Amazing Grace.

I talked to a friend of mine recently who is struggling with alcoholism. He's not your typical Bible-crunching, hallelujah-chanting, 3-points-on-revival-memorising Christian, and he admits it too.

"I live in the real world, you guys live in holyland." He retorted (in a friendly sort of way) when someone made a negative remark to his sharing about his messed-up life.

Then, at the end of our conversation, he went on to say this:

"I feel like jacob sometimes. God knows my fallible nature, and despite my fallen human nature, God's grace is still showered over me"

This statement of his came to me as powerful as any sermon I've heard before.

I felt like I've finally talked to someone real - a real Christian, in a really long time. Not someone who would tell me all the big big words of 'faith' to force me to their notions of the 'right direction'.

A real person with real problems experiencing a real grace.

Grace, amazing grace.

He pointed me back to God.

Heck, I do have alot of Job friends, people telling me what I've done wrong, and giving me all sorts of advices. Nothing wrong, but maybe someone could have the little sense of humanity left to realise that I don't need solutions - just the comfort of a friend.

Sigh we will never learn. maybe that's one of the reasons why people leave church, because we only care when the status quo is being upset, and then try to settle the issue by talking too much thinking we've got it all figured out with our quasi-religious lingos and phrases.

Maybe thats the reason why God used an alcoholic to give me some hope.

PS: I'm sure some of you are shaking your heads. Continue to shake your heads then, I don't need such friends.