. The reality of his depravity is too much for him. He believes there can be no forgiveness for him. But it is in this humility that he sets out on the path that will lead to his forgiveness. There is an amazing scene where finally he is released from his guilt by the same people he formerly hunted down for slavery.
It is incredible, but wholly remedial. Those he killed are still gone. Those he captured are still slaves. But he is allowed to change his life, to step back into God's will through humility, and through service to God and to those he used to enslave.
*****
We had guests over for lunch today and it was good. We got caught up with each other, saw pictures, laughed together, talked about things we think about...
Sometimes when you read or hear something it puts words to truth you could feel but not speak. You think, "I knew that!" because you did. You just hadn't thought it out yet.
What is God's perfect will? That we should live in harmony with each other and the earth.
What is God's remedial will? It is that God does not give up on us when we do not live in harmony with each other and the earth. God offers us ways back into the kingdom.
I really love this whole idea because it offers grace.
This evening we watched the movie "The Mission". It has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Rodrigo, a hardened man who lives as a mercenary and slave trader in Paraguay, finally sees what he has become after he kills his brother. The reality of his depravity is too much for him. He believes there can be no forgiveness for him. But it is in this humility that he sets out on the path that will lead to his forgiveness. There is an amazing scene where finally he is released from his guilt by the same people he formerly hunted down for slavery.
It is incredible, but wholly remedial. Those he killed are still gone. Those he captured are still slaves. But he is allowed to change his life, to step back into God's will through humility, and through service to God and to those he used to enslave.
*****
We had guests over for lunch today and it was good. We got caught up with each other, saw pictures, laughed together, talked about things we think about...
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