A Grace-Full Life by Olds Wes;Acevedo Jorge;

Author:Olds, Wes;Acevedo, Jorge;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Published: 2017-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 3

EVEN MORE

God’s Character-Shaping Love

(Sanctifying Grace)

My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

(Ephesians 3:14-19 The Message)

[Wes] A number of years ago I experienced a very difficult time in my life. My wife, Becky, and I were the proud parents of a three-year-old son and had another boy on the way. Newly graduated from seminary and commissioned as a pastor, I was sent to bring new life to a declining inner-city church. I was filled with vision and ready to prove myself as a “senior pastor” at the ripe old age of thirty-two.

Within days, however, I discovered the journey to “restart” the church was going to be difficult as I met with fierce opposition by the remaining members. Even though the average age was 82, the remnant of a once-proud church still had enough energy to protect their church from change. Yet, for me, the stress of leading this effort was nothing compared to what was going on at home.

One day when I was out of town for a meeting, Becky called me in a panic. “Honey,” she said in a broken, frightened voice, “the police are here. A man followed Caleb and me home from the playground and broke in the house.” She went on to describe how, as she arrived home with our toddler in tow, a man barged through the front door right after they entered the house. With her mother’s instinct and strength, she was able to sweep up our toddler with one arm, knock over the assailant with the other, and flee to our neighbor’s house for safety. Within a few weeks a suspect was caught, Becky identified him in a lineup, and he was arrested.

After that event, which included some nights hiding in a hotel while we waited for the arrest, we tried to return to normal. Ministry remained stressful as attendance dropped and I faced resistance from inside and outside the church over launching a Spanish-language service.

At the same time, we faced a new, horrifying challenge at home. During a routine check-up for our soon-to-be born son, Becky and I were informed that he had severe spina bifida and would not live after birth. We prayed for a miracle for little Daniel, and yet he died in our arms shortly after being delivered. We were heartbroken. On the day I had planned to buy a new cradle for my son, I bought him a casket instead.

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