Monday, April 15, 2013

Birth (into Eternal Life) of a ragamuffin...

"Although truth is not always humility, humility is always truth--the blunt acknowledgment that I owe my life, being, and salvation to Another."
Brennan Manning, "The Ragamuffin Gospel"

Last Friday, Brennan Manning went Home to Heaven...born into the arms of Abba. He was just short of his seventy-ninth birthday. I enjoyed picturing the glorious reunion of one of my favorite authors with Jesus. As an author, Brennan Manning taught me so much about who Jesus is, as well as Jesus' loving Abba. Brennan Manning, himself, was a ragamuffin, that's how he knew so much about God's love for ragamuffins. And Brennan points out that "Jesus hung out with ragamuffins" (same book). There were numerous quotes I could have used today, but this one really struck me. We ragamuffins can grow to realize the true gift that is the love of God. We can't earn it--it is so much bigger than our abilities. It is completely a free gift, too. We cannot repay it, or even begin to reciprocate. What we can do it accept it in humility and then turn around and share it with others. It is not ours to keep but only ours to share. And so, while I'm sad that Brennan Manning is no longer on this planet, I am so grateful to have met him through his books and I will ever be grateful for the lessons learned at his knee. Thank you, so much...enjoy Heaven, you old ragamuffin, you! Love, heidi

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