One day Pastor was performing the traditional Sunday morning prayer during his church meeting. A new convert was among the church listening to the prayer. The man was seized with such joy he interrupted the pastors prayer to shout. But being a new convert the man was not familiar with the language that the tradition of the people required him to use. So the Man uttered a word that is used by the people of his culture to express joy and excitement.
"F@#%ing A!"
The Pastor paused for an uncomfortable minute and then finished his prayer. The elders of the church immediately began to chide the man for speaking "You interrupted the sacred prayer on the holy morning, and whats worse you used foul and improper language."
From his pulpit the pastor joined in, "Young man that is not acceptable language to address the Lord of all creation. We have sacred ways handed down to us by our forefathers from their forefathers that tell us exactly what and how a man may address the divine."
The man sat trembling with fear and embarrassment. Then when he could take it no longer God sent an angel among them.
"Fear F@#%ing not" began the angel "The Lord your God wishes that his people stop chastising this simple man, his sincere curse moved us more than the many pious wordy prayers you have memorized and continue to utter over and over all the years you have been meeting together."
*** I wrote this parable under the influence of the story found in Luke 18. Here Jesus points out that God prefers a humble sinner to a self righteous Pharisee.
And Mark 7 where Jesus quotes Isaiah and says "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace God's commands with their own man-made teachings.' For you ignore God's specific laws and substitute your own traditions."
And "Fear not" is something angels tend to say when they first come on the scene.
"F@#%ing A!"
The Pastor paused for an uncomfortable minute and then finished his prayer. The elders of the church immediately began to chide the man for speaking "You interrupted the sacred prayer on the holy morning, and whats worse you used foul and improper language."
From his pulpit the pastor joined in, "Young man that is not acceptable language to address the Lord of all creation. We have sacred ways handed down to us by our forefathers from their forefathers that tell us exactly what and how a man may address the divine."
The man sat trembling with fear and embarrassment. Then when he could take it no longer God sent an angel among them.
"Fear F@#%ing not" began the angel "The Lord your God wishes that his people stop chastising this simple man, his sincere curse moved us more than the many pious wordy prayers you have memorized and continue to utter over and over all the years you have been meeting together."
*** I wrote this parable under the influence of the story found in Luke 18. Here Jesus points out that God prefers a humble sinner to a self righteous Pharisee.
And Mark 7 where Jesus quotes Isaiah and says "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace God's commands with their own man-made teachings.' For you ignore God's specific laws and substitute your own traditions."
And "Fear not" is something angels tend to say when they first come on the scene.
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