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Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 (NLT)
The difference between dying love and love that lasts is never letting yourself stop appreciating the things your loved one does for you. The picture I get of lasting love is the elderly couple I once knew. These grade school chums had been married for 68 years. He still called her ‘Buttercup’ and she still called him ‘Baby’.
They walked every day by my house until health issues kept them from doing so. I still see them in my minds eye walking hand in hand, talking with each other and laughing on occasion. They obviously enjoyed life. The obviously enjoyed each others company after all these years.
One day shortly after she died, I stopped by to visit my old friend. He was still mourning the loss of his ‘bride’ but even in his sadness there was a twinkle in his eye as he remembered all the little things that she did to make his life fulfilled.
Finally, I got up the courage to ask him the million dollar question, “So, what’s the secret? Is there any one thing you did as a couple to keep the flame going for almost three quarters of a century?”
He pondered for a moment. Then he leaned towards me as though he was about to share the golden nugget of truth for all eternity…which he was. “Buttercup and I made a decision early in life that we would never forget how much we appreciated each other for who we were and not for what we did. Oh, now, mind you. There were some tough times. But we always went back to that one thing. Appreciation of each other for who they were in spite of the blunders we might make.’
I smiled. We talked a few more minutes before I had to leave. Three months later my dear friend joined his ‘Buttercup’ in the arms of Jesus, but I never forgot the lesson learned that day, and as I’ve pondered his simple words I’ve reminded myself that that’s the kind of love Jesus has for us.
Jesus has a lasting love that says, “I appreciate you. Not for the things you’ve done, but for who you are.” Regardless of the mistakes I’ve made in my past. Regardless of the doubts I’ve had, the times I’ve mistreated people or the times I’ve ignored my time with him. He loves me. He appreciates me!
Everything good in life comes from a Heavenly Father who, through his Son, Jesus Christ appreciates you. He wants to walk with you every day. He wants to talk with you, to love you. To hold your hand when the path gets treacherous. His love never changes, never grows old. Sometimes I think of my old friend and I smile as I think that right now Jesus just may be calling me his ‘Buttercup.’
PRAYER: Jesus, I thank you today for the love you have for me. It’s so hard to imagine a love so great that you are willing forgive me and forget the times I’ve failed you and failed others around me. I pray that you would help me to live every day with the reminder of how much you love me and how much you appreciate me. Help me to show your love to others and apply it to my own life as well. In your name I pray, Amen.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6
Have you ever meditated on what it means to have the Creator God, the almighty, all knowing, ever present God in relationship with you? He’s not watching us from heaven on high like we often think of. He’s walking with us! He’s sitting in our car with us during rush hour traffic. He’s holding our hand in the doctor’s office when the test reports come in. He’s got his arm around you when the news comes that a loved one has joined him for the eternal portion of their lives.
You know that feeling of elation you have when the boss tells you that you have a promotion coming…and a raise? Well, he feels it too and he smiles with pride. Just like he does when he’s sitting with you at the basketball game watching your son/daughter score the winning basket! And he cheers too!
When your little one lays sick with fever he has one hand on their tiny little body, and the other on your shoulder. I think he may even have tear on his cheek. Not because he’s worried about the baby, but because he feels your pain of worry and the pain of the little one.
During those times when the challenges of life seem too much to bear and you feel like you are bearing them all alone, he’s there. You may not sense his presence. Especially during those times of weakness when you give into temptation. You may not sense him during those times of disappointment with a spouse, a child or your parents. But God’s presence with you isn’t determined by your awareness of him. He’s always by your side. Watching your back, guiding your future. Comforting your present.
The next time you are attacked by the enemy named worry, worship instead. Worship isn’t reserved for Sunday. Worship isn’t reserved for any particular place or time. Worship is daily walking with the assurance that the one walking with you and loving you is God. That’s grace. That’s relationship. That’s God for you.
PRAYER: Father God, I praise and worship you for your promise to always be by my side. Forgive me for the times I forget that you not only watch over me but you walk with me, side by side and hand in hand. Today I ask that in every circumstance we go through together I will be aware of your presence by my side. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:40-42
There are so many times in our lives when, like Martha, we get distracted. There are, after all, so many ‘good things’ that need to be done. People are being devastated by war, natural disasters, health issues and economic woes.
Then there are churches that need to be built and maintained. Youth groups that need planning. Worship teams that need to practice. Bible Studies need to be held. Accountability partners need to be met with. Prayer groups need to be held and nurtured.
And while we are doing all that, the laundry at home needs to be done. The lawn needs to be mowed. The car needs fixing. Grandma and Grandpa need to be visited…and don’t forget Aunt Tillie’s birthday card, (she never forgot to send you one). The house needs cleaning and painting. The kid’s homework and music lessons must be completed and school activities attended.
Is it any wonder we get tired? Is there any question why sometimes it’s hard to squeeze just one more thing into our lives? There are so many noble and worthy causes around us that need attention. So many people who need to hear about Jesus and to see his love acted out on a daily, personal basis. Kingdom work will never get done unless Kingdom people do it.
Maybe that’s why Martha was so intense that day. Maybe she saw how tired Jesus and his disciples were. Maybe she saw this moment as an opportunity to show Jesus just how much she loved him, appreciated him and was thankful that he raised Lazarus from the dead. Perhaps this was her act of worship to the most high God.
Christian author, Larry Crabb, states in his book “The Pressure is Off” that many Christians have burned out and given up on ministry and even church because they are just too tired and too caught up in life to fulfill the requirements of the Christian walk.
What Jesus really wants from us is to sit at his feet. He just wants to spend time with us; to share life with us. The other things need to be done, for sure. There are many ministry opportunities for us to involve ourselves in throughout the community, in our churches and in our family. But what Jesus really longs for is for you to spend just a few minutes at his feet. It’s time, not activity that builds relationship. He wants that relationship with you.
Time. Time in his word, the laundry will get done. Time. Time in prayer and meditation, the Sunday School lesson can wait. Time. It’s the one thing Jesus longs to have with you.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I confess to you that I’ve just been way to busy with good things to take time at your feet. I realize that the most important part of my day is the part where I sit at your feet. Empower me with your Spirit to make the time to spend with you so that I can have the energy I need to minister for you. In your name I pray, Amen.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10
You are being followed. Don’t be alarmed. It’s not as if you were being stalked by some dark threatening figure lurking in the shadows. He means no harm to you, in fact he follows you to protect you.
You are being followed. Relax. He’s not some ‘helicopter dad’ who hovers over you and watches your every step in order to protect you from every bump and bruise. In fact, he’s been known to keep his distance from time to time in order for you to test your freedom.
You are being followed. Celebrate! You are being followed by a King! You are being followed by the Creator of the universe. By the wisest and richest and most powerful being around.
He’s not following you to try to catch you at some evil deed. He’s not following you to gather evidence of your shortcomings so that he can bring you to trial and convict you. He’s not following you because he thinks you are going to show him anything new either. In fact, his decision to follow you has absolutely nothing to do with who you are, what you look like or what has happened in your past (good or bad).
He’s following you for one reason and one reason only. He loves you. Not only does he love you but he loves you enough to follow you wherever you go. When you take him to good places where he hears and sees good things, he loves you and celebrates with you. When you take him to places that are dark and threatening, he loves you and protects you.
He’ll never leave you. He’ll never let you out of his sight. Like a protective Father he’ll let you wander a bit, let you feel like you are in control and like you are on your own. But you will never be more than an arms reach away from his protective grasp.
His decision to seek you out and follow you is in no way affected by what other people think about you or say about you, or by anything you have done. The accusations of those who like rules, and those who flaunt freedom fall on his deaf ears. He doesn’t care what others think about you. He loves you. They won’t stop him from that!
To think that God, Creator God, the God of the universe loves you so much that he seeks you out. He follows you on the crowded streets. He watches over you when you go through the dark valleys of life. Always there. Always watching. Always loving. That’s your Heavenly Father. Your sin doesn’t surprise him. Your actions won’t bring revenge. When you stumble he is there to pick you up. He loves you and nothing will ever change that.
PRAYER: Father God, I’m in awe of the fact that you would love me so much that you would seek me out and follow me. I see myself as so weak, so unworthy of your love, so incapable of living the life I know you’d like me to live. I think of the things I’ve let you see and hear. I’m embarrassed by the places I’ve taken you. Thank you for being patient. Thank you for loving me and protecting me in every circumstance. In Jesus name, Amen.
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” John 18:36
When Jesus was on earth many people became disillusioned with him when he began to speak of his upcoming death. They misunderstood his mission. They were looking for someone to deliver them from the bondage that the Roman Government was putting on them
The people of Jesus’ time were tired of high taxes, tired of government rules and regulations and tired of being told how and where and when to worship. They wanted government off their backs. They wanted freedom. In Jesus they saw all that and more. Imagine having king that was not only righteous, but could heal as well! Life would be so much better.
But Jesus didn’t come to earth to provide the people with a guarantee of prosperity. He didn’t walk the dusty roads of Palestine to preach revolution from government. Jesus didn’t come to remove trials and tribulation from people’s lives, he came to show them how to live in the midst of them.
We really haven’t changed much from the days when Jesus was physically here. During those honest times we still expect, or at least wish, that he would wave some magic wand and make our world easier.
Who wouldn’t love to have a Savior that would provide all our wants? How marvelous would it be for him to remove the crabbiness from those around us. If we could pray against the guy who just cut us off and have a policeman promptly pull him over! If we could simply wish those extra pounds away, magically produce lower gas prices, or change our spouse/significant other into the caring person we once thought they were.
Life would be so much easier if Jesus were our Santa Clause instead of our Savior! Ok, maybe that was a bit of a stretch, but every day people lose faith because their prayers weren’t answered the way they hoped, or the strength they prayed for didn’t come.
Jesus didn’t come to bring his physical kingdom into existence. Someday that will come. Jesus came to bring a Spiritual kingdom into the hearts of those who choose to follow Him. We should not expect to feel at home in this world. Our home isn’t here on earth, it’s in heaven. Until we get there, we are aliens in a foreign land.
Since this world is not our home we can expect to be misunderstood, mistreated and even attacked for our faith. Since we are aliens if a foreign land our hope isn’t in the life we live here, but in the life we live when we get home.
PRAYER: Father God, sometimes I get so tired of being under attack for my beliefs. I’m misunderstood, I’m tempted to doubt and I’m encouraged by the world system to go against your word. I live in a world system of no values and no absolute truth. I ask that you would strengthen me through your Holy Spirit to remain true through the attacks and struggles. Help me to remember that my home is not here, but with you. In Jesus name, Amen.
