Lisa Notes: Let’s go

Let’s go

I was paying attention to the sermon yesterday. Really I was. David Platt was preaching Truth from Matthew 9:35-10:42, “Sent by the King.”

But in the listening, as he told each of us to go—to the diseased, the dying, the despised, the dirty—my mind wandered to Bobby (not his real name).

We had both been going—along with six or seven others—to the same Wednesday night Bible class. Bobby was a recovering addict. He was on the verge of six months of sobriety.

He was experiencing freedom in Christ, no more bondage to drugs and alcohol.

But Bobby was also nervous. Of that freedom. With his six-month graduation from his recovery program, he would go back into the real world. With more opportunities. And with more temptations.

I felt his burden heavy one Wednesday night in particular. As was our custom, we ended with a time of praying, each sharing with the Father and each other what was on our hearts.

Bobby was on mine. When my turn came, I prayed for him, verbalizing to God, to Bobby, and to myself that I cared. Many more had prayed for Bobby for years already.

That was that.

Bobby graduated and moved on. But when I asked about him several weeks later, I was told he had fallen off the wagon within days of being on his own.

What had happened to his resolve? His faith? Our prayers???

It was time to go again, to God, for Bobby.

More time passed. I saw him next at a graduation ceremony for one of his friends. He was fighting for his faith again. With the Lord’s help, Bobby did go back to God. It’s a cycle common to addicts (don’t we all relate?), but not one without hope.

We all—Bobby, you, me—are the diseased, the dying, the despised, the dirty, that Jesus goes to.

And he sends us out in turn to go to others.

But we never go alone. He goes with us...as he heals us and breathes life into us and loves us and cleans us up.

That’s good news. That’s the gospel. Jesus saves. All us recovering addicts.

We’re sent by the King to tell it to others.

Let’s go.

* * *

Who is the King sending you to today?

Comments (35)

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kendal · 688 weeks ago

hmmmm. i admitted, kind-of in passing, in today's post that i still am afraid of weight sometimes. and that's three years after recovering from anorexia. three years. putting that out there. that is me, going.

1 reply · active 688 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

I did catch your weight parenthesis this morning when I read your post. You are more courageous than you give yourself credit for, Kendal. May God keep drawing us closer to him because of our fears and in elimination of our fears. I have a boat-load still myself.

Yes, we throw things out there--it's one way we "go." Beautiful.
My recent post Let’s go

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Kristin · 688 weeks ago

Your Bobby is my Greg, my former homeless friend. He became saved last August but still learning to totally surrender. We keep going back because we care, we love, because we first were loved. It's hard and it's precious all at the same time.__Thank you for sharing.__We keep praying!
Kristin www.ponderingsbykris.blogspot.com

My recent post Does a Gift Have to Have a Bow?

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

We do keep praying. We all need help to stay on the path that will bring us the most joy (even though it's ironic that we get tempted off it by much lesser things). Praying for your Greg.
My recent post Let’s go

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Laurie Collett · 688 weeks ago

Praise God that He places each of us in a unique sphere of influence to be a blessing to others. May we hear His call to go to those in need.
Thanks so much for visiting & commenting on Saved by Grace! Your blog is a blessing and I am now following it, and I invite you to follow Saved by Grace also!
Laurie Collett http://savedbygracebiblestudy.blogspot.com/

My recent post Have Faith!

1 reply · active 688 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

It is amazing how God knows where to place each one of us. Sounds like a logistical nightmare to me. :-) Thanks for stopping in, Laurie.
My recent post What do you want?

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tinuviel · 688 weeks ago

Sometimes it's the people closest to us who need that good news most.

May God hold Bobby close and complete the work He has begun in his life. May He surround him with the awareness of His love and mercy and the certainty of grace for every returning prodigal. May He draw him back to your small group and guide you in supporting his recovery.In the name of Jesus the Savior I ask this. Amen.

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

I appreciate your consistency in offering prayers for others, Christina. Such a gift. Thank you.
My recent post What do you want?

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floyd · 688 weeks ago

We all have something, some form of selfishness that is difficult to give up. Yeah, I know that some people are born genetically predisposed to certain chemicals, but I suspect that's not a surprise to God.

I've seen people with a monkey on their back their entire life. The fight of the flesh is life long... My heart breaks for Bobby and all the Bobby's out there. They don't realize their habit is just different than others... We all got em'.

If you see him again, tell him that for me would ya'?
My recent post BAIT AND SWITCH

1 reply · active 688 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

I do hope I will see him again, Floyd. And if I do, I'll let him know what you said. None of us are so very different from each other in the grand scheme of things. We all fall so short; we all are in desperate need of grace. Thankfully the Lord gives it to us.
My recent post What do you want?

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barbarah 65p · 688 weeks ago

In an audiobook I finished a week or two ago, Vicious Cycle, a character was going through that -- just getting out of rehab and realizing how easy it would be to fall back. We were so afraid of that with a couple of family members who were addicted -- thankfully they've stayed clean from drugs but their faith isn't what it was when they first got out. As the song says, "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, O take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above." It's so easy for any of us to fall back.
My recent post The Week in Words

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

Oh, I love those lyrics from "Come Thou Fount". I'm glad you thought of them and posted them here.

This portion is applicable also:

"O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee."
My recent post What do you want?

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Amy Anderson · 688 weeks ago

So good. The King is sending me for sure, but the main person is one I've walked with long and I'm not anxious to join her current struggle. Yet, I know He will empower and help us both. Truly, as you say, we are all recovering addicts.
Is David Platt your pastor? I keep meaning to read Radical. Last weekend when I ran into the wife of the man who married my husband and me, she said that book has inspired her husband greatly.

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

Sounds like you're in a hard place, Amy. :-( But I trust that the Lord will equip you with the skills and emotional stamina you will need to journey through with this person.

David Platt is not my pastor; we were just visiting the Church at Brook Hills because we were in Birmingham for the weekend. I could really see the consistency between his preaching and "Radical". That's a good thing because I liked the book. :-) One of our classes at church is currently going through it and getting a lot out of it, from what I hear.

My recent post What do you want?

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tara pohlkotte · 688 weeks ago

yes. this. we are all in cycles, all fallen, all broken, and all loved.
My recent post Moments Warmed by the Sun

1 reply · active 688 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

Cycles--I agree. I'm guessing we can even be in several cycles at the same time, depending on the issue or relationship... Life can get complicated. I'm glad God can straighten things out better than I can.
My recent post What do you want?

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joepote01 41p · 688 weeks ago

Very good post, Lisa!

We are all addicts to one sin or another. We are all equally in need of God's continual grace and deliverance. And we are all equally called to GO!

Thanks for the timely reminder.

1 reply · active 688 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

It's uncomfortable to call ourselves addicts, but we do all have sins that we repeatedly turn to, unfortunately. I pray for deliverance too. Thanks for stopping by.
My recent post What do you want?

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Brandee · 688 weeks ago

You're good and right to stand by Bobby. The straight line out, I think, is far more unusual than the zig-zags and loopty-loops. We're all fighting a battle, and this post proves: you know. Thanks, Lisa.
My recent post For My Man

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

"the zig-zags and loopty-loops"
That's it, Brandee. That's how I feel myself. And that's okay. Thanks.
My recent post Let’s go

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Jen · 688 weeks ago

What a very appropriate question for you to ask me today because of course God has been whispering a name to my heart today.
My recent post A Silent Auction, Running the Race & the Soli Deo Gloria Party

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

I love when things like that happen. :-) I pray that your "going" to that name will be beneficial, Jen--to that person and to you too.
My recent post Let’s go

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Sylvia R · 688 weeks ago

My, how timely! My husband and I just got so convicted about this very thing in our after-dinner Bible reading and talk. Hm, when that happens, I tend to think it's God's underlining.

I was especially moved by this post because my first husband died from alcoholism, with which he'd long struggled. BUT before he died, even though he'd left, remarried, and re-divorced, I got to lead him to Christ, and he died in beautiful peace, in the Savior's arms, his mother's Bible clasped to his heart. Thank God for people like you who are moved to pray and hang on for people like Bobby.
My recent post Wherever! {A Heart’s Sunday Sermon for All my Mondays}

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

"God's underlining" - what an apt way to describe that phenomena. It happens to me a lot too; I feel like God is a great master of repetition to capture our attention.

I'm sorry that you must have had many, many heartaches and struggles in your first marriage. But what an ending for your first husband! Praise God for release from bondage both here and there.
My recent post Let’s go

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Glenda Childers · 688 weeks ago

I am in a season of listening and waiting for some more places to "go." Just got one answer today. Thanks, Lord.

Fondly,
Glenda
My recent post Three weeks off-line (part one) ~ What I Liked

1 reply · active 688 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

Excellent! I love when those answers come. :-) I'm looking diligently for a few myself.
My recent post Let’s go

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Dolly · 688 weeks ago

So true... we are all broken...just in different ways...glad you could be there for Bobby...blessings to you, Lisa :)
My recent post What if we believed that God delights in us?

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

Yes, Dolly, the circumstances of our cracks may have different origins, but our brokenness is common to all of us. So thankful for the Healer who's smart enough to work through it all.
My recent post Let’s go

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Kat LaMania · 688 weeks ago

It helps to know that relapse is often part of recovery. Because some churches treat recovering addicts as "trophies" the shame of failure keeps them away from church and support if they slip. The love of Christ provides the perfect covering for that shame and a boost back up on the horse. Insightful post.

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

Very insightful comment, Kat. I haven't thought of it as "trophies" but I definitely see what you're saying. We all like to have a string of "success stories" under our belt as a church (and as individuals), as if Christ needs us to bolster his reputation. So when someone falls again, that person can feel like they're letting down the church and hurting their win/loss record. :-( Lord, help us not be that way! I know when I stumble I sure want support, not shame.
My recent post Let’s go

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Laura · 688 weeks ago

I can't help thinking what a wonderful ministry your Bible class must brand how blessed Bobby is to have such sisters and brothers to walk with him through the ups and downs. That truly is what the Gospel is about
My recent post Playdates with God: Hunger

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Lisa notes 103p · 688 weeks ago

I wish the class had continued; it was only a one quarter thing. But hopefully we'll have additional opportunities to reconnect with Bobby. Yes, we all need help in those ups and downs!
My recent post No multitasking—Lent 2012

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chinamom3078 23p · 687 weeks ago

I love how the church calendar points us toward Jesus and for this season toward the cross also. Preparedness for ministry is something we sometimes as minsiters of the gospel in our homes, communities and church neglect. I so appreciate the tradtions not usually embraced by evangelical or conservative Christian circles that ehance my journey. My recent post http://omega57.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/barren/
My recent post Barren

1 reply · active 687 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 687 weeks ago

Me, too. I also appreciate looking at other traditions in other circles and borrow what is helpful for my own journey. My church does not officially celebrate any of the church calendar events but I like to use these seasons to focus on different aspects of my walk with Jesus. They've proven beneficial to me.
My recent post Women in Ministry

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