Enter Here

S - "And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34 ESV)

O - The accounts of Jesus' life and ministry present the Greatest Commandment in three different settings.  Matthew 22 reveals that all Scripture hangs/depends on these two.  In Luke 10 the question is about inheriting eternal life.  When the questioner quoted these two commandments as his answer to his own question the Scripture records: "'You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.'" In the exchange above the scribe states his complete agreement with Jesus; that the two commands form the superlative of all … they are the greatest.  The response of Jesus to this is an interesting one.  He didn't say 'Way to go … you're in the kingdom.'  He said:  "You are not far from the kingdom of God." The difference between close and in is essential (cf. Luke 13:23-30). In the life, mind, words and commands of Jesus, believing and living are not separated.  The failure to live what one claims to believe is the very reality Jesus consistently warns his followers against. Such is the yeast of the Pharisees … they say the words but refuse the meaning.  Accuracy in theological thinking is not a bad thing but it will not secure one's place in the Kingdom which will never end. Among his last words to the Twelve we find this statement (John 13:17): "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

A - The doing which connects me/us with the blessing is not a way to earn anything … it is the way to receive … a receiving based on a living response to a living being (divine and human).  Engaging, living the greatest commandments is the purpose for all humans on planet earth.  All are welcome into the Kingdom and all come the same way … loving the way they are loved.  Today I won't settle for being near the Kingdom … because of love and by love I'll enter in!

P - Lord who loves all,

Thank you for being the way for us to live out loud the superlatives … for loving us first and most and for refusing to change your mind.  I am so very grateful that near or in is not something I determine for another … it is something I can know about me.  I do want to love you back with all, even when it's pathetically small and weak, and my neighbor (7.2 billion minus 1) as myself.  It is a beautiful reality that each day, each circumstance all you want is all.  I give my all in Jesus' name.

Steve

More than Wanted - Help Needed!

S - "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. … But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.  … “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. … Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged." (John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-11 ESV)

O - I will ask, send, give you another Helper … with you, in you, to be with you forever … teach you, bring to your remembrance, bear witness about me, convict the world.  Jesus, the expert on God, the Kingdom, Humans, Earth and the interface between them, is identifying the dynamics his followers may expect when it comes to the Spirit; dynamics for the here and now, each day, each circumstance.  Like Jesus, the Helper will actually help … he's not engaging a method of self-help but the miracle of transformation.  The followers aren't going to be hindered by the physical departure of Jesus and neither will they merely be a little better off because of the Spirit.  They are singularly and completely advantaged!

A - Jesus identifies the Spirit as "Helper".  This unlikely designation for divine presence and activity confirms two essential realities: my desperate need and his unflickering desire.  What if I actually believe this as Jesus intends?  What if I throw open my complete self to the Helper each day and each circumstance?  What if I rely on him and not on me … to fully cooperate with what Jesus has clearly said he's up for?  This is how he (Jesus) lived among us and how he intends for his followers to live.  This day, I say yes to Jesus and to the Spirit … unto my ongoing transformation and his amazing will on earth as it is in heaven.

P - Lord who has not left us orphaned,

I admit my desperate need of help.  I welcome everything you already have in mind to do in me, through me and in this world.  I admit that you are working and have invited all to join you in the work you are doing … according to the Spirit and forever life.  Yes!  I'll engage my part and not try to do yours.

All in,

Steve 

Healed Curiously

S - "And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. (Mark 10:46-52 ESV)

O - By this time in Jesus' public life no one is surprised that he could heal a person who'd become blind; he even healed those born blind.  The crowd considered Bartimaeus' cry an annoyance to be silenced … another hassle from one of the countless beggars in the world.  Apparently, Jesus heard something very different in his shout; something more than urgency or despair. Whatever the cause, the outcast blind man is called to come and be in the very center of the crowd, to be in the immediate presence of Jesus.  Not only is their exchange brief, it is remarkably casual considering the outstanding result.  A simple straightforward question and answer followed by an instruction to simply move along … no touching, no praying, no commanding, no scriptures invoked, no formula engaged.  Jesus doesn't offer him a deal … I heal and you commit to follow.  He just speaks, agrees with his faith and releases him to "go your way." Bartimaeus makes a second great choice.  The first was to keep crying out and the second was to keep following: "immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way." 

A - It seems obvious (though not stated in the scripture) Bartimaeus had some previous knowledge of Jesus and embraced the information he had.  Jesus of Nazareth is someone who is capable of outstanding healings.  He had the concept in mind and agreed with the capacity and possibility.  This no doubt inspired his insistent and even uncouth response. Yet, none of this produced his healing.  The power to heal is not in the concept, principles, history, promises or plans of Jesus.  Each of these point to such amazing dynamics as healings but they do not accomplish them.  All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to the person of Jesus, not the concept, principle or promise. These are given so we would come to him (John 5:39-40).  I admit that I am often relying on or responding out of the concept or principle rather than with and to the person.  According to Jesus, in each day and each circumstance the point and focus remains the same, come to me and follow me.  I gratefully accept the difference between the person and the concept. I want to live this difference out loud day by day!

P - Lord Jesus,

I am so grateful for your patient and unoffended love for me and for all … and I want to be helped/transformed in my thinking and living in this awesome, beautiful, challenging, intimate and critical distinction.  We are designed for personal relationship with you and your Father. I want to live in you not to you (concept); to work with you and not for you (plan); to be holy to you not for you (principles).  I choose to ask for mercy, come near and follow.

I love you back,

Steve

Word: well said; said in agreement - Urban Dictionary

S - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. … The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. (John 1:1-4, 9-11 ESV)

O - These verses give very clear information about the person (identity and activity) of Jesus and his interface with heaven and earth. The response of both places is very different yet both are dependent on him for their existence. Considering this shared dependence, the stark contrast between his reception in heaven and on earth is surprising but no surprise to him. Jesus comes to dispel darkness, to affirm and express heaven's love for earth and especially for all earthlings. This love does not love to be loved but loves because it loves completely (unconditionally). It wants to be loved back but will it love regardless of the response (like light shining). He is life and light to all. All are wanted and all may receive.

A - I rarely love him or anyone this way, even though this is how I am relentlessly loved by him. Heaven's hope in me coming to this sad and true conclusion is not to inspire remorse but to inspire a response to love the way I am loved. Not only to love him this way but to love all this way. The capacity to do this rests not in me but in him. The decision to engage is mine. Heaven knows it will literally take a miracle and is prepared to produce one. Jesus will go on to tell us all "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:4-5 ESV) According to the grace that is Jesus I choose to receive and respond … to step into the light that is already shining.

P - Lord who is love, life and light,

Thank you for loving us no matter what. I need and want you and all you already have in mind. I engage the grace filled dignity of choice to love you back and all others the way I am loved by you. I choose you back; love you back; and will look to love my neighbors (all others) as myself. I admit this is impossible to me but very possible in you.

Word,

Steve