Faith Makes a Fool of What Makes Sense

Recently I’ve been thinking a praying a lot about the wild nature of Jesus. The Men’s Group read John Eldridge’s “Beautiful Outlaw” a year ago, and now myself and the other PD Chaplains are leading some officers through the same book. In a nutshell, it’s all about an abiding relationship with Jesus….. not just the Jesus we think we know, but digging deep into all aspects of his character.

As I reread this book for the 3rd time, I’m struck by how often I put Jesus into a box and begin to think I fully understand Him. Sadly, it makes me feel more like a religious leader that Jesus challenged and scolded. Too often, we try to sanitize Jesus into a prim and proper pastor like figure who defended the earth to help impart perfection upon those who are worthy of cleansing. It’s almost like we want him to be Mr. Clean instead of God in flesh who came to earth as a child, grew into a man, and then ascend to heaven after dying for the sins of the world.

This was brought to bear when I listened to a song from Hillsong, that expressed what my heart and head were trying to reconcile.

Faith makes a fool of what makes sense But grace found my heart where logic ends When justice called for all my debts The Friend of sinners came instead

Your ways are higher Your thoughts are wilder Love came like madness Poured out in blood-washed romance It makes no sense but this is grace And I know You're with me in this place Here now

For so long I’ve battled the tug of war between trying to see faith as logical and reasonable, but also knowing that the mystery and beauty of the God I love overwhelms me in a way that can’t be explained. I don’t want to be in that war. I want to let my heart and mind combine in a way that makes me whole. I believe with all that I am, this is the way Jesus lived and molded for us to live as well. He was the friend of the most depraved sinners, yet he would also encourage and amaze those in the synagogue. He was compassionate to those most in need of grace and then he would correct those who’ve been shown grace but refused to share that joy.

Essentially, I want to be more like Jesus. I know, revolutionary but that is my heart and I will go to my grave trying to be more like him each day.