the live Gospel ..

i used to imagine that my contribution to the kingdom of God was preaching and exemplifying 'the gospel' which, most of the time, took the form of The Romans Road to Heaven, a pocket-sized embodiment of the way to become a child of God and get to heaven, in so many words ..

i now know this
the gospel is far far greater than what that tract promoted

the gospel is the reconciliation of the very cosmos by the Lord Christ
and it lives
it is not a thing
it is life
all of life
every part of life

the Good News is that we are beloved by the Creator
and by his grace embraced
embraced

we have forgotten our Creator for so long we fail to recognize that Presence
but when we are allowed to see the Presence in someone
" it's as if you did it for me "

the Gospel lives in us
we are the Gospel
it is shared, not by words written on paper or tweeted
it is a live presence radiated by the Presence
..
unmistakable
and virtually irresistible
   when it is found in its fullness
.. in whom it is found in its fullness

..

that gospel was lived-out in a man
Jesus

ours is to find his heart and share that as we live among our neighbours
an open heart
a thoughtful mind inclined toward the beatendown
a free soul, more concerned for the people than for religion
intending they see Jesus' face in ours somehow
   and hear him speak directly to their soul

only that Gospel is worthy of the name ..
the one i left pales in its compare
this one the richer
the realer
the personGospel .. a real live Gospel, sitting right next to me


to preach and to proclaim has its place
the prophet and the teacher have wise words to give
   when they are found in their fullness
   in whom they are found in their fullness
..
but the LiveGospel flies a truer shaft
direct to the heart
   methinks
..

there is a person who lifted me out and breathed life into me
i live by His hand
all that remains is for me to serve my Lord Christ
Master
friend
brother

that's really all that remains

everything else must be subordinated to that Gospel
in me