Today's Daily Lesson comes from 1 Timothy chapter 1 verses 12 through 15:
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
In seminary I had a professor named Stanley Hauerwas, an old son of a Texas bricklayer, who someone said was the pacifist they would most like to have on their side in a bar fight.
I know the type.
Paul knew the type.
God knows the type.
God knows what we once were and what can be made of us all. By God's grace we have been saved. And by God we will be.
Today marks what would have been the 90th birthday of my boyhood pastor John Claypool, two pulpits of his I have now grown up to assume. At the end of every service John ended his weekly benediction with these words:
"By the goodness of God you were born into this world.
"By the grace of God you have been kept all the day long, even until this very hour.
"And by the love of God, fully revealed in the face of Jesus Christ, you are being redeemed."
Redemption is a process. As Dylan said (and I quoted in my ordination paper) we are "slow trains coming". But we are on the track anyhow -- and facing the right way.
And so, as Dr. King used to say, "I ain't what I ought to be. I ain't what I'm gonna be. But thank God I ain't what I was."
Thank God indeed!
NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year. Tomorrow we will read Titus together.
Ryon Price is the Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.
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