Everything for Good

S - “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” Proverbs 16:4 ESV

O - This ancient saying affirms a dynamic on earth which God has given himself to relentlessly.  This reality combines his brilliance, nearness, power, and mercy so that all humans may have confidence in any and in every circumstance. It echoes through the prayer Jesus taught the twelve to pray and is evidenced in both the stories and statements of scripture.  The reality? Not only does God have a will on earth but he is purposeful in everything he causes AND in everything he allows. Not only so, but he himself is literally working everything caused and everything allowed for good! He's not just working every good thing but everything, even the bad and wicked things for good. 

A - This confidence for earth's residents does not come in the knowledge of a plan, promise or principle but in knowing and relying on a person. When anyone meets him and enters into a relationship with him they know how true this is. He's actually, unceasingly and completely amazing! Jesus comes to clarify the person and purposes of God (John 12:44-45: “And Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.”). The result of knowing him and being with him and in him day by day leaves all followers with a conclusion voiced beautifully by a former religious zealot and terrorist, Saul of Tarsus: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

P - God who has a will on earth and not just in heaven,

Thank you for sending Jesus to clarify your person and purpose; for always being at work and for working all things. I can believe and live this out loud because of his person, knowing him not just about him … and he reveals you. Amazing!  So, I thank you for everything that has happened to me and in me to this very day. Not just every good thing but everything … even that which should have never been done to me or by me.  I fully admit you're working it all.  I welcome you and your will on earth like they do in heaven; completely and without reserve. Thank you for letting me (us) live and pray in Jesus and in his name.

I love you back,

Steve 

The Family Business of Heaven

S - “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. … My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. … You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:9-10, 12, 14-17 NIV

O - According to Jesus, the followers of Jesus have only one overarching command.  It is the priority and the verifying mark for all who are actually following.  It occurs twice in the dialogue above with those closest to him; a dialogue occurring just hours before his arrest. This command is the embodiment of the business he confirmed his friends would know and engage with him.  The family business is love.  The command is love … that we would love each other.  All other Scriptures, ideas, points of focus and instructions are subservient to this one.  There is no other mark or measure given by Jesus which validates and confirms his followers and friends.  To this very point, 1 Corinthians will confirm that without love all is noise and nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).  

A - The basis and power for me/us to engage this command from Jesus is his love, God's love, heaven's love for us.  As a result of receiving this love he is asking me to admit, embrace and choose this command.  His promise is that if I'll choose it he will empower it. Amazingly, not only does heaven stand ready to enable this choice but to grant whatever else we ask upon it's embrace … "and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”

P - Dearest, Fairest and  Greatest Friend,

Thank you again for loving us first and most and for refusing to change your mind. I admit, accept and choose you and your command unto really following; being your friend and engaging the family business.  I know it will take a miracle for this to happen in me and through me … it's the beauty of working with you rather than for you … I do the following and you do the making me your friend.

I do love you back,

Steve

All Things How?

S - “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. … Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.” Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-35 ESV

O - "All things in common" did not and does not mean a centralized human authority which maintains control over others, making unilateral decisions about the possession, distribution and consumption of resources. This commonality did not and does not start with the physical but the spiritual, not with what is seen but what is unseen. It did not flow from or follow a cause or principle but a person. "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. … So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27,33 ESV) What it does mean is a full hearted response to the person of Jesus and living a relational commitment to him, to his brothers and sisters and to working with him on earth just like they do in heaven.

A - "All things" is the same as "everything" and it is the requirement of Jesus for everyone who would be his disciple. I can be a religious, theological, institutional and/or missional disciple without embracing this requirement but, according to Jesus, I cannot be his disciple apart from it. The fear which earth and hell promote when this reality is addressed is the fear of want; that somehow following Jesus and engaging his instructions will impoverish my life and leave me bereft of blessing or abundance. “Peter began to say to him, "See, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.” Mark 10:28-30 ESV So far, my experience confirms that when Jesus sends us out with nothing we lack nothing and when we give up everything we receive everything as he intends. I'll refuse the fear and follow the One who is love, light and life unto all things in common.

P - Lord who relentlessly loves us all,

I accept your terms of living, of discipleship, of following. I will believe you about earth and not just about heaven. I realize that this kind of living is ultimately impossible to me without ongoing miraculous interventions from you; but of course this is exactly your point and promise … the life that is really life. Vibrant, refreshing, irrepressible, eternal abundant life here and hereafter.

Relying on you and your ongoing intervention,

Steve