It’s weekend. Back to the shop. Oh, just missed the pothole. Order. Sit. Pull letter from pocket.

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Hello Friend,

I trust things are well. In the last couple letters I have been recounting one of my confrontations with the religious establishment. Let’s continue.

“I can’t believe we’re still arguing about this! Remember when you first heard of the way? How you saw ultimate love being put on display, crucified before your very eyes? Did you still feel that you had to prove you were enough? Or was it simply about accepting the gift? This example points to a better way.

Sorry I’m seem to be stuck in a loop. Do you really not get it? How can you, after finding ultimate acceptance by simply accepting ‘the gift’ (and thereby beginning to shift into that new way), turn back to the idea that you still need to prove yourself? To prove that you’re really fully surrendered. Come on! That makes no sense!

I’m really trying to understand. Was all this for nothing? Am I wasting my time? Look at the evidence! Is your little group learning to surrender, do life together, embrace the mysterious and experience the melting of your rock hearts by proving you’re good enough? Or is it by simply surrendering into the arms of ultimate love and grace?

We see this play out even in the ancient texts.

“Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had father Abraham! I am one of them, and so are you…”

Sorry that childhood song just jumped out of nowhere. In this old time tale from the Jewish scriptures old Abe simply accepts the gift and is accepted. Can’t we do the same? Be accepted just like Abe. This tradition of simple acceptance goes way back!

On top of that, unlike the tradition of “proving you’re good enough,” faith actually aids one in living fully! Abundant life from the inside out. Where the system of law always weighs you down with more things that you have to fix, grace says you’re accepted right where you are.

When this truth becomes real to us we can finally let go of these impossible demands. We can stop trying to prove ourselves. We can fall into the arms of grace.

This is why the example of Christ is so powerful! He set us free from this system of law by revealing it’s futility and showing us a better way. He set us free and taught us how to live amidst this darkness. By grace. By accepting that we’re accepted.

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I fold the letter and walk home

–gal314