Regarding Your Worst Day(s)

S -"Jesus said, “Simon, listen to me! Satan has demanded the right to test each one of you, as a farmer does when he separates wheat from the husks. But Simon, I have asked God to keep your faith from failing. And when you have returned, help the others.”" Luke 23 TS

O -  It’s more than interesting to note that Jesus prayed for Peter’s faith to not fail rather than for him to not fail.  The curious thinking and praying of Jesus are even more intensified when considering his earlier description of the penalty for public denial. “If you tell others you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven you are my followers. But if you deny me, I will tell my Father in heaven you don’t belong to me (Matthew 10).” Not only so, but after his public failure, Peter’s assignment will be to “help the others.” 

A -  On just about every topic Jesus really does think very differently and he’s expecting, insisting and helping his followers to do the same.  The truth is, Peter has been helping others by his life experience (including his failure) for about two thousand years.  I am certainly one of those so helped. His public performance that night was a complete failure.  His ongoing response to Jesus, his reliance on and confidence in Jesus, remains a great success. Apparently, Jesus knows that we are (I am) little and weak on our best day and that we will have many days far from best.  His response to us all remains “Follow me and I will make you…” I will rely on, have confidence in and follow him day by day!      

P -  Lord who is life, eternal, vibrant and irrepressible, 

Thank you for loving us first, most and for refusing to change your mind even when we give you reasons to.  You call us to yourself and to help others with the very help we’ve received from you. I am very anxious for the ongoing change of thinking and living you want in me/us and through me/us. All these years later you remain unintimidated by any failure and unimpressed by any success. Coming near and staying near is the point. Yes to you and to your thinking and living.

All my hope is in you and your relentless love,

Steve

The Person not the Concept

S -"“I always see the Lord near me, and I will not be afraid with him at my right side. Because of this, my heart will be glad, my words will be joyful, and I will live in hope. …  He has shown me the path to life, and he makes me glad by being near me.”" Acts 2 TS

O -  These thoughts originally come from Psalm 16 and are a direct reference to Jesus (according to the Scriptures). In Jesus they also have a direct application to all who love him. The source of joy, confidence, hope and life is a person and his presence with us and in us. Repelling fear, living in hope and maintaining a joyful commentary do not come from any circumstance or the embrace of a concept or principle. Regardless of the situation and/or its cause the path of vibrant irrepressible life and all it entails is available exclusively in the experience of his person and presence. 

A -  This relational dynamic awaits any and all. It is not me trying to pretend or practice the reality of his presence or imagining that he is near. The hope and confidence identified are not generated by us but received from the person of Jesus. This has been my consistent experience day by day and situation by situation the last nine years. In life’s challenges and hardships, I don’t always start in this reality but if I’m willing I can always experience it. Jesus affirms, “I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you (John 14).” It is amazing because he is absolutely amazing.

P -  Lord who is literally near,

Thank you for your open-ended invitation to come near and stay near. Thank you for your defiant mercy and relentless love. You yourself are life, hope, confidence and joy. I am grateful to be living in and with you.

All my love,

Steve

Why He Was Sent

S - "The next morning Jesus went out to a place where he could be alone, and crowds came looking for him. When they found him, they tried to stop him from leaving. But Jesus said, “People in other towns must hear the good news about God’s kingdom. This is why I was sent.” So he kept on speaking in the synagogues in Judea.” Luke 4 TS

O - Jesus was sent to clarify the person and purposes of God. He only did what the Father was doing (John 5). He only said what the Father was saying (John 12). In fact, he said "…  "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me." (John 12) He is the EXACT representation of the Father (Hebrews 1:3). This is why he was sent.

A - Heaven wants the world God loves to be crystal clear on his person and purposes. Jesus is that clarity. If my picture of the Father is not identical to Jesus heaven wants me to change the picture. The Scripture experts and religious elites of Jesus’ day were those who opposed and resisted Jesus and refused to make the change. I do not want to be among them. He is the message sent to the 7.7 billion God loves. 

P - Father of Jesus,

Thank you making it crystal clear to us concerning your person and purposes. Am gratefully delighted to believe Jesus about you; about heaven and about earth. Thank you for your relentless love and defiant mercy. I really do love you back.

Steve

Finally

S -"Then Jesus said, “What can I compare God’s kingdom with? It is like what happens when a woman mixes yeast into three batches of flour. Finally, all the dough rises.”" Luke 13 TS

O - Jesus is the ultimate material witness, message and expert of God and his Kingdom.  He identifies the Kingdom, individually and universally, starts infinitesimally small. When the mixture of heaven (yeast) with earth (dough) occurs there is no immediately discernible change. It all looks the same. However, once the yeast is in the dough the transforming dynamic has begun.  Time elapses and then “finally” ALL the dough rises (each of the three batches). Each batch may not rises identically or in synchronistic precision — but they will all rise. YAY!!!!      

A -  When I think about the world God loves as groups of people (nationally, religiously, ethnically, etc.) they are different batches.  When I think about the areas of my own life (mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, etc) these too are different batches. The beauty is once the yeast of the Kingdom is introduced,  all the batches will rise … finally. This is at least one of the reasons Jesus instructs us: "Don’t judge others, and God won’t judge you. Don’t be hard on others, and God won’t be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you. If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return … The way you treat others is the way you will be treated." [Luke 6 TS]. For the batches in my own life, the lives of others and the batches of our world … I will live this way and rejoice when finally they all rise.   

P -  God who is like the woman mixing in the yeast,

I am so very thankful for your intervention, interference, influence and intersection with my very little life and all its batches.  Thank you for loving the whole world … every person and every batch.  Thank you for finally when all the batches rise.  I am amazed because you are amazing! 

In Jesus,

Steve