March 23rd, 2023
Thursday, March 23
Grace and Truth
By: Lori Ennis
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,” Ephesians 4:15
Whew. Did that message Pastor Todd get you this week or what?
It did me.
My brother died on September 1 of last year. I was on vacation with ‘framily,’ and though it was not necessarily unexpected, the call telling me he was dead was a shock. He was a broken man who fought many demons of addiction and mental illness, and I have to be honest…loving him was HARD.
He was my baby brother. He had so much potential. He was smart. He was loved.
He was arrogant. He was proud. He was manipulative and self-indulgent.
He was human.
As the oldest, I always wore the ‘second mama’ hat, and since my mom died 20 years ago, I wore it even harder.
So as he’d go in and out of rehab or jail or from a high to a low or vice versa through the last two decades, I was always the go-to when he needed to get out of trouble.
That wore on me, so while I’d offer Jesus as the answer in almost every conversation I had with him, if I am honest, ‘Truth’ took precedence over ‘Grace’ more often than not. In fact, he’d often tell me, “I know you’re telling me the truth, but I wish you’d do so with a little more love.”
It’s hard to give grace and mercy over and over when you KNOW that the TRUTH would just set someone free. And when they’ve used you and manipulated you over and over? Even harder.
I’d always tell him, ‘Jimmy, I don’t know how, but you’re not at a point where you can’t turn your life around. Surrender it, fully, to Jesus, and turn it around.”
I don’t know where he was with God.
He knew Jesus, but he turned his back on Jesus.
He repented and came back, but in his delusion, he’d blaspheme Him as well.
Our last conversation was one where he was in a psychotic break and told me that he loved me, but he had to go because he just couldn’t take me ‘yelling’ at him anymore.
The thoughts torture me.
But if there’s one thing I know about Jesus, it’s that where my ability to give grace fell short, His never does.
His grace never falls short. Man, if I only had one more chance to give some grace to my brother…
If you’re at a place where you wonder if it’s too late to turn it around, trust me if you’re breathing…it’s not. Jesus is FULL grace and truth. He’s waiting for you to take it.
His grace never falls short. He’s Truth, with Love, and in surrender to Him, there is freedom for eternity.
Grace and Truth
By: Lori Ennis
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,” Ephesians 4:15
Whew. Did that message Pastor Todd get you this week or what?
It did me.
My brother died on September 1 of last year. I was on vacation with ‘framily,’ and though it was not necessarily unexpected, the call telling me he was dead was a shock. He was a broken man who fought many demons of addiction and mental illness, and I have to be honest…loving him was HARD.
He was my baby brother. He had so much potential. He was smart. He was loved.
He was arrogant. He was proud. He was manipulative and self-indulgent.
He was human.
As the oldest, I always wore the ‘second mama’ hat, and since my mom died 20 years ago, I wore it even harder.
So as he’d go in and out of rehab or jail or from a high to a low or vice versa through the last two decades, I was always the go-to when he needed to get out of trouble.
That wore on me, so while I’d offer Jesus as the answer in almost every conversation I had with him, if I am honest, ‘Truth’ took precedence over ‘Grace’ more often than not. In fact, he’d often tell me, “I know you’re telling me the truth, but I wish you’d do so with a little more love.”
It’s hard to give grace and mercy over and over when you KNOW that the TRUTH would just set someone free. And when they’ve used you and manipulated you over and over? Even harder.
I’d always tell him, ‘Jimmy, I don’t know how, but you’re not at a point where you can’t turn your life around. Surrender it, fully, to Jesus, and turn it around.”
I don’t know where he was with God.
He knew Jesus, but he turned his back on Jesus.
He repented and came back, but in his delusion, he’d blaspheme Him as well.
Our last conversation was one where he was in a psychotic break and told me that he loved me, but he had to go because he just couldn’t take me ‘yelling’ at him anymore.
The thoughts torture me.
But if there’s one thing I know about Jesus, it’s that where my ability to give grace fell short, His never does.
His grace never falls short. Man, if I only had one more chance to give some grace to my brother…
If you’re at a place where you wonder if it’s too late to turn it around, trust me if you’re breathing…it’s not. Jesus is FULL grace and truth. He’s waiting for you to take it.
His grace never falls short. He’s Truth, with Love, and in surrender to Him, there is freedom for eternity.
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