"Our salvation and strength lie in complete trust in the Great Rabbi who broke bread with the outcast Zacchaeus. His meal-sharing with a notorious sinner was not merely a gesture of liberal tolerance and humanitarian sentiment. It embodied His mission and His message: forgiveness, peace and reconciliation for all, without exception.
Again, the answer to the question, "Who am I?" comes not from self-analysis but through personal commitment. The heart, converted from mistrust to trust in the irreversible forgiveness of Jesus Christ is nothing less than a new creation, and all ambiguity about personal identity is blown away. So awesome is this supreme act of confidence in the Rabbi's acceptance that one can only stutter and stammer about its protean, monumental importance. It is the landmark decision of life outside of which nothing has value and inside of which every relationship and achievement, every success and failure derives its meaning. It deals a mortal blow to cynicism, self-hatred, and despair. It is a decisive, "I do" to the Rabbi's call, "Trust in the Father and trust in Me."
The promised peace that the world cannot give is located in being in right relationship with God. Self-acceptance becomes possible only through the radical trust in Jesus' acceptance of me as I am. "
...and it goes on to expound on what happens when I allow the Rabbi (Jesus, of course :0) to embrace me and change me and LOVE me. I've been touched so deeply by what I am reading in the last chapters of this book. I love the way Brennan communicates the reality of who Jesus is. God is using the words of his book to stir up in me renewed commitment and astonishment of who HE is and what HE did for us on Calvary. Shouldn't we be astonished?
Embrace us with Your passionate Love today Papa. Be still, my soul, and listen to the heartbeat of Jesus. Let the awareness of being Your sons and daughters in the Son dawn deep in our souls. Let my heart beat in rhythm with Yours today!
and...HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my precious Daddy. He is a man of great passion and I'm so thankful that God chose him to be my Daddy! We are both so alike, and the Love of God has conquered so much in us. My Daddy has a heart set on knowing and loving the Father and he has a longing for truth and righteousness, mercy and love. My prayer is that the passion he has for You would resonate across the territory of my own life. He would be the first to tell you that he is far from perfect, has made mistakes...but he would also be the first to tell you that God's love can cover anything...ANYTHING! I love you so much Dad, and I'll always be your little caca-pants :0)
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