Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

"You are the Christ, the Son of the
Living God" (Matthew 16:16).

Reflection:

As a Christian, I find myself sometimes trying
to make Jesus Christ into my own preconception.
To one extent or another I often find myself
trying to mold and shape my Savior into my
own desire.  I want Christ on my terms not
His  I sometimes refuse to let Him come
into my life on His terms.

When I went to seminary I was fortunate
enough to have one of the leading
authorities on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as
my mentor. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was executed by the
Nazis for refusing to submit to Hitler's
tyranny. One of his close friends has written
about an experience he had with Bonhoeffer
one Sunday as they walked home from
Church together. They were talking about
the service and the sermon and so on when,
suddenly, Bonhoeffer's friend told him that
there was something about him he found
very upsetting. "There are times when you
seem distant and cold," he said. "Sometimes
it is hard to get close to you. Sometimes
you seem unresponsive, and you make
people feel uncomfortable." Suddenly,
Bonhoeffer stopped the man short by
exclaiming, "Why can't you let somebody
be who he is?" We do this, even to Jesus.
Why can't we let Him be who He is?

JESUS, WHY CAN'T WE LET HIM BE
WHO HE IS.

Christ is there to enrich our lives, He is
there to fill the emptiness.  We need to
receive Him on His terms. 

ACCEPT CHRIST AS CHRIST AND
YOUR LIFE WILL OH SO CHANGE.