I have been a follower of Jesus my whole life. I don't even have one of those amazing stories to tell about my salvation moment, because I can't remember a time when I didn't know Jesus. Thank you Mom and Dad for making my faith a priority in my upbringing! Now, there have been times in my life when I didn't make Jesus a priority in my life and even times when I ran away from Him. There have been more times when I just didn't feel that close to him. However, I can tell you that I have always felt He was with me and I thank God for that fact.
Now, before you think I am just one of those "Jesus freaks" out to hound you about being saved and judging you for how you live and don't know Jesus, that is NOT me! While I am not opposed to the term "Jesus freak" and I am not ashamed of my relationship with Jesus, I am NOT going to judge you at all. Jesus himself said, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." As a matter of fact, the words of Jesus are why I am writing today.
A friend of mine has loaned me her copy of the book Red Letter Revolution by Shane Claiborne and Tony Campolo and I have just finished the first chapter. While it is not yet telling me anything I didn't already know, oh man! It is re-awakening a fire inside of me! If you know anything about Bibles, you know that in most modern Bibles, the words of Jesus in the New Testament are written in red, so they are distinguished from all the other words. Years ago, I read a book that I KNOW was titled Written in Red, but I haven't been able to find that book when I have looked for it. I remember being moved by it as well.
I have TRIED to live my life the way Jesus lived his, loving others, treating others the way I want to be treated, helping the poor and the oppressed, telling others about my faith in God. While I don't even come CLOSE, that is the life I aspire to because those red words have always been so important to me. I have written in this blog many times that if only EVERYONE in this world lived a little more in the red, we would have a better and more peaceful world.
Jesus made us a promise in those red words, that when He left this world, He was giving us HIS peace. He tells us not to be troubled and not to be afraid. Imagine what things we could do if we weren't worried and afraid all the time!
I am excited to read more of this book and learn and be inspired to find more ways to live out the red words. Even though I haven't been writing much in this blog, it is my goal in the next coming weeks to read and share my thoughts with you here. Perhaps we really CAN start a red letter revolution in our world!
Peace to you all today!
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