Still Under the Doctor's Care

S - “Then Jesus went again to walk alongside the lake. Again a crowd came to him, and he taught them. Strolling along, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, at his work collecting taxes. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” He came. Later Jesus and his disciples were at home having supper with a collection of disreputable guests. Unlikely as it seems, more than a few of them had become followers. The religion scholars and Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company and lit into his disciples: “What kind of example is this, acting cozy with the riffraff?” Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit.”” Message 2:13-17

O - The tax collectors and their friends or associates were despised by the religion and the religious. They were measured, judged and rejected by those who claimed the Scriptures and claimed to represent the God presented in them.  Jesus lives out loud the reality and intent the Scriptures record. He was sent by God to clarify his person, purpose and message. He has no interest in religious conversions or in religion period. He never called a person to a cause … only to himself. Follow me is the call and to this very day all who will follow him are welcome.

A -  Religion is always telling people what they should for God. Jesus calls us to live in and with God; not to do for him but only with him. He doesn't want people to be an example for God but to be those who live in God. To put it in religious terminology - don't be "holy" for God but to him. Don't think of yourself as spiritually superior or complete but rather as dependent on God for every day and everything (John 5:19). All these years later I still need and want the doctor named Jesus. I don't want to work for him but with him; don't want to live to him but in him; don't want to be kingdom minded for him but to him. I accept that I'm never called to be an example for him but an example of one who is under his ongoing care.

P - Lord who loves and wants all,

All these years later I am in no less need of you. Without your direct and ongoing intervention there is no lasting hope for me or for my world. I am so grateful that we didn't "pray you down" to earth and earthlings … you came to us on your own, sent by your Father. I do love you back and accept your one consistent instruct and one consistent command. Judge no one. Love all unconditionally.

Yes, in Jesus and in his name,

Steve

Power or Assignment?

 S - “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”” John 20:19-23 NIV

O - In this resurrection encounter the followers of Jesus are not only overjoyed but given a baseline for how life for them would work from here on out. Their daily living was to be the same as his had been; miraculous, other world, intentional reliance on God and his very near kingdom in every situation and for every earthly need.  Such a sending would require unique help and so the Helper (i.e. the Holy Spirit) is given to them.  The last part would make the baseline complete … the issue of how to deal with sin. Was Jesus giving a power to "anathematize"; to hold someone's sins against them unto damnation? Is that how he was sent and how he lived among flawed and failing earthlings? The answer is a resounding no!  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17 NIV

A - Religion took this exchange and built a falsehood involving ecclesiastical structure which never entered the mind of Jesus and has never been a part of the kingdom of God. Jesus clarifies this on many occasions for his followers. The following, which comes right after his teaching on prayer, leaves me crystal clear on this point.  “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15 NIV Jesus is not giving us a power to condemn but an assignment to forgive.

P - Dear Lord Jesus,

You are the only righteousness heaven accepts, offers and provides. You are relentless in your love and unflickering in forgiveness. This is my consistent experience with you and I admit is to be my consistent expression to all others. I accept the assignment and will intentionally rely on the Helper for this and for EVERYTHING else. Thank you for sending us the way you were sent.

You are amazing,

Steve

If at First You Don't Succeed - Accept Help

S - “Dear friend, I am not writing to tell you and your children to do something you have not done before. I am writing to tell you to love each other, which is the first thing you were told to do. Love means we do what God tells us. And from the beginning, he told you to love him.” 2 John 5-6 CEV

O - These verse come directly from the purpose heaven has for every human being every day and every circumstance. According to Jesus, loving is not only the first thing, it is always, without exception, the most important thing. It is the greatest command upon which all other Scripture depends (Matthew 22:34-40). It is his new commandment for his followers and it is the singular identifier, the only verification, of those who actually are his followers (John 13:34-35). The problem is not in people trying it or at some point intermittently engaging it. The problem is in accepting love as THE priority regardless of the situation. Culture (secular and religious) is willing and even encouraging for love to be A qualified priority but not the unqualified one regardless of the circumstance.

A - Heaven stands perpetually ready to enable all to engage and fulfill this command. In fact, it knows that without its direct intervention earthlings will be unable to so live. So magnanimously committed to empowering us in this essential activity, heaven doesn't even require us to perform it flawlessly; just truthfully. When failure occurs we are to admit, apologize, recalibrate and reengage. This is the beauty of unconditional love. Humans can never fully experience or express it until conditions arise. I accept this amazing and unflickering imperative. I choose to love and admit that all heaven stands ready to make it so … and to work everything for good.

P - Lord who is incarnate love,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for relentlessly loving us; for making the way and being the way for us to experience and express unconditional love. I need and want your love and I need and want to give love the way I am receiving it. I ask for and accept the help you offer … help, transformation not self-help and human effort.