Rachel Hrovat~Ragamuffin Gospel

I have been reading Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning recently, and in his first chapter he is discussing what is wrong with the American church today. He talks about how he realized that his “emphasis is on what I do rather than on what God is doing” (17). I know that I do that all of the time. In practically every area of my life. I want to do what I want to do and am usually not concerned with the plans that God has in store for me. I think that is how many people are today, and because I am surrounded by these mindsets, my own frame of mind becomes similar. Manning goes on to say that when “we start acting like everyone else…life takes on a joyless, empty quality”(18). I attribute this feeling to that of hopelessness. So many people look at life and want to do great things but then realize that at some point, death comes. So then what does it matter? What does life matter? After this I have to bring myself back to thinking about my life goals and plans. What I major in here at school can determine what the rest of my life will be like in some ways. That is kind of scary. But it is not about what I do. It is about what God can do through me. He created me because he has a purpose for my life. He is excited to see that purpose fulfilled. The reason he came to this earth as Jesus was then to completely relinquish all of the sins of mine and others so that He will I will be able to sit with him in heaven for eternity. Then talk with him about the life he granted me, and how I lived it and how He was with me every step of the way.