Knowing the heart of God

Thursday May 21^st, John 17: They know now, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that everything you gave me is firsthand from you, for the message you gave me, I gave them; What we have received from Jesus is all God wants us to know about God. We can speculate all we want about God up there in heaven and all we have is speculation. What God revealed to us in Jesus is that God comes to us in weakness (as the babe in the cattle stall) and is open to all (from the lowest of shepherds to the royal representatives from afar). God rejoices at the slightest turning from sin to Him (Luke 15) and has little patience with those who are full of themselves (Pharisees, Sadducees and those with power and wealth) and came to bring the message of political, social, economic and religious reform (Luke 4). To know the heart of Jesus is to know the heart of God and that should bring comfort and Joy to most and perhaps a little fear and trembling to some. Listening to the prevailing religious rhetoric of today one gets the feeling comfort and joy for all is not in the hearts of many. American civil religious discourse has taken a marked Pharisaic judgmental tone of late.  Rejoice Lutherans, we have work to do.  Put some Joy back into the word and into the lives of others.  It is the work of the church and the message of Grace.  Lutherans can no longer remain silent in our evangelism.  We must take to the streets with the message that our God is a God of love and grace.