repent and believe.

the Gospel is simple. simple, yet impossible. we cannot repent if the Spirit does not quicken us to life. i have a simple tattoo on my left wrist; it is a reminder to me to leave my life in the hands of Christ. unfortunately, i take my life back far too often, or attempt to and deceive myself that i have taken my life into my own hands. lately i've been wanting another tattoo. my close brother, in advising me on tattoos, said that you shouldn't get one until you feel like that patch of skin is missing something. well, i feel like the reminder i have is missing its sister. my right wrist is longing to be like its brother. and there is a reason my right wrist is empty: it's quite a conspicuous location as it never holds a watch. if the cuffs aren't buttoned, then the right wrist is bared.

the companion ink would again be something Christ said. it would be the Gospel in it's clearest presentation. repent and believe.

jonah was told to spread that message, yet he refused. jonah listened, but he did not hear. all too often i listen without hearing. i am like the man who looks intently at his face in the mirror and then forgets what he looks like. how often my hearing is just listening, void of doing. more often than not, my faith is like one of the many books i've acquired only to look impressive filling shelf space.

i don't want that to be a common theme for me. i want to be one who takes the message instead of one who takes a holiday in the belly of the sea. maybe the companion ink would be a good reminder that i've been given a charge to take to the world.

takers. leavers. in a previous post i likened leavers to beLeavers. but maybe i should spin words and also be wise to recall that we are also, as beLeavers, called to take a message of salvation to the world.

life is simple, but it certainly isn't easy.