"Wolves at the Gate - Safeguards"

           A friend just posted this song. "Okay, let's check this out", I thought to myself. Then it happened. You showed up, Lover. When I listen and read about your grace, You show up. And it just happened. A couple of minutes ago. It's funny how I still feel Your gracious touch. Through this song You just reminded me of the beauty You produce inside my soul when You come and mess me up.

           Oh, Lover, You did it again. I dare to ask You: why? Why do You insist in gracious words? I was not truly looking for You. I just wanted to listen to a song. I thought I was in control. I thought I was managing to keep You away from my heart. What a fool!

           Okay, am playing the song again. I don't feel like thanking You, but I know it is a common decency to say it so, thank You, Lover. Thank You a billion times. Who am I trying to deceive? These demons in my head are just too weak for Your violent love. Who am I to turn You down? I have no power to do so. Who am I trying to deceive? I do feel like thanking You. I wanna thank You everyday. I know it is a pitiful gratitude, but maybe I should just face it and accept my innability to deserve You.

Wolves At The Gate - Safeguards

Simple is not always ordinary!

         "He is real!" I said. And I knew it made sense for both of us. It made sense because we know that, although it is a simple truth, it is not an ordinary one. He is real! If we say it without tremble in our hearts, the problem is not the lack of tremble. The problem is that we got used to this reality, just as we got used to knowing that we breath oxygen or that the sun is hot, for example. God is real, even more than what we can touch. But my point here is not proving how real God is. My point is that we should treasure the simplicity of God truths, especially regarding the relationship between God and His children. Because I know that God is not always simple, but there are things about the relationship He established with us, which are always simple, always beautiful, and always striking. The problem is that we often forget about these truths and - even worse - sometimes only a few christians meditate and find joy in the simple things about God and His mercy toward us.
          He is real. He loves us. He cares about us. He created us. He owns us. He listens to us. Isn't it all amazing? Too good to be true? The simplicity of these beautiful truths overwhelms me, and I hope it does the same to you, as well.
          The other day, we were at my friend's place, me and my brothers and sisters in Christ. And, as we were about to pray and give thanks to God for the food, I said: "dude, God listens to me!!!!"  and they all laughed and were like: "well, I guess it's just the way it is, isn't it?", but I was like: "NO WAY! This is simple but it is not ordinary, at the same time. We should meditate on it better!".
          I did not insist to prove my point to them, but I want to do it in a very succint way right now, as I'm concerned about what is the source of our joy in these dark days.
          If it is yet not plain to us, how beautiful it is the simplicity of God's relationship with us, maybe we just forgot His atributes, and how they contrast with our own atributes. God is Holy, and He can't tolerate wrongdoing (Habakkuk 1:13). On the other hand, we are wrongdoers (Rm 3:19,23;Ps 14:2-3). Therefore, I would be a fool to think that the fact that God listens to me is something ordinary. Because, how can a perfect God care about limited human beings? How can a gracious God care about ungrateful rats, like us? How can a righteous and holy God love a selfish and sinful man such as I am? I cannot answer these questions, but I rejoice on knowing that, even though these are "simple" truths, they are truthful aspects of the relationship that my Father established with me.

An uncomfortable experience

             My friend Tutti once told me that she writes down experiences she lives. Spiritual experiences. She does so, because, otherwise, she forgets what she is supposed to learn from such experiences.
It is always inspirational when the limitations of our human condition are means to a greater end, namely the glory of God through the advance of the Body of Christ.
             I'm just mentioning it because I want to express my gratitude towards God and this jar of clay of His, named Tainá. Now I proceed to the experience I want to share.
             It was a five seconds experience. Maybe ten seconds, if we count my reckoning. It was not intense, nor sentimental. I felt no chill, saw no blinding light, had no tears coming down my face. On the other hand, this experience was very sober; very clear. Not as much an accusation as it was a warning. A warning from a loving God who corrects His beloved children.

             It was simple, and it was plain: I saw a guy on a wheel chair, and a sign by His side, which read: "I NEED TO EAT, HELP A NEEDY MAN". After reading it, I noticed he was smoking and I thought, sarcastic, to myself: "You need to eat, but you also need to smoke, heh?" Instantly, I felt bothered and uncomfortable with something. By the next second I realized what it was, bothering me, and I thought: "I am just like this man I just judged". Oh, what a sober and tremendously certain thought I had. And without any time to reason how hypocrite I am, a second after this conviction came upon myself, in my conscience, God was giving me the hope of fighting against all of my addictions, before I present myself to him as a victimized and poor little guy who needs to eat.

             I am so sorry if I let you down by sharing such a hard and harsh experience with no glow at all, brothers and sisters. But I suggest you to avoid the mistake I made by judging that sinful and, yet, needy; needy and, yet, sinful man. If you do not see yourself before God as guilty, rather than a victim, I hope my terrifying and accusing experience enlights your path, so you can stop calling God a liar (1Jo 1:10) and, at the same time, be filled with joy by knowing that Jesus is still the Friend of Sinners (Lk 7:34) and that, through Him, God firms the stumbling knees (Hb 12:12-13).