Ragamuffin

                                                                          

Ragamuffin

          Recently I watched a movie called "Ragamuffin,"  about a man and musician, Rich Mullins, and his faith journey.  This is not a "feel good"  story,  or for the faint of heart.  It's even painful to watch at times.  For those of you readers who are followers of Christ and Christian music in the 90s,  you may be familiar with Mullins and his anthem,  "Awesome God."  Or you may think you knew him.  After seeing the movie, I realized that I didn't know him at all.  None of us escapes this life without baggage and Mullins was no exception.  I didn't know about his (at times, heavy) drinking, smoking,  anger  and deep hurt resulting from an almost suffocating sense of rejection from his father.  A complex man who loved God deeply, yet struggled even moreso with the concept of God loving him with his very human flaws and brokenness. A story that many of us have in common, and that eats away at us because we believe deep down that God is disappointed in us, that He couldn't love us when we are so doubtful and distrusting of His love.

        Non-believers often label Christ-followers as "hypocrites" because we proclaim a truth that we don't live up to as we "should."  A hypocrite, by definition, is one who knowingly says they believes one thing, lives another way and then judges or condemns others for sins that s/he her/himself commits.  Jesus was never harder on those (most often the religious elite) but not on ordinary believers who tried but failed, even time and again, like Peter.  Mullins, however, doesn't qualify as a hypocrite by that definition. In fact,  as is told in his story, he was always up front about being who he was, covering up nothing. 

      While never married, (his song, "Doubly Good to You,"  recorded by artist Amy Grant, was written by Mullins for the wedding he anticipated but never materialized), Mullins had several close friends.  One of them was an older man,  former Catholic priest, recovered alcoholic and prolific author, Brennan Manning.  Manning made himself available, having understood some of Mullins' struggles,  and assigned him, at one point, to write a letter to himself from his father (who had passed away by that time).  It took a lot out of Mullins to write it,  but seemed to signal a turning point in his understanding of both his father and himself,  bringing a measure of peace.

     Why the "Ragamuffin" title, you ask?  What is a ragamuffin?  It is a rather old-fashioned (several centuries old) word that usually connotes the idea of a dirty and lowly street urchin,  but Manning's definition includes one who thinks little about self, knows his/her own brokenness and humbly comes to Christ, expecting nothing but grace for the day's troubles.  It was a definition that took root in Mullins' heart,  so much so that he named his band,  The Ragamuffin Band.

        One of the film's "extras" on the dvd is a conversation with Mullins' brother, David Mullins.  He points out that in the planning of the script,  the decision was made to leave in all of Rich's foibles and failings, rather than "cleaning" them up to make him look more pious.  They decided that since God did not cover up to spare the reputations of those He called to serve Him that are recorded in the Bible,  neither would they cover up those of brother Rich. 

       God isn't interested in perfect people, but rather those who fail but keep getting up and whose hearts are genuinely following after Christ.  By this definition, Mullins succeeded wildly and this should give the rest of us hope. And what is more needed today than hope, in an otherwise often hope-less world?  It is the beauty of the Good News (which is the meaning of "Gospel") that it was Jesus who took care of our sins on the cross - taking our place - and when we believe and accept that sacrifice on our behalf, we enter into a relationship with Him not based on a set of rules that allows us - as prodigal children - to do what the book of Hebrews declares:  to "come boldly before the throne of grace with confidence,  so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."  (Heb. 4:16, NIV). 

      Let me end this post with the lyrics of a couple of verses of one of Mullins' most compelling songs,  The Love of God. 

                                         The Love of God

                          (based on Eph. 3:14-21 & Rom. 8:18-39)

                              There's a wideness in God's mercy

                               I cannot find in my own

                              And He keeps His fire burning

                              To melt this heart of stone

                              Keeps me aching with a yearning

                              Keeps me glad to have been

                                    caught

                              In the reckless raging fury

                              That they call the love of God

                             (verse 3)

                              Joy and sorrow are this ocean

                              And in their every ebb and flow

                              Now the Lord a door has opened

                              That all Hell could never close

                              Here I'm tested and made worthy

                              Tossed about but lifted up

                              In the reckless raging fury

                              That they call the love of God

     



Confessions of a Media Addict...OR Working Toward Balance

The Illuminated Tightroper is a description of a Christian in this world, illuminated by the Holy Spirit and walking a tightrope:  living in this world while a purveyor of light from the Unseen Kingdom of God.  It IS a tightrope act but fortunately, we have the best "spotter" as well as net, in our Lord Jesus Christ, whom we fail frequently, but who NEVER fails to keep us walking until He brings us safely home.


Post # 1: Confessions of a Media Addict...OR Working toward Balance

Hello, my name is Jeannie and I am a media addict.   Ok, so there are no “Media Anonymous” groups out there, but maybe there should be.  Or a “Media Watcher,” organization,  more aptly, akin to Weight Watchers.  While not necessary for life, like food is, we are wired as human beings to be social creatures.  As such, we seek to be connected to others.  Unless there is some kind of social or psychological impairment that causes us to cut ourselves off from the rest of humanity, we are pretty much tuned in to the world around us and we seek others out, both person to person and through our senses.  For many of us, however, our senses can get overloaded.  Knowing when,  how or to what degree to unplug from time to time, for our overall health, is something I know I need to look into.  Can anybody reading this relate?

            

         I’ve known people over the years who don’t watch television, and I admire that.  I know that I would get a whole lot more done each day if I uplugged mine more often.  But then there is still radio, music via ipod, cd, Pandora,  satellite ….  And there’s the cellphone, email, Facebook, chat rooms, YouTube, Instagram, video games…  It really does seem like the options are nearly endless!  I think there really IS such a thing as "too much of a good thing!"

           

         When do we stop and think?  When do we take time to center ourselves, pray (as  Christians)  and get quiet enough to listen to that “still, small voice” for the guidance,  encouragement,  conviction and peace that Jesus promised those who follow Him by His Spirit living inside us.  As with ANY communication modality we have to “tune in” and be on the correct “frequency” in order to connect.  We are called to a relationship with our God and Savior, which involves a 2-way dialogue throughout our days.  It’s hard to have a dialogue when your focus is everywhere else but that relationship.  If we don’t take the time to set goals and live intentionally – make specific decisions for our lives – decide to live by certain principles and values, to work towards something, and live for something bigger than we are -  we will spend our lives on what I call “Auto pilot” – and then wonder (at some point) why we seem to be just “spinning our wheels.”  Somehow I don’t think this was what Jesus had in mind when he said that he came “that they (we) might have life and have it to the full.”  (John 10:10b).  Is that how I would describe MY life? Most of the time, I confess, it is NOT.  I wonder how much of that is related to not taking to time to “unplug” from the NOISE of this world and take the time to PLUG into the “still waters”  that David talked about in Ps.23. But we need to LET ourselves be led to them if we are to experience them!

             

         Is anyone else reading this up for a challenge?  Are you – like me – ready to be led to those “still waters” in order to listen to the “still, small voice” of our Shepherd  and begin to live the life we’ve been given to the full as Jesus said He came to make possible?  We don’t have to start with a full day – or even half a day.  How about 15 minutes or a half hour once a day, to start?  Preferably the same time each day, but don’t be too legalistic about it – days change.  Yet if we don’t have some consistency,  we probably won’t stick with it.  I’m challenging myself with this.  I know I have been consistently inconsistent so far, but believe that this NEEDS to become a high priority if I am to avoid wasting much of the rest of my life and instead living with joy, gratitude and fulfillment in the time that remains.  If you feel the same, then come, let’s walk together on this narrow road that can make all the difference!