Ryan Sutherland

The quickest way to certainty is to go through uncertainty.

Masterpieces of Grace

He is making all things new; you & I are a masterpiece in progress. Therefore let us have grace & truth with one another. 

The Wall

Everyone hits a wall from time to time. Curse the wall! Kick the wall! It is a wall, after all. It’s holding me back, we yell. How many times I have hit this wall, which could be the same one, or many, I cannot tell. The masonry is familiar. I bet you’ve seen it, too. Little we have thought that walls do not appear all by themselves. I forget that there is a purpose behind this wall, these walls, your wall, my wall. I remember that it is possible someone builds them intentionally in my way, in a prescribed, thoughtful sort of way. Every stone carefully laid for my stumbling over, or is it to keep me from stumbling further? I’m not that sure. In fact, I’m pretty sure now of one thing: that someone built this wall and sweated and bled over it.

Word of the Day

Ausgegossen (aus . ge . gossen) (past p.) see also aus giessen - to flow out, pour out, effusion. 

I came across this rich word in the German translation of Romans 5:5b. “Denn die Liebe Gottes ist ausgegossen in unser Herz durch die heiligen Geist, welcher uns gegeben ist.” 

Sometimes it takes another language to lend a refreshed view of what is important in a text. In this case, while the verse is very straightforward in its important bits, the emphasis remains that the love of God is flowing, pouring out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which is given to us. There is a present pouring out. There is an element of “this is happening right now”. 

As we move into the holiday season, let us place Christ at the center - the vine from which all life and blessing come. Help me by praying for God’s love being poured out, ausgegossen, to be our model as we pour out blessing to one another in light of the Gospel.