John Charles Raab, my only brother, died unexpectedly this evening at his home in Edwardsburg, Michigan. He was 74. God give him peace.

Sunday September 4, 2022

Creating a scaffolding around the human heart in order to follow Jesus Christ takes a lifetime. For the structures created in grace are not of human making. The structures consist of becoming human, of knowing who we are in God and cooperating with God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness.

The scaffolding that surrounds our life plan must consist of deep faith in Jesus Christ. We are not just ragtag followers of a do-gooder. We become a reflection of his passion, death, and resurrection. The gift that holds our hearts in place no matter our fear, our panic or our loss, is becoming one with him in his loss and in his new life. If we take our faith seriously, then we will be able to reject what is not good for us and live in the freedom of God’s incredible love. This love may even take us beyond relationships with brother or sister.

The structures that hold our hearts in place consist of profound prayer, loving service to others, and a deep longing for our own lives to know who we are and whose we are. Many human events and circumstances get in our way. They tear down the hope that secures us. These patterns of addiction, false searching, people pleasing, and depression because of fear, shred the structures of love that hold us together.

In Luke 14:25-33, we come to understand that God’s love creates our lives from the beginning. The structure of God’s plan is ever before us. We live not in creating our own journey, but finally becoming the people we are meant to become in his name. Jesus Christ creates a scaffolding of love within us, the basic structure that constantly is at work in us to bring about the kingdom on earth. With God’s support and love in place, we will never be lost, we will never build a false hope within, and we will maintain the love that will finally bring us home.

God give you peace.

Ron