When we concern ourselves with what endangers us from within, then many of you may think that this theme has already been dealt with in the past weeks.  But when we recognize how great God's love is we also realize our own denial in a more significant way.  In listening to the message of God's love the paltriness of our own answer of love may become shockingly clear.  How do we handle such awareness?  Permit me to repeat again: do not suppress this and do not despair, but find the path that leads between these two gulfs.

This means we must take seriously the dangers that lie in us.  Jesus never concealed the fact that humans are in danger of missing the greatest fulfillment of their life.  On the contrary, Jesus deliberately opened the eyes of people so that they could see their surroundings.  What are the main dangers Jesus points to that can block a person's way to God and to their deepest life fulfillment?  Let us learn from Jesus' journey.

One thing will become clear immediately.  Surprisingly, Jesus never warned against the moralistic transgressions of the law.  Instead, Jesus demonstrated in a variety of ways the different situations which reveal that:  the main danger lies in the fact that we close ourselves off from the love of God and try to evade this love.  Whoever consciously denies the response of their love to God and God's love to them, is in danger of losing their eternal fulfillment.  About that the New Testament leaves no doubt.  This deals with more than just a "beyond" or a time after our death or the end of the world, all of which appears vague and indefinite to many.  The event the Bible describes with the symbolic word, "judgment", can, to a certain extent, be experienced in small ways already here and now:

- When we shut out God's extraordinary invitation, our present life becomes flat and loses its  deepest value.

- When we hinder God's work through unbelief, we do harm not only to God's kingdom  but also to ourselves.

- When we see only adversity, we sink into the depths of fear or defiance.

- When we shut out a brother or sister that is in need we bypass the riches of a fulfilled life.

- When we do not forgive others, it is ourselves that we harm first.  Every grudge and      unforgiven sin that we carry around with us poisons our life.

- When we refuse God the first place in our life, we remain in our world and we are aware of how unfortunate these people can be.

During these weeks don't be afraid to look at these dangers always remembering the supporting foundation of the great love and yearning of God who wants to warn us about carelessly passing life by that has been abundantly prepared for us.  (John 10:10).