So, this is what I wrote in my journal after the mission trip and I know you wanted to see it and I want you to see my heart! I had no intentions of sharing this with you but by quoting myself, I know its completely from my heart, its all real haha.
"(9:03 pm 3/22/12) So I just got home from the mission trip in Chicago, a 15 hour drive and a bunch of us are going to see the premier of the Hunger Games. I don't even know where to begin with this trip though. I just turned on Pandora and "Better Together" by Jack Johnson is playing. This song always reminds me of Em and her cute voice singing along. Me and Em grew a lot over the trip crazy as it sounds being 10 states apart. I knew something was up on the way to Chicago by the way she was acting over texts. It took some prying, probably more than I should have done, to get her to tell me that one of her friends told her she liked her. It re-started the whole doubting our relationship cycle. But it led to an awesome breakthrough in my life. I had to realize that, as her leader, My goal is to first and foremost seek God, and then secondly, help her do the same...even if that meant breaking up and letting her go. I prayed so much that we could stay together and that i could have the privileged of marrying her one day. But, I realize that God's plan is bigger than my desire. Needless to say, we worked it out pretty fast because of our communication and prayer. We had to cast out the lies in Jesus's name! I freakin love this girl though. Her heart is so beautiful, not to mention her appearance. Somehow, she still can be insecure. Anyways, shes always in my prayers and God is quick to answer them. Em was worried that she wouldn't be able to intern at the orthodontist because of her low grade but God allowed the grade to rise and really blessed her. Just trusting in Him is so important. Finally, Em and I were talking and I wanted to know the name of the guy who likes her and she wouldn't tell me. I wanted to know to pray for him, and I have, and just so I could protect Em, but I pushed it too far and I had to repent. But the cool thing is how fast God made it evident to me, we were still talking when God convicted me. It was truly a blessing, and a big sign of growth in my relationship with Him. So we prayed right there, and Em just blew me away again with her forgiveness and love and understanding. I can't believe I'm so blessed sometimes, I feel like I won the jackpot snagging such a Godly woman at this age. I can't even imagine where we'll be in a few years. I just continue to pray that God will let us be together forever and grow in Him and be a light for Him and do so much more good together than alone. But I'm thankful already for what He's blessed us with, even if it ends tomorrow. Who knows when my last day is anyways!
God, may all the praise and glory go your way, I love you, please help me to love you more and allow you to love me more!
I didn't even talk about the mission trip really, but that was really important! The first day: We planted a garden at "Interfaith House", a homeless shelter. It was cool because we were literally 'planting the seeds' and what an awesome representation to live out. The second day we worked at a place that held adults with mental disabilities during the day. We painted and decorates and organized and just hung out. I'm always a little nervous around mentally handicapped, but God really showed me their beauty and joy and His awesomeness! One thing stuck out while I was making a mosaic wall (which I totally want to do one day) wen this girl placed a tile crookedly. I said, you being artsy eh? She said yeah, there's beauty in the imperfection isn't there? and what an awesome quote for that day and for me and Em's relationship and for self-image and everything! The third day all we did was hang out at Interfatih again. 3 things stuck out to me. Walter and his poem called, 'Listen to what the Old people have to say!' The General and all of his wisdom and emphasis on history and scripture, and current news. Finally, Garry and the effect we had on him. He said, "something definitely is going on with the residents and everything" and I could tell he was referencing a higher power (he's not very spiritual) I just hope and pray those seeds get watered and harvested (spirutally and literally!)"
I know its long, but again, I just want you to see my heart. I love this journal, it totally allows me to be real and then whenever i feel its necessary, I can read you letters and stuff out of it. I love you Em!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
THE SPIT OF THE SOLDIERS
By: Max Lucado
The whipping was the first deed of the soldiers.
The crucifixion was the third. (No, I didn’t skip the second. We’ll get to that in a moment.) Though his back was ribboned with wounds, the soldiers loaded the crossbeam on Jesus’ shoulders and marched him to the Place of a Skull and executed him.
We don’t fault the soldiers for these two actions. After all, they were just following orders. But what’s hard to understand is what they did in between. Here is Matthew’s description:
Jesus was beaten with whips and handed over to the soldiers to be crucified. The governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace, and they all gathered around him. They took off his clothes and put a red robe on him. Using thorny branches, they made a crown, put it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. Then the soldiers bowed before Jesus and made fun of him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on Jesus. Then they took his stick and began to beat him on the head. After they finished, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. (Matt. 27:26–31 NCV)
The soldiers’ assignment was simple: Take the Nazarene to the hill and kill him. But they had another idea. They wanted to have some fun first. Strong, rested, armed soldiers encircled an exhausted, nearly dead, Galilean carpenter and beat up on him. The scourging was commanded. The crucifixion was ordered. But who would draw pleasure out of spitting on a half-dead man?
Spitting isn’t intended to hurt the body—it can’t. Spitting is intended to degrade the soul, and it does. What were the soldiers doing? Were they not elevating themselves at the expense of another? They felt big by making Christ look small.
Allow the spit of the soldiers to symbolize the filth in our hearts. And then observe what Jesus does with our filth. He carries it to the cross.
Through the prophet he said, “I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting” (Isa. 50:6 NIV). Mingled with his blood and sweat was the essence of our sin.
God could have deemed otherwise. In God’s plan, Jesus was offered wine for his throat, so why not a towel for his face? Simon carried the cross of Jesus, but he didn’t mop the cheek of Jesus. Angels were a prayer away. Couldn’t they have taken the spittle away?
They could have, but Jesus never commanded them to. For some reason, the One who chose the nails also chose the saliva. Along with the spear and the sponge of man, he bore the spit of man.
The sinless One took on the face of a sinner so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint.
The whipping was the first deed of the soldiers.
The crucifixion was the third. (No, I didn’t skip the second. We’ll get to that in a moment.) Though his back was ribboned with wounds, the soldiers loaded the crossbeam on Jesus’ shoulders and marched him to the Place of a Skull and executed him.
We don’t fault the soldiers for these two actions. After all, they were just following orders. But what’s hard to understand is what they did in between. Here is Matthew’s description:
Jesus was beaten with whips and handed over to the soldiers to be crucified. The governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace, and they all gathered around him. They took off his clothes and put a red robe on him. Using thorny branches, they made a crown, put it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. Then the soldiers bowed before Jesus and made fun of him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on Jesus. Then they took his stick and began to beat him on the head. After they finished, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. (Matt. 27:26–31 NCV)
The soldiers’ assignment was simple: Take the Nazarene to the hill and kill him. But they had another idea. They wanted to have some fun first. Strong, rested, armed soldiers encircled an exhausted, nearly dead, Galilean carpenter and beat up on him. The scourging was commanded. The crucifixion was ordered. But who would draw pleasure out of spitting on a half-dead man?
Spitting isn’t intended to hurt the body—it can’t. Spitting is intended to degrade the soul, and it does. What were the soldiers doing? Were they not elevating themselves at the expense of another? They felt big by making Christ look small.
Allow the spit of the soldiers to symbolize the filth in our hearts. And then observe what Jesus does with our filth. He carries it to the cross.
Through the prophet he said, “I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting” (Isa. 50:6 NIV). Mingled with his blood and sweat was the essence of our sin.
God could have deemed otherwise. In God’s plan, Jesus was offered wine for his throat, so why not a towel for his face? Simon carried the cross of Jesus, but he didn’t mop the cheek of Jesus. Angels were a prayer away. Couldn’t they have taken the spittle away?
They could have, but Jesus never commanded them to. For some reason, the One who chose the nails also chose the saliva. Along with the spear and the sponge of man, he bore the spit of man.
The sinless One took on the face of a sinner so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint.
Praying over our Requests
Hey, I just prayed over all the stuff on our list and its both encouraging and discouraging at the same time looking at everything we've posted. It's good to see change in Madelaine's life and Brianne's life since we've began praying for them. God is good! But I don't want to forget about all the people we've listed their and kind've forgotten about.
Of course we still need to keep Brianne and Maddy in our prayers, but some of the other people that I know I've forgotten about and that probably need prayer more than ever right now are the names on the list:
Adrian
Keller
Hayley
Hailey
Alex
Alice
Erika and Steve
Aunt Tina, Jason, and the Huberts
Claudia
My mission trip group
Take some time praying over them because we know God listens to our prayers and answers them when we are praying that He gets the glory! I hope we don't ever underestimate the power of prayer and never take it for granted or look at it lightheartedly!
Of course we still need to keep Brianne and Maddy in our prayers, but some of the other people that I know I've forgotten about and that probably need prayer more than ever right now are the names on the list:
Adrian
Keller
Hayley
Hailey
Alex
Alice
Erika and Steve
Aunt Tina, Jason, and the Huberts
Claudia
My mission trip group
Take some time praying over them because we know God listens to our prayers and answers them when we are praying that He gets the glory! I hope we don't ever underestimate the power of prayer and never take it for granted or look at it lightheartedly!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Perry and Lucretia's story-April 2008
"Eight years ago today Lucretia and I were married…I became hers and she became mine.
And if I had a choice to do it all over again knowing what I know now…I WOULD DO IT IN A HEARTBEAT!
She’s my lady…my bride…my princess…and so much more.
I cannot emphasize how much I value the covenant of marriage. It’s not something that should be taken lightly. (Single dudes…please don’t think that marriage is just about sex…if that is the ONLY reason you want to get married then you are USING a young lady to merely satisfy your sexual desires…uh…that would be wrong!)
So many people ask how we met & began dating…here is my version (her version is slightly longer…which is about like saying the Pope is slightly Catholic!) :-)
I first saw her in 1993…she began attending a church in which I was the youth pastor. I was dating someone pretty serious at the time…so…no sparks or love at first sight stories.
About a year later the relationship I had been in had came to an end…and I began to take notice of ‘Cretia…SERIOUS notice; however, she pretty much intimidated the CRAP out of me. (It’s true…beautiful/godly women ARE intimidating! Some single ladies wonder why you can’t get a date…it’s because most guys are scared as heck to asking you out! Trust me!)
We began to hang out “as friends–in groups.” I tried to flirt and play games…but she didn’t dance to that beat. SO…I kept trying–even asking her to chaperone youth retreats because I thought she was a good role model for our young girls. (AND she was/is SMOKIN’ HOT!!!)
(Single girls–don’t flippin’ play games…if you don’t want to date–DON’T. If you do–then DO! And when he asks you to dinner…don’t stay up until four in the morning evaluating what in the heck “dinner” might mean!!!)
In 1995 I decided to “go for broke.” I called her at home and basically said, “Here’s the deal…I need to tell you something and I don’t want you to say anything until I am finished.” She agreed and then I pretty much spilled the beans…told her how I felt about her…that I wanted to date her. (Guys…I DID NOT SAY, “God told me that you were to marry me and I saw a vision of you in a white gown on a horse…” If you are doing that–stop it you freak…you are scaring her!!!)
And guys…I called her…I didn’t get my “best friend” to do it. Be a man!
After I finished there was silence…and then she said, “Well, I won’t say yes…but I can’t say no!”
I WAS PUMPED…I was expecting a, “HECK NO!” This was good news…and so when she came back to college that fall I thought we were going to begin dating…I was wrong. She never said that we would…but for some reason I just assumed that…so…uh…yeah…I was pretty much disappointed and actually began dating other girls. (For the record…NOT A GOOD MOVE!)
In January of 1996 God finally got my attention and I decided to hang out with her…just her…and be her friend…no expectations…all I wanted was to build a solid friendship and, if something happened…it happened. If not then I had a great friend.
Guys…if you can’t pursue a woman with no strings attached…if you can’t be with a woman and it not have to be physical…then I say you are a pathetic wuss! Show her you want to be with her…and not just for her body! Step up and treat her like a LADY!
From January until May was incredibly awesome! We did something just about every weekend. I didn’t think it was going anywhere until one night at a friends house someone said to her, “Hey Mrs. Noble, get out from in front of the television.” I wanted to CRAWL under the house–but THEN the dude said, “It is going to be Mrs. Noble one day–isn’t it?”
She said, “I’m praying about it!”
I didn’t sleep for three days!!!
We talked about dating a few times in May of that year…then she graduated and moved back to Thomasville. We talked on the phone often…and so one Sunday afternoon I asked her, “So, are we ever going to date?” She was very non-committal…not because she was playing games…but because she said she knew that if we ever began dating that we would get married! (She is a prophetess!)
After we hung up I sat down and wrote her a two page letter…and sent it to her certified mail. In it I basically said, “I’ve got to know…yes or no–but I can’t go on not knowing.” She called me after getting the letter…and so on July 6, 1996 we began dating.
We dated until she finished medical school in 2000 and were married at Dawson Street Baptist Church in Thomasville, GA.
It was awesome…I pursued her like crazy to get her…and I am still pursuing her even today! I love my wife…and I pray that the next eight will be as great as the first eight.
I love you ‘Cretia!!! :-)
Single guys & gals…there is NOTHING like dating and marriage when it is done God’s way! Dating and married should be valued…treasured…and completely directed by Jesus!!! Just my opinion!!! :-)"
And if I had a choice to do it all over again knowing what I know now…I WOULD DO IT IN A HEARTBEAT!
She’s my lady…my bride…my princess…and so much more.
I cannot emphasize how much I value the covenant of marriage. It’s not something that should be taken lightly. (Single dudes…please don’t think that marriage is just about sex…if that is the ONLY reason you want to get married then you are USING a young lady to merely satisfy your sexual desires…uh…that would be wrong!)
So many people ask how we met & began dating…here is my version (her version is slightly longer…which is about like saying the Pope is slightly Catholic!) :-)
I first saw her in 1993…she began attending a church in which I was the youth pastor. I was dating someone pretty serious at the time…so…no sparks or love at first sight stories.
About a year later the relationship I had been in had came to an end…and I began to take notice of ‘Cretia…SERIOUS notice; however, she pretty much intimidated the CRAP out of me. (It’s true…beautiful/godly women ARE intimidating! Some single ladies wonder why you can’t get a date…it’s because most guys are scared as heck to asking you out! Trust me!)
We began to hang out “as friends–in groups.” I tried to flirt and play games…but she didn’t dance to that beat. SO…I kept trying–even asking her to chaperone youth retreats because I thought she was a good role model for our young girls. (AND she was/is SMOKIN’ HOT!!!)
(Single girls–don’t flippin’ play games…if you don’t want to date–DON’T. If you do–then DO! And when he asks you to dinner…don’t stay up until four in the morning evaluating what in the heck “dinner” might mean!!!)
In 1995 I decided to “go for broke.” I called her at home and basically said, “Here’s the deal…I need to tell you something and I don’t want you to say anything until I am finished.” She agreed and then I pretty much spilled the beans…told her how I felt about her…that I wanted to date her. (Guys…I DID NOT SAY, “God told me that you were to marry me and I saw a vision of you in a white gown on a horse…” If you are doing that–stop it you freak…you are scaring her!!!)
And guys…I called her…I didn’t get my “best friend” to do it. Be a man!
After I finished there was silence…and then she said, “Well, I won’t say yes…but I can’t say no!”
I WAS PUMPED…I was expecting a, “HECK NO!” This was good news…and so when she came back to college that fall I thought we were going to begin dating…I was wrong. She never said that we would…but for some reason I just assumed that…so…uh…yeah…I was pretty much disappointed and actually began dating other girls. (For the record…NOT A GOOD MOVE!)
In January of 1996 God finally got my attention and I decided to hang out with her…just her…and be her friend…no expectations…all I wanted was to build a solid friendship and, if something happened…it happened. If not then I had a great friend.
Guys…if you can’t pursue a woman with no strings attached…if you can’t be with a woman and it not have to be physical…then I say you are a pathetic wuss! Show her you want to be with her…and not just for her body! Step up and treat her like a LADY!
From January until May was incredibly awesome! We did something just about every weekend. I didn’t think it was going anywhere until one night at a friends house someone said to her, “Hey Mrs. Noble, get out from in front of the television.” I wanted to CRAWL under the house–but THEN the dude said, “It is going to be Mrs. Noble one day–isn’t it?”
She said, “I’m praying about it!”
I didn’t sleep for three days!!!
We talked about dating a few times in May of that year…then she graduated and moved back to Thomasville. We talked on the phone often…and so one Sunday afternoon I asked her, “So, are we ever going to date?” She was very non-committal…not because she was playing games…but because she said she knew that if we ever began dating that we would get married! (She is a prophetess!)
After we hung up I sat down and wrote her a two page letter…and sent it to her certified mail. In it I basically said, “I’ve got to know…yes or no–but I can’t go on not knowing.” She called me after getting the letter…and so on July 6, 1996 we began dating.
We dated until she finished medical school in 2000 and were married at Dawson Street Baptist Church in Thomasville, GA.
It was awesome…I pursued her like crazy to get her…and I am still pursuing her even today! I love my wife…and I pray that the next eight will be as great as the first eight.
I love you ‘Cretia!!! :-)
Single guys & gals…there is NOTHING like dating and marriage when it is done God’s way! Dating and married should be valued…treasured…and completely directed by Jesus!!! Just my opinion!!! :-)"
Daily Desires
I know this is short, but it's good:
"And make no mistake, sexual desires are not our most deadly desires that need daily denial. Anger, resentment, fear of man, discouragement (yes), self-pity, self-promotion, hardness, envy, moodiness, sulking, indifference to suffering, laziness, boredom, passiveness, lack of praise, lack of joy in Jesus, disinterest in others, etc. These need daily killing."-John Piper
Romans 8:13 "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."
"And make no mistake, sexual desires are not our most deadly desires that need daily denial. Anger, resentment, fear of man, discouragement (yes), self-pity, self-promotion, hardness, envy, moodiness, sulking, indifference to suffering, laziness, boredom, passiveness, lack of praise, lack of joy in Jesus, disinterest in others, etc. These need daily killing."-John Piper
Romans 8:13 "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."
Friday, March 9, 2012
God wants you to complain
This reminded me of the psalm you sent me on Monday night....
To live in this age is to frequently experience trouble. We are troubled within and we are troubled without. Our troubles span the spectrum of trivial to traumatic. And these various kinds of troubles — James calls them trials (James 1:2) — are to be expected. We are not to be surprised by them (1 Peter 4:12).
And to help us faithfully endure these troubles, God gave us a very precious gift: psalms of lament. The Psalms are the prayers and hymns that God chose to teach us how to express ourselves to him in worship. They are God's word and the prayers of men, as Bonhoeffer says. And about one-third of them are laments.
In these laments the writer pours out to God his sorrow (Psalm 137), anger (Psalm 140), fear (Psalm 69), longing (Psalm 85), confusion (Psalm 102), desolation (Psalm 22), repentance (Psalm 51), disappointment (Psalm 74), or depression (Psalm 88) either because of external evil or internal evil or darkness.
One thing this implies is that God expects us to frequently experience pain and therefore frequently express our pain to him. God wants us to pour out our complaints to him and tell him our troubles (Psalm 142:2). He wants us to do it privately, like David did when he wrote Psalm 142 in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22). And he wants us to do it corporately, as when the people of Israel would sing Psalm 142 together. He wants us to tell him exactly what it feels like (“no one cares for my soul,” Psalm 142:4). And he wants us to remember that despite how things look and feel right now, because of his very great promises (2 Peter 1:4), someday these troubles will no longer afflict us (“you will deal bountifully with me,” Psalm 142:7).
The psalms of lament are treasures for the saints. They give inspired voice to our troubled souls. They model for us how to complain to God in a way that honors him. And they are themselves expressions of God’s care and compassion for us because in them we see that we are not as alone as we feel and that God indeed does understand.
And if we have ears to hear, the psalms of lament also guard us from an over-realized eschatology in this age. God does not always intend his saints to experience prosperity. As these psalms remind us, Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation.” So we can complain to him.
But learn from the psalmists how to be a faith-full complainer. Remember our great hope, as Jesus also said, “take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
To live in this age is to frequently experience trouble. We are troubled within and we are troubled without. Our troubles span the spectrum of trivial to traumatic. And these various kinds of troubles — James calls them trials (James 1:2) — are to be expected. We are not to be surprised by them (1 Peter 4:12).
And to help us faithfully endure these troubles, God gave us a very precious gift: psalms of lament. The Psalms are the prayers and hymns that God chose to teach us how to express ourselves to him in worship. They are God's word and the prayers of men, as Bonhoeffer says. And about one-third of them are laments.
In these laments the writer pours out to God his sorrow (Psalm 137), anger (Psalm 140), fear (Psalm 69), longing (Psalm 85), confusion (Psalm 102), desolation (Psalm 22), repentance (Psalm 51), disappointment (Psalm 74), or depression (Psalm 88) either because of external evil or internal evil or darkness.
One thing this implies is that God expects us to frequently experience pain and therefore frequently express our pain to him. God wants us to pour out our complaints to him and tell him our troubles (Psalm 142:2). He wants us to do it privately, like David did when he wrote Psalm 142 in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22). And he wants us to do it corporately, as when the people of Israel would sing Psalm 142 together. He wants us to tell him exactly what it feels like (“no one cares for my soul,” Psalm 142:4). And he wants us to remember that despite how things look and feel right now, because of his very great promises (2 Peter 1:4), someday these troubles will no longer afflict us (“you will deal bountifully with me,” Psalm 142:7).
The psalms of lament are treasures for the saints. They give inspired voice to our troubled souls. They model for us how to complain to God in a way that honors him. And they are themselves expressions of God’s care and compassion for us because in them we see that we are not as alone as we feel and that God indeed does understand.
And if we have ears to hear, the psalms of lament also guard us from an over-realized eschatology in this age. God does not always intend his saints to experience prosperity. As these psalms remind us, Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation.” So we can complain to him.
But learn from the psalmists how to be a faith-full complainer. Remember our great hope, as Jesus also said, “take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Thursday, March 8, 2012
JESUS WASHES THE DISCIPLES FEET
Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet by Max Lucado
It has been a long day. Jerusalem is packed with Passover guests, most of whom clamor for a glimpse of the Teacher. The spring sun is warm. The streets are dry. And the disciples are a long way from home. A splash of cool water would be refreshing.
The disciples enter [the room], one by one, and take their places around the table. On the wall hangs a towel, and on the floor sits a pitcher and a basin. Any one of the disciples could volunteer for the job, but not one does.
After a few moments, Jesus stands and removes his outer garment. He wraps a servant’s girdle around his waist, takes up the basin, and kneels before one of the disciples. He unlaces a sandal and gently lifts the foot and places it in the basin, covers it with water, and begins to bathe it. One by one, one grimy foot after another, Jesus works his way down the row.
In Jesus’ day the washing of feet was a task reserved not just for servants but for the lowest of servants…The servant at the bottom of the totem pole was expected to be the one on his knees with the towel and basin.
In this case the one with the towel and basin is the king of the universe. Hands that shaped the stars now wash away filth. Fingers that formed mountains now massage toes. And the one before whom all nations will one day kneel now kneels before his disciples. Hours before his own death, Jesus’ concern is singular. He wants his disciples to know how much he loves them...
You can be sure Jesus knows the future of these feet he is washing. These twenty-four feet will not spend the next day following their master, defending his cause. These feet will dash for cover at the flash of a Roman sword. Only one pair of feet won’t abandon him in the garden. One disciple won’t desert him at Gethsemane—Judas won’t even make it that far! He will abandon Jesus that very night at the table…
What a passionate moment when Jesus silently lifts the feet of his betrayer and washes them in the basin!
Jesus knows what these men are about to do. He knows they are about to perform the vilest act of their lives. By morning they will bury their heads in shame and look down at their feet in disgust. And when they do, he wants them to remember how his knees knelt before them and he washed their feet… He forgave their sin before they even committed it. He offered mercy before they even sought it.
It has been a long day. Jerusalem is packed with Passover guests, most of whom clamor for a glimpse of the Teacher. The spring sun is warm. The streets are dry. And the disciples are a long way from home. A splash of cool water would be refreshing.
The disciples enter [the room], one by one, and take their places around the table. On the wall hangs a towel, and on the floor sits a pitcher and a basin. Any one of the disciples could volunteer for the job, but not one does.
After a few moments, Jesus stands and removes his outer garment. He wraps a servant’s girdle around his waist, takes up the basin, and kneels before one of the disciples. He unlaces a sandal and gently lifts the foot and places it in the basin, covers it with water, and begins to bathe it. One by one, one grimy foot after another, Jesus works his way down the row.
In Jesus’ day the washing of feet was a task reserved not just for servants but for the lowest of servants…The servant at the bottom of the totem pole was expected to be the one on his knees with the towel and basin.
In this case the one with the towel and basin is the king of the universe. Hands that shaped the stars now wash away filth. Fingers that formed mountains now massage toes. And the one before whom all nations will one day kneel now kneels before his disciples. Hours before his own death, Jesus’ concern is singular. He wants his disciples to know how much he loves them...
You can be sure Jesus knows the future of these feet he is washing. These twenty-four feet will not spend the next day following their master, defending his cause. These feet will dash for cover at the flash of a Roman sword. Only one pair of feet won’t abandon him in the garden. One disciple won’t desert him at Gethsemane—Judas won’t even make it that far! He will abandon Jesus that very night at the table…
What a passionate moment when Jesus silently lifts the feet of his betrayer and washes them in the basin!
Jesus knows what these men are about to do. He knows they are about to perform the vilest act of their lives. By morning they will bury their heads in shame and look down at their feet in disgust. And when they do, he wants them to remember how his knees knelt before them and he washed their feet… He forgave their sin before they even committed it. He offered mercy before they even sought it.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
A Letter to Emily
Emily,
I'm so sorry. I'm praying that in this time of confusion and doubt that you would just go to the Father. I'm confident in His ability to guide you and lead you, even if you can't really see where you're going. I want you to know that the Lord is good. He is a God of redemption and restoration. Jesus is healer. Take heart Emily, for our Father has a great plan; a plan more glorious than we can even fathom. I'm praying that you and I fit into His plan. I'm praying that we would just solely aim to honor and glorify Him. So don't worry. Just keep seeking Jesus.
I love you Emily. And God's love is far greater than mine and its everlasting. But I truly mean this when I say I will love you forever and always, no matter the circumstances.
Your brother in Christ and friend forever,
Greg
Monday, March 5, 2012
John 15
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by
itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless
you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 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. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 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. 16 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. 17 This is my command: Love each other."
Julia Panos sent me a verse this morning from John 15 and after reading the whole chapter, I just wanted to share it with you because its so good! I reflected for a while on it and prayed over it and God revealed some great stuff. We are the branches, and God is going to prune me and you this week as we take a sort of break form each other and focus on Him. The exciting thing is, that when we come back together, we're going to be even more fruitful! Greater lovers (in the sense this is talking about not by worldly standards), greater servants towards each other, and just overall more abundant fruit-bearers thanks to God! And I know this because I am asking this in His name and He promises to honor requests that we ask in His name!! So get excited :))
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 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. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 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. 16 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. 17 This is my command: Love each other."
Julia Panos sent me a verse this morning from John 15 and after reading the whole chapter, I just wanted to share it with you because its so good! I reflected for a while on it and prayed over it and God revealed some great stuff. We are the branches, and God is going to prune me and you this week as we take a sort of break form each other and focus on Him. The exciting thing is, that when we come back together, we're going to be even more fruitful! Greater lovers (in the sense this is talking about not by worldly standards), greater servants towards each other, and just overall more abundant fruit-bearers thanks to God! And I know this because I am asking this in His name and He promises to honor requests that we ask in His name!! So get excited :))
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