Thursday, May 24, 2012

Well Loved Ragamuffin

Raggedy Ann was her name.  She was about three foot tall and had loops on her feet designed to slip over my feet, so we could dance together.  She was dressed in a raggedy dress and her hair was not very tidy.  Hence her name.

I loved her.

With time her clothing became more ragged and soiled.  Her clothing was permanently attached to her, so cleaning her up was not an option.

When I first encountered Brennan Manning’s use of the word ragamuffin to describe himself and those willing to admit the truth about themselves, I pictured my doll.

Maybe that is why I didn’t have a problem admitting I was a ragamuffin.    You see I knew how much I loved that raggedy girl.  It didn’t matter how dirty she was.

I had encountered an even greater love and it wasn’t after I cleaned myself up.

Just like Raggedy Ann my soiled rags were attached to me and I could not do anything about cleaning them up.

There ends the similarities.

I may not have been able to clean away all of her dirt, but the One who loves me had no problem cleaning me up.  No problem at all.

He took care of that on the Cross. 

He drew me …

“I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, and I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; and I bent down and fed them.”*

And made me clean and new….

“Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”**

A friend passed me a CD filled with wonderful songs.  One of those songs is entitled “A Beggar who gives Alms.”

That’s me. 

A beggar, ragamuffin, who has received alms and is simply sharing them.

I may still look a bit ragged around the edges, but, as they say, appearances can be deceiving…

This ragamuffin is someone who is “accepted in the Beloved”*** and “seated in heavenly places.”****

And just like my doll I get  to dance with the One who loves me!

By the way, there’s more than enough room for many more ragamuffins!

*Hosea 11:4
**2 Corinthians 5:17
***Ephesians 1:6
****Ephesians 2:6

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