An Intense Moment in Gethsemane

let me just say, it is not a good idea to read 2 lessons at one time... the first brought me up to the mountain, and the second dragged me quickly back down to the valley. So it is a bit harder to put my emotions down into words.

It is hard for me to put this picture into my head. Jesus, my hope, being so anxious. Preparing Himself to face a burden so heavy. Knowing that He had a choice in the matter - if He failed, all of creation would be lost forever. And its not like He had things going His way. His friends were slowly deserting Him. The devil was doing whatever it took. And His Father was mostly silent (or so it seems to me). All right before, the greatest suffering He would ever know.

As I read this lesson, memories came back. I remember in school, things would happen and I would just think it was the end of the world. How trivial they all seem now. I wonder one day, when I look back on the troubles of today, will they seem just as trivial? Is it possible to look at my suffering and put it in perspective?

This night in Gethsemane is a good example for me how to handle the trials that will most definetely come my way (although nothing like the Christ's). I always have opportunity to go to God first, but I must be ready to accept what He gives. I can take my friends with me, but it is not them that I must get my advice from. And I must realize that He isnt going to give me more than He thinks I can handle. And.... sometimes, it isnt always about me - sometimes, my suffering is for the greater good of someone else.

as a sidenote, I find it interesting that in Luke's version, it says that the 3 disciples were sleeping for sorrow. They werent sleeping merely because they were tired and it was dark, but rather that they had cried themselves to sleep. Im thinking that they finally started to understand Jesus saying that He is about to die - maybe they can hear Him crying out to the Father. Somehow though, they still seem to have missed the resurrection part that Jesus kept talking about.

An Insightful Moment in the Upper Room

I must confess that I did something that I never do with this lesson – I read all of your entries first, so needless to say, I was not looking forward to this lesson. I was so sure I was going to be disappointed.

And then I read it.

This was one of my favorite ones. It really resonated with me and how I grew up. And I realize that maybe it didn’t strike a chord with some of you because it doesn’t reflect your backgrounds. It wasn’t easily identifiable to you, personally. (Let me just take a moment and say, Jules and CJ, your testimonies have been such an enjoyment to me, and have really helped me understand more of who you really are).

I grew up in a (more or less) traditional southern family. Which means fairly big and close-knit. It also meant a lot of get-togethers, a lot of food and always a lot of fun. “Family first” is the southern motto. Family and Home are pretty much synonymous.

As time has passed, founding members and loved ones have passed on. The kids now are grown and having kids of their own. Its not hard to see that the family quilt is starting to unravel – those ends each forming their own family quilt…. It’s the circle of life…. It happens.

So when Gire brings up the metaphors for “home.” I know exactly what he is talking about. It evokes certain memories and feelings. Its not the food or the presents or the houses themselves, but the family and the love that is important. The feelings of love, acceptance and comfort that brings. The few places that you can always go back to and instantly be a part of something – doesn’t matter how long you’ve been gone. For someone who isn’t familiar with this scene, its easy to get caught up on the “things” & “stuff” that Gire brings up, but its not the stuff itself that is anticipated – it’s the feelings of home these things inspire. Its not the stockings themselves or the presents inside them – but rather the anticipation of something great about to happen – knowing that it was love that put the stuff there.
This lesson made me long for “home” like no other has yet. It reminds me that this earth, this life, is not my home – no matter how comfortable I make it. It made me long for the embrace of my Father. A feeling I still long for on this earth. It renewed my hope of a “home” that Ive never seen before and yet…. I know I still belong there, and when I get there, I will be welcomed with open arms. I will be drawn in and instantly be a part of something greater than myself. Ahhh – “home”, what a wonderful and mysterious thing

Intense Moment at Gethsemane

The scripture is densely packed. I've heard a hundred sermons on this passage, most of them adding insight to the simple words, the bare description of what Jesus faced in the dark that night. The meditation is a great one, and right up to the last paragraph I was with Gire every sentence, every word. I find I cannot post on this because I simply cannot (do not) believe that the cup of Jesus sacrifice was a symbol of the wrath of God, the "ferment of sin".

You might as well not even bother quoting me chapter and verse over why you believe this particular piece of the puzzle is true... because I can't buy it. Period. If it's true, then the God I worship, the one I love and believe in, does not exist, and I've been wasting my time all these many years.

That said, I do believe that Gethsemane is a place to go when there's no one and no thing that can help me but God. And I fully realize that my requests may not be answered in the way I would wish, and that God's answer may in fact be one of suffering and sacrifice. I get that part. I've had a few dark nights of my own already, and I recognize that prayer in itself often brings a renewed courage, a different perspective for why things must be the way they are. But because God is full of wrath? No... because God sees the larger picture. he knows His purposes and His plan. And I do not believe wrath has anything to do with it.

An Intense Moment in Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-42)

There are a couple of things which stand out to me in this passage of Scripture. The first deals with Peter. Here was Christ who was experiencing such anguish as He had never known in His earthly life. He takes His three closest men with Him for them to stand guard and to pray. Christ is facing His greatest temptation ever....He was being buffeted by the temptation to forsake the Father's plan, which was that the Son must go to death and bear the sins of the whole world. Now, that wasn't just the sins of the whole world committed up to then. That did include those sins, yes, but it also was to bear all the sins ever committed by anyone all the way to the very last person ever to live on earth. So every sin, that I have ever committed, or will commit in the future is covered by Him. That would be some mighty terrific 'buffeting' going on there. In fact, so severe, that an angel ministered to Jesus in the garden (Luke 22:43). (Just a side note...this is where the mormons believe Christ paid the penalty for our sins...in the Garden...because He sweated drops of blood. But, our debt was not paid by sweating but by shedding, on the Cross...He had to make payment in the form of death...a perfect sacrifice. Okay, end side note.)

When Christ goes back to the three men He finds them asleep! They were to keep watch/guard! This I find interesting, Christ awakened them but only reprimanded Peter (not the three, this is at the first time) for his inability to bear with Him in prayer. I wonder, do you see a connection here? Only a short time before, Peter had twice said he would never forsake the Lord and yet he could not even pray with Him in His greatest need. Isn't it ironic that three times Peter failed to watch and pray; three times he would fall into temptation and disown Jesus? I see a warning here for all believers, for all of us are susceptible to spiritual failure.

The other thing I find quite intriguing is the fact that in some of His final hours Jesus faced temptation in a garden. Follow me here, ladies. Man fell into sin because of temptation in a garden. And man's deliverance from sin comes about in spite of further temptation in a garden. Jesus, the "last Adam" (1 Cor. 15:45), did not fall into temptation but followed the will of God which the first Adam failed to do.

An Intense Moment at Gethsemane

For me, there were two lines in this chapter that really got me. The firstline of the chapter:

"Gethsemane is where you go when there's no place to go but God..."

And the very last line of the chapter:

"And that my strength is not found in how courageously I struggle but in how completely I surrender.

The first line and the last line sum up my experience that night I gave myself to God. My Gethsemane was the floor of my dining room. Just like Christ, I laid face down, clawing at the dirt (okay, the carpet. Okay, the dirty carpet...) And it wasn't until I completely and totally surrendered that something inside me shifted.

Talking with P., my mentee, on Monday morning she asked me the same question she's asked me twice before. "But how do you do that? How do you know when You've found God? How did you get Him to find you so that you knew He was real?"

She tells me every week that she's "a very logical person" and I tell her every week that she'll never understand what faith is if she doesn't set "thought" down for just a moment and look inside her heart for Him. She's so engaged with the trappings of her mind that she literally can't "feel" God inside her, working His magic.

It's amazing to watch her go through this process - wanting to find God, talking to Him, hoping he is really 'real' but not understanding that, at some point, she has to realize that if there were proof positive that God is God then we'd ALL be believers. I keep trying to tell her that that last step - that last leap if you will - has absolutely NOTHING to do with logic and thought processess. It has to do with opening your heart and letting in the love. THEN going back to the logic and seeing how that open heart influences what you see and how you see it.

[Am I wrong about this?]

In my own life, it involved total surrender. It was about giving God the chance to have His way instead of my way. It was about 'letting go and letting God.' And it was in that moment that the key fit in the lock and the door swung open and in walked Jesus.

Whether you find God through logic or emotion, struggle or grace, pain or rejoicing, it really doesn't matter. Any place can be Gethsemane if the soil in the garden of your heart is rich and fertile.

He'll grow you if you let Him.

An Insightful Moment in the Upper Room

Well, ladies, I blew off that this was a MONDAY. Also, Addie wouldn't post because she only has a computer at work so I thought we'd just resume on Wednesday. Guess next time I should ask!

Well, CJ, I'm with you. I thought of all the things Gire could have talked about in the Upper Room, Christmas stockings was the LAST thing I expected. So, I'm blowing him off this time around and going with what I think.

If I could have been a fly on the wall of history, this would probably be one of the places I'd ask to go. The last moments of Jesus' time with His disciples. What all was said? What all was done? How was Jesus feeling and who did or didn't pick up on it?

No matter whether you believe Jesus always knew from the very beginning that He was the true Messiah or whether you believe it came to Him as He went forward in His ministry, one thing is certain. He KNOWS who he is now and he KNOWS what is coming. I can not imagine being Him at this night in history - unless...

Unless he has some kind of memory about what Heaven is. Does he know? Does he remember? Did the knowledge come to Him in a vision or has He become so close to the Father by now that He actually remembers what awaits Him? It is the only way I think I could bare to go through what He went through.

So, what do I think heaven is?

Everyone always talks about how we'll each have our own room in the kingdom but I don't think that's really so. I think it will be one big open place where we all are in community 24/7. Helping each other. Sharing our gifts. Praising our Lord. I think it will be every beautiful place from earth, every flower, every tree, every species of animal that ever lived all under God's one house. I think there will be colors we've never seen, voices we've never imagined, songs that leave us weeping for joy and beauty so sharp that it takes us eons to get used to it all. I really don't buy into the "gold streets" or "huge castle" scenarios because I can't imagine that God values those kinds of things. Gold is just gold. Buildings are just buildings. Hey, as far as I'm concerned, drop me down in the valley of the Rocky Mountains and point my head to the sky and I'll be overjoyed with heaven.

Oh, and one other thing -

Lord, if you can hear me, let my four legged friends all be there. Let me have one more wet kiss and one more butt wiggle and one more happy tongue coming my way. Please, Father, please...let Heaven hold a place for all the pets I ever loved and cared for.

Now THAT I can only imagine...

An Insightful Moment in the Upper Room (John 14:1-3)

The Good Shepherd's Cottage

"The Good Shepherd's Cottage" is an allegory in paint, an image of the Lord returning to call His faithful. His house is an utterly comfortable and secure cottage, radiant with light. The air is luminous with sunset; the sound of His voice thrilling as He calls His sheep into a verdant meadow."

— Thomas Kinkade

Speaking of images of homes, I've always liked the paintings of Thomas Kinkade because he paints his windows lighted. I read something by him one time and he said he did it because when he was young and coming home from school, he loved the homes that were lit up because their moms were home. He came home to a dark home because his mother worked.

According to Jesus, heaven is a real place. It is not a product of religious imagination or the result of a psyched-up mentality, looking for "pie in the sky by and by." Heaven is the place where God dwells and where Jesus sits today at the right hand of the Father. Heaven is described as a kingdom (2 Peter 1:11), and inheritance (1 Peter 1:4), a country (Heb. 11:16), a city (Heb. 11:16), and a home (John 14:2).

Heaven is "My Father's House," according to the Son of God. It is "home" for God's children! Wasn't it the poet Robert Frost who said that home is the place that, when you arrive there, they have to take you in?

Are you looking forward to Heaven? It's really sad for me when I find people (Christians) who are not excited about Heaven. It illustrates to me Satan's power to mold our weak minds as we are trapped in a dark, fallen world. So often, we are prone to deny the great realities of God and heaven, which we can longer see because of the Curse.

We fail to take seriously what Scripture tells us about heaven as a familiar, physical, tangible place. I praise God that He has given us glimpses of heaven in His Word and, hopefully, it fires up our imaginations and kindles a desire for heaven in our hearts. Of course, don't be surprised that Satan will always discourage our imagination or misdirect it to ethereal notions that violate Scripture. We need to fuel our imagination with Scripture.

We should be open to asking God to help remove our blinders of our preconceived ideas about heaven so we have a greater understanding of Scripture. So often we read Scripture through our own notions already set instead of coming to the Scripture and really reading what it says. The apostle Paul said, "Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this" (2 Timothy 2:7). It helps me to pray, "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law" (Psalm 119:18).

If I can't believe what Jesus says about heaven then how could I possibly believe what He says about eternal life? Conversely, if you believe Christ for your eternal destiny, why not believe what He says about heaven? When the time finally comes, we will be with the person we were made for, in the place we were made to be. I believe that God tells us about heaven in His Word so we can understand and anticipate what awaits for us.

Jphn 14:3 is a clear promise of our Lord's return for His people. Some will go to heaven through the valley of the shadow of death, but those who are alive when Jesus returns will never see death (John 11:25-26). They will be changed to be like Christ and will go to heaven (1 Thes. 4:13-18).

Since heaven is the Father's house, it must be a place of love and joy. When the apostle John tried to describe heaven, he almost ran out of symbols and comparsions (Rev. 21-22)! Finally, he listed the things that would not be there: death, sorrow, crying, pain, night, etc. What a wonderful home it will be...and, we will enjoy it forever!!!

"For heaven is everything our heart of hearts has searched for, yearned for, ached for. And more." Gire, pg. 322.

"Us with Jesus. Together, forever." Gire, pg. 322.

Insightful Moment in the Upper Room

This has got to be the worst of Gire's meditations I've read yet. Someone needs to explain "the hospitality of high ceilings", because (for me) that image is totally bogus. So is the image of "nothing to be afraid of and everything to look forward to."

Humans are self-reflective, meaning that we look for meaning in our lives (even non-believers look for meaning.) Something larger, grander than ourselves... some master plan, a more powerful being, a cause to support... something to make us want to get up in the morning and do what's required. For many of us, that something is God. Or the way Jesus taught us to live... whatever fuels our drive to continue doing the work we do.

So tangible images of Christmas stockings with things in them seems to go against the grain of everything Jesus taught. If we love the Lord we're going to get a lot of "stuff"? I don't think so. The whole chapter makes me want to throw up.

Prayer Update....

Well, thanks gals for praying! My! The last two days have been something else!

Yesterday, I found out Jim took the night off to make it a nice loooooong holiday weekend which totally threw my schedule into disarray (but that was totally okay with me!). Late yesterday afternoon we took Nana over to get her hearing aids adjusted "up" so she could here better. We get done and get in the car and the key will not turn in the ignition...it's like the security lock was not moving at all! Finally, we break down and call AAA and the dealership so we can get a curtesy car to take us home. After all, no one wants an almost 90 yr old woman in a car, without A/C because it won't start, to keel over from heat exhaustion.

Well, Caesar, with AAA arrives and he is the NICEST man! He actually gets the car started!!!! Oh how I broke out in Praise the Lord's to him! So, we took the car home and got in our other car to go on out to eat. In the meantime, Jim did make an appt at the dealership to take it in to see what the problem was.

This morning hubby gets up and works to get the car started and then takes off to the dealership where he then calls me in excruciating pain....finally, at 6:30 tonight, we are home waiting for him to pass his KIDNEY STONE!!!! Our prayer now is pretty specific...that he would pass it before having to go back to work Monday night!! The sooner the better!

Again, thanks for praying! Have a great weekend!

Intimate Moment with Judas

Gire paints a vivid picture of this "intimate" moment but it's all smoke and mirrors. No one know why Judas did what he did, whether (as Gire suggests) out of practicality, or a misguided attempt to force the coming of the Kingdom (as has been suggested in other writings). There is the theory that Jesus chose Judas to betray him, because Judas was the disciple Jesus could trust in crunch time. When Judas threw back the thirty pieces of silver, once Jesus was convicted and sentenced, that implies (to me) there was a lot more going on inside him than greed. Yet John's Gospel makes him out to be a liar and a thief. I'm not convinced.

And Judas was not the only betrayer in this group of twelve. Peter denied Jesus three times on that crucial night... talk about practicality. And the others disappeared into the woodwork. Only one disciple (supposedly John) and the women stuck by the Lord at his crucifixion. Not much to gloat over there.

Yet the name Judas has come down through the ages as cursed. Nobody says "Let's name our child Judas if he's a boy!!"
There are two versions of Judas' death in the Bible too. In one, he hangs himself. Again, we don't know why. Grief, guilt, despair... I tried to kill myself. (Long story) and it was a long time ago. For me, it was the (seeming) futility and pain of living that sent me over the edge. Because of a strange twist of circumstances, I didn't die (obviously) and came to understand it was out of my hands. There was work God required of me... I wasn't getting off that easily.

Yet Judas was allowed to end his misery immediately. Some will say his eternal misery was just beginning. Again... we don't know that. God knows.

An Intimate Moment with Judas

(Okay, bare with me...I'm doing this without the book in front of me.)

I have the hardest time with people who betray other people and it doubles me over when they do it for financial gain. When the lives and reputations of people are put below the cost of currency it cheapens who we are so badly that our own lives take on no worth. Perhaps that's why Judas committed suicide??? For what you do to one man you do to yourself. Where have I heard that before? Don't remember but I think it is one of the great truths of life. You cannot betray a friend and not betray yourself. You cannot sell a human being for profit and not take away the value of your own life. You "do unto others" and "love your neighbor as yourself" because these things are vital to our existence as loving, breathing human beings.

I remember not too long ago when I first realized that Jesus picked Judas KNOWING he would be the one to betray him - that just blew me away. (Oh, that we should all see our own enemies this clearly!) Little by little I am beginning to change how I view everything I read in the Bible because I am starting to see things from the eyes of God instead of from my own sinner's eyes. "Why would Jesus ever choose someone to betray him?" is what I used to think. Now, I see how the prophescy had to be fulfilled and he had no choice but to do this. It does make me wonder, though, if the 3 and 1/2 year ministry of Jesus Christ wouldn't have been longer if Judas had not been quite so greedy? It just amazes me that people were living to be easily 100+ years old back then and Jesus gets killed at 33? Not 62? Not 98? Is there anything in the prophesy that said his ministry would be so short? Hmmm...

This chapter of Jesus' life always makes me think of the 40 days in the desert. There, He got the upper hand on Satan and pretty much showed him who was boss. Here, He stands in silence and let's him win this hand. How tough that must have been for Him! Of course, He probably knew that only through dying would he win the game against Satan and stop death from claiming all of us. But as a man with human emotions, this had to just really get under His skin - maybe even more than Judas' actual betrayal did.

In the end, Judas realized what he had done and found life unliveable. At least we know He "got" it at that point. That he finally saw clearly what He had done and what He had missed out on. As someone who has stood at the brink of suicide a few times in my (past) life, I can tell you it takes so much pain to get to that point. That, for me, is the proof I need that perhaps Judas realized who Christ was at that very last moment of His life. And that leaves me with the hope that Addie is looking for - that maybe he redeemed himself instead of going to die that fiery eternal death. It's certainly not that he doesn't deserve it - but I just cry thinking He stood that close for all those years and never SAW who Jesus was. Lord, thank you for opening MY eyes before it was too late.

An Intimate Moment with Judas

Oh what a dark shadow now falls across the scene as Jesus deals with Judas, the traitor. It is important to note that Judas was not a true believer; he was a hypocrite. He had never believed in Jesus (John 6:64-71), he had not been bathed all over (John 13:10-11), and he had not been among the chosen ones whom the Father gave to the Son (JOhn 13:18 and 17:12). How close a person can come to salvation and yet be lost forever! At that hour, I see Jesus had two great concerns: to fulfill the Word of God (13:18-30) and to magnify the glory of God (vv. 31-35).

The Scripture Jesus quoted was Psalm 41:9--"Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his hell against me." When David wrote the psalm, he was probably referring to his couselor Ahithophel, who turned traitor and joined Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam. 15-17). It is significant that both Judas and Ahithophel committed suicide by hanging themselves (2 Sam. 17:23 and Matt. 27:3-10 and Acts 1:18). However, Judas did not commit suicide in order to fulfill biblical prophecy, for that would make God the author of his sin. Judas was responsible for his own decisions, and those decisions fulfilled God's Word.

I see Jesus was concerned that Judas' treachery would not weaken His disciples' faith. This is why He related it to the Word of God: when the disciples saw all of this fulfilled, it would make their faith stronger (see John 8:28). Judas had been disloyal, but He expected them to be loyal to Him and His cause. After all, He was God the Son sent by God the Father. They were Christ's chosen representatives; to receive them would be the same as receiving the Father and the Son. What a privilege, to be ambassadors of the King!!!

The remarkable thing is that the others at the table with Jesus did not know that Judas was an unbeliever and a traitor. Up to the very hour of his treachery, Judas was protected by the Saviour whom he betrayed. Had Jesus openly revealed what He knew about Judas, it is likely that the men would have turned upon him. Remember what Peter did to Malchus when soldiers came to take Jesus?!

From the very beginning, Jesus knew what Judas would do (John 6:64), but He didn't compel him to do it. Judas was exposed to the same spiritual provileges as the other disciples, yet they did him no good. The same sun that melts the ice only hardens the clay. In spite of all that our Lord said about money, and all of His warning about covetousness, Judas continued to be a thief and steal from the treasury. In spite of all our Lord's warning wbout unbelief, Judas persisted in his rejection. Jesus even washed Judas' feet! Yet his hard heart did not yield.

Jesus had spoken of a traitor before (John 6:70), but the disciples didn't take it to heart. Now, the disciples were perplexed when He openly spoke of it.

Peter signaled John to find out who the traitor was. I really believe the Lord's reply to John was not heard by all the men; in fact, they were carrying on discussions among themselves about who the traitor might be (Luke 22:23). When Jesus gave the bread to Judas, it was interpreted as an act of love and honor. In fact, Judas was seated at the place of honor, so our Lord's actions were seen in that light: He was bestowing a special honor on Judas. No wonder, after Judas left the room, the disciples got into an argument over who was the greatest!

Can you imagine John? He was no doubt stunned, to say the least, by this revelation, but before he cous say or do anything, Jesus had sent Judas on his way. Even though Satan had entered Judas, it was Jesus who was in charge. He lived on the timetable given to Him by the Father, and He wanted to fulfill what was written in the Word.

Keep in mind that Judas knew what he was doing and that he did it deliberately. He had already emt with the Jewish religious leaders and agreed to lead them to Jesus in such a way that there would not be any public disturbance. He heard Jesus way, "Woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born!" (Matt. 26:24) Yet, he persisted in his unbelief and treachery.

John's little phrase "and it was night" carries a tremendous impact when you remember that "light" and "darkness" important spiritual images in his Gospel. Jesus is the Light of the world, but Judas rejected Jesus and went out into darkness; and for Judas....and it goes unheeded by lost sinners today, people who will go where Judas went unless they repent and trust the Saviour.

The instant Judas was gone, the atmosphere was cleared, and Jesus began to instruct His disciples and prepare them for His crucifixion and His ultimate return to heaven. It was after Judas' departure that He instituted the Lord's supper, something that Judas as an undeliever certainly could not share. Judas was out in the night, controlled by the prince of darkness, Satan; but Jesus was in the light, sharing love and truth with His beloved disciples. What a contrast!!

I need to run...Jules, alert the Sistah's to be praying. Jim just called from the car dealership and I need to take him to the ER. Something terrible....more later.

An Intimate Moment with Judas

*wanted to get this up today b/c I have missed posting and I don’t have jury duty today, but may have it tomorrow… you may want to wait until after you’ve posted your own to read this so it doesn’t affect what you wrote… just a thought

Man, the disciples still don’t get it, and its really hard to explain how they still don’t see. Jesus pretty much hands them Judas, but they don’t even notice. I wonder how that is sometimes and why Jesus chose these guys. And are these really the guys that changed the world after Jesus ascended?

This lesson is a good example, as we alluded to before, of a person who knows who Jesus is, but still doesn’t have faith. All those people sitting in church, calling themselves “Christians”, but just don’t have the faith when it comes down to it. I think Judas learned a lot and he had good intentions – although, obviously not all the time. He gave up most everything and followed Jesus around – and yet, that wasn’t enough. You cant just follow after Jesus and do the right things all the time – that isn’t going to save you. You have to really believe and have the faith.

As the rest of you made mention of earlier in the week, I too, have problems with letting things go. I am a packrat and tend to hoard, hoard, hoard b/c I made need it in the future. Same thing with actions, and not just material things. If someone does something that I don’t like, then I tend to hoard that by remembering it. I need to learn to let go more and more – the things of this world just simply do not matter. Once that really sinks into my thick skull, I think my life will take on a whole new dimension.

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Ok, now let me take you into a whole new dimension…. You probably don’t want to read this yet, if you haven’t written your own post yet – I don’t want it to mess up your own thoughts…. This is going to be way out of the box….

This is a theory I heard about Judas, and I really kind of lean towards it – probably just my nature to want to see the good in everyone, who knows…. At any rate, it comes across very plausible to me.

Judas was a zealot. This sect believed that the Messiah was to be a great political leader – He would overthrow the Roman government that had been oppressing Israel for so long. He would be a great leader and everyone would look up to Him, just like one of the kings of old. The riches and blessings would be in the here and now.

This was very opposite of all that Christ was. He was not looking for power or to be a great leader. He didn’t do anything about the Roman rule. And the people, especially the religious leaders who should be welcoming Him, did not really care for Him.

And yet, Judas couldn’t ignore who Jesus said He was. The claims He made that made so much sense. The power (although not political) that He did possess. The miracles and signs that fulfilled the prophecies. What could all of this mean?

Judas was not looking to betray his friend. But rather to push Jesus into a position that He had to come out and prove that He was the Messiah. If he gave Him up to the Pharisees, then Jesus would be forced to finally fulfill His destiny and rise up into a place of power. He would show who He really was and become the true King that Judas thought He was saying that He was. A king here on earth.

Satan loves to make us rely on our own thinking and own understanding. So Judas did the unthinkable and sold Jesus out.

But when Jesus didn’t act the way Judas thought He was supposed to… when He just stood there and took it – silently… I think this is when Judas realized his mistake – why he gave the money back. He wasn’t looking to betray Jesus, or hurt Him, or even to have Him killed, all he wanted was for Jesus to rise up into the person that Judas thought He should be. (oh, aren’t we all so guilty of trying to turn Jesus into who WE want Him to be instead of just accepting Him the way He is… and then turning around and wanting Jesus to accept us the way we are, instead of becoming who He wants us to be).

Ok, to push the story further out of the box, and skip ahead just a little….

I often wonder when Jesus prayed “let this cup pass from me” if He was referring to Judas rather than the pain of the cross, as usually is taught….

Think about it – what would hurt Jesus more –a friend and follower not having the faith needed, leaning to his own understanding, or the pain and humiliation of the cross? It just makes more sense that Jesus would dread the betrayal of Judas more than the cross. He has known His purpose for being here for 33 years now. That’s why He was sent – it seems to me like He would be prepared for that. But…. Can you ever be prepared for a friend to betray you? To know that Judas was so close to believing, but not quite there – how would that not rip the Savior’s heart out?

This prayer came right before the betrayal…. Makes sense to me…
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Ok, that’s all I got – probably a lot longer than you were probably expecting…. But it is hard for me to understand how Judas could walk so close to Christ and not accept – to be witness to everything and still not have the faith. I am not saying this is right or wrong, but it makes sense to me. Im not saying what Judas did was right, but understandable.

Sorry Ive been MIA lately again – Ive been on call for jury duty all week – its been a crazy week.

An Insightful Moment at the Treasury

I think about this story quite a bit. It has come back to my attention over and over again throughout this past year. I never realized this story took place at this time in Jesus' ministry - so close to the end - but this story has probably taught me more about faith than any other story in the bible.

We hear about people who are lame or blind or who have leprosy and Jesus heals them because they ask Him to. I admit, it takes a certain level of faith to ask someone you've never met to heal you. Plenty of charlatans have probably come and gone before these people so it must have taken faith to try again and again. But - was it faith in Jesus or was it just desperation? Knowing that Jesus could see inside their hearts makes me believe He healed those who truly understood He was the Messiah and who then stepped out inside that faith.

They asked - they received. That's pretty cool.

But this...

This is on a whole other level.

This woman didn't ask Jesus for anything although, let's face it, being a widow with nobody to help support her, she was probably at a huge disadvantage compared to others. This woman is one of the few that are spoken of in the Bible where their faith is with them whether Jesus is on his way into town or not. Her faith just IS. As far as we can tell in this story, she never even knew Jesus was there or that He was watching her. She didn't throw in those last two cents of hers so He would see her faith and then help her. She did it because she her faith WAS that strong and she knew that her heavenly Father would (somehow) meet her needs.

Many of the stories we have reviewed here have left a mark on me. Many of them helped to build up my understanding about Jesus and even help me to grow in my faith. But this one inspires me - it really does. I hope some day I am like this woman - so totally sure that God will be there for me that I can throw my last two cents in the collection plate and be okay with that.

And here's how I know I'm not there yet...

Last week I had several medical bills all come due at once. Two of the blood work ups and the 20% copay for the echocardiogram all came due and I, not having had any problems with money lately, paid them all...then sat down and balanced my checkbook. I found I had about $30 to live on until this Thursday and I hadn't been to the grocery store in a week. When Sunday rolled around, it was the very first time since I've attended church that I didn't put anything in the offering. Not even a single dollar. I was too afraid I wouldn't have enough. I knew that, come this next Sunday, I could easily double my offering and it would be no big deal - I'd be right back on schedule with my giving - but this has eaten at me ALL WEEK LONG that I was too afraid to give anything. Then, to find this story waiting for me...it is almost too much.

The irony of it all is not lost on me, God. I see that I should have been more trusting. It's not like I don't have half a dozen friends who wouldn't have loaned me an extra $20 if I really needed it. Yet, I rationalized it away and told God I'd make it up this week. The funny thing is - Satan's been tugging at me all week with thoughts of "It's only $20. Nobody will blame you if you don't make up for last week's shortage. Vacation is coming and you need it for better things than dropping it in the collection plate."

Not only did I not trust God to get me through - I left the door open for Satan to get his toe back in as well. Believe me when I tell you - this is NOT going to happen again. I have so much faith that God will take care of me- so why do I struggle so much with having that much trust as well? It just floors me!

Insightful Moment at the Treasury

Gire's meditation on this passage is an interesting one. Instead of focusing on the widow's generosity, he turns to us at the collection plate on Sunday and reels off the litany of excuses we use to not give all that we have. I know (when I had money) that many of the ones he comes up with certainly crossed my mind: How will this be used? It's not enough to matter much. I'm unemployed; I need this more than the church... and yet every time I rode the subway I was confronted by women like this widow. Recent immigrants coming into the city from Queens with minimum wage incomes... they always gave a dollar or more to the assortment of panhandlers who worked the subway. Their own clothes were sometimes shabby, their own faces pinched by hunger, but they gave and gave and gave. What an awakening. How ashamed they made me feel, like I was some Scrooge in their midst to be pitied.

But Jesus is telling us way more than "hip, hip hooray for the widow". He's showing us another way to live, to be. Living from a place of abundance, rather than scarcity... it sounds too impractical, like so much new age garbage talk. Trust in God for your next meal? Your next rent payment? How could we ever do that?

Hmmmm... how indeed?

An Insightful Moment at the Treasury (Luke 12:41-44)

One of the first people I desire to meet when I get to heaven is this woman. What stories she will be able to share of God's faithful provision for her. I envision her as a small woman, obviously not weighing much, since she isn't always sure she will have a meal. But what strength emanates from her. What humility.

We have been there. With a toddler. Counting out pennies to see if we have enough for some milk and some eggs. All the money which we had at that time. I do not see a woman concerned about the corruption going on around her, nor do I see her concerned with the exchange rates. I don't even see her concerned about giving all she had, leaving her with nothing. You see, I think she was really quite peaceful. She knew that her Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He would provide for her. Whatever she would need He would faithfully reach down and supply it. She radiates trust in her God.

She cared nothing about what was going on around her. She was coming before her Lord to offer all she had. It was a time of worship for her. You see, whether she knew it or not, she was entering the throne room of God. He saw her every move, He knew her every thought, He knew her every need, He knew of her love for Him. And this woman who now had no money to her name was going to be mentioned throughout the ages in the greatest Book of all time.

Gire states in the opening of his prayer, "Give me such a stillness of spirit that even in the noisiest of days I would hear the notes that bring pleasure to your ear." Isn't that beautiful? Stillness of spirit...I certainly didn't have that on Monday! I recognized I needed it but did not make the choice to submit to it. It was my loss.

The Lord sees all. There isn't any thought or action that slips by Him unnoticed. Why do we try to fool ourselves by thinking otherwise?

Again, I repeat myself, but it is so much easier to hold your "stuff", whatever "your stuff" is, in the open palm of your hand rather than in a tightly closed fist. Why? Because it will be a lot less painful than when God has to pry open your hand to get to what He wants. Whole hearted commitment is what God wants and I pray that I will always give it to Him.

Doesn't this illustrate Jesus' total self-giving in death? She gave her all. Christ gave ALL.

Sorry, my day has not gone AT ALL like I had planned it. There isn't one thing that I've gotten accomplished from my list except for CCC. I can now scratch it off! Yea! Oh how I pray that the rest of my day will improve but somehow, I have a sneaking suspicion....oh well, some days are just like that. It still is the day which the Lord has made and I still need to rejoice in it!!! Now on to my post...

Here is a perfect example of righteous anger. All to often our anger is not righteous. It is fueled by our emotions, our pride etc.

Once one knows what was going on in the temple area one can understand more easily why Jesus was so upset. In the large outer court where the Gentiles could be, the high priest, Caiaphas had authorized a market for the sale of ritually pure items necessary for temple sacrifice: wine, oil, salt, approved sacrificial animals and birds.

Also, it's my understanding that money from three sources circulated in Palestine in New Testament times: imperial money (Roman), provincial money (Greek), and local money (Jewish). Money changers provided the required Tyrian (Jewish) coinage for the annual half-shekel temple tax (Ex. 30:12-16) required of all male Jews 20 years of age and up. This was in exchange for their Greek and Roman currency, which featured human portratis considered idolatrous. Though a small surcharge was permitted in these transactions, dealings were not free from extortion and fraud. In addition people loaded with merchandise were taking shortcuts through this area, making it a thoroughfare from one part of the city to another.

No wonder Jesus was outraged by this blatant disregard for the temple area specifically set apart for the Gentiles. I am not surprised that His actions caught the people's attention. He literally began teaching them about God's purpose for the temple. I love how He appealed to Old Testament authority for His action by quoting Isaiah 56:7. God desired that both Gentiles and Jews use the temple as a place of worship. It's my understanding this was especially relevant to Mark's readers in Rome. By contrast Christ has gone on to say, "You (emphatic), the insensitive Jews, have made it a den of robbers..." It was a refuge for fraudulent traders instead of a house of prayer for both Jews and Gentiles.

I believe that by this action Jesus as the Messiah claimed greater authority over the temple than that of the high priest. I bet the religious leaders were upset with how the crowds reacted to Jesus. No wonder they began plotting his demise.

I like how Gire began by saying Jesus was ending His ministry in the same way He began it...by cleansing it. How important it is for us to understand that the important issues in our life regarding the Word etc. is still important in our life. It's impact should only keep changing us for the better and those layers of sin are peeled away. We should take a stand when we see injustice committed which goes against God's Word. May I be trusted as implicitly as the Father trusted His Son.

Insightful Moment at the Temple Courtyard

This was an interesting chapter for me. I've just come out of a two day silent retreat in a little shack next to the woods. (When you're alone and silent for long hours at a time, things shift... perspective changes.) As I read Gire's prayer, the beginning resonates. There are fewer things that bother me now. I don't feel so strongly moved by the things I believe. But Gire twists this into a negative for himself, says he feels guilty about his compromises and his failures.

I'm pretty much over guilt. Maybe because I enjoyed so much of its pain in my younger years... half built an identity on it. Been there, done that. I'm moving on... into joy and gratitude these days. For me that's a good thing.

I'm confused by his assertion that Jesus turned the tables in the temple twice. I didn't know that. He did? I thought it was the same story told by different gospelers. Am I wrong here? Claire?

An Insightful Moment at the Temple Courtyard

Okay, THIS chapter I really liked and I'll tell you why. I had no idea that the courtyard of the temple was for Gentiles to come and hear the word of God. I didn't think the Gentiles came into the picture until after the Jews rejected Jesus's ministry (after his ascention.) Somehow I missed all this. I mean, I know Jesus was trying to reach out to those who didn't know about God but I guess I always assumed they were Jews he was reaching out to. Man, am I messed up or what? LOL

Surprisingly, the thing I didn't like about the chapter was the prayer at the end. I don't care less about the things the Father cares about now - I care MORE. Guess I didn't get the memo that once I get over 40 I'm supposed to quit wanting to protest war and stamp out world hunger and sign petitions to end poverty. But, also, I care more about the ways of the Father because I care less and less about the ways of the world. I used to be all about "fitting in with the world" and then became "trying to live in both places at once" but these days, I find myself more and more thinking, "You know what? I don't care what society says. That is just WRONG in the eyes of God."

Good for me. Means I'm finally teachable. :-)

An Intense Moment Entering Jerusalem

ahhh, the start of Holy Week... Palm Sunday, the events that are about to pass are the crux of Jesus' ministry...

what a mixture of emotions - the happiness of the people finally realizing who He was, at least to some degree, but the sadness of what is to come looms overhead... mix in with that the mystery of it all...

I can see how Jesus would weep over Isreal - theyve had the prophecies forever (even though they didnt listen to the prophets when they were around either).... He has fulfilled every one, He has given His message over and over, offered signs over and over, and yet, they still refuse to listen... and He can see the past and the present and the future all rolled into one and how it will all turn out.... there was a "Jesus" mini-series on tv, years ago, and I didnt like it, but there was one part that stuck with me.... Jesus is asleep around a campfire with his disciples, and it looks like He is having a nightmare, and you see the modern-day war and the damage that he is dreaming about, and He wakes up with a start, and the disciples ask Him whats wrong, and He says nothing - that is one of the first times I realized that God saw me, sometime during His ministry....

I can also imagine that the loneliness and longing for His Father is only growing stronger at this point - He has been 33 years in the human, aging body... He must ache for the Father's presence and touch... He must be ready for all this to finally be over with....

My favorite verse in this lesson is when Jesus is talking to the Pharisees, and He says "If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." - I love that all of creation is groaning for God... when I was in a Christian band in college, we had a song and part of it was "Aint no rock gonna cry in my place, as long as Im alive, Ill testify His holy name" - I still feel that way when I get in a place of worship - how can I not cry out in praise to my God, how can I miss that opportunity, that privilege - Im not letting Him give that one to the rocks....

Intense Moment Entering Jerusalem

I remember writing a poem once about this passage...

I am from the Daily News
My job is important interviews.
I'm here to see the
King of the Jews.
Who does he think he is?
Riding on a donkey's back,
a king could afford a Cadillac!
If he's a king, then I'm a hack,
Who does he think he is?"

Gire's chapter is timely, given that we are still at war in much of the world, and much of it caused by our own country under the guise of protection for our "way of life". Unfortunately his words would be timely in most generations since Jesus' time on earth. Those of us who call ourselves Christian assure each other that we've learned his lessons. Maybe we delude ourselves, just like the Pharisees.

The irony of our God, our entire creation, is not lost. It certainly permeates my own faith like sachet in an underwear drawer. Jesus, the Son of God, with nowhere to lay his head, everything he had borrowed (as Gire points out.) His ministry was a quiet testimony to the way human life existed thousands of years before agriculture, before warrior gods, before rules and regulations on how to live, what to eat, who to love and hate. His message was pointed and subtle at the same time... too inconceivable to understand. We stubbornly understand power as authority. We still console ourselves with the power story that Jesus will come again... but next time he'll kick ass.

Jesus wept for the world. Jerusalem was just the tip of the iceberg.

An Intense Moment Entering Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-44)

Can you imagine being caught up in the crowds on that day? Here is the Messiah coming in on a donkey and her colt. The Pharasees are obviously irritated and wanted Jesus to quiet the people. I love His response, "I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!" It reminds me of the praise song about the "trees will clap their hands" from Psalms. What a sight that would be to behold!

There are not many places in the Bible which tell of Jesus weeping. This is one of them. He wept over the city because its people did not understand the significance of what was going on that day...that national acceptance of Him on that day would bring them peace. Imagine what today would be like if they had accepted Him.

Gire talks about not knowing why Jesus wept but I think we have a partial idea. The Jewish leaders had rejected Him. They had refused God's offer of salvation in Jesus Christ when they were visited by God Himself (the time of your visitation), and soon their nation would suffer. Christ knew what was ahead for the Jews. About 40 years after Jesus had spoken His words in verses 43-44, they came true. It was a deadly time for them. In A.D. 70 600,000 Jews were killed during Titus's onslaught.

I feel for the disciples. Though they were close to Jesus and participated in these events, they did not understand them. I see them lacking the perspective of the Cross and the Resurrection (when He was glorified). They weren't even aware that Zechariah's prophecy had been written about Him. Their faith was weak and they needed the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

It certainly was a day of great popular acclaim, but sadly the people had little spiritual perception. The Pharisees pessimistically acknowledged that the whole world had gone after Him. The irony is again evident, for most of those people did not really believe in Jesus.

Gire asks "How much, Lord, did you see? How much did you feel?" I know, I cannot understand, but I know (intellectually) He felt every injustice to be felt---past, present, and future, because injustice is sin. And every sin committed He felt when they were laid on Him to bear...every single sin which could possibly be thought of by man, He paid for.

"...The crushing experiences of life." May I cling to You, O Lord!

Intimate Moment with Mary

It seems a little odd to me that Gire calls this chapter "An Intimate Moment with Mary" but he focuses on everyone except her. He's right to do that in one sense... who can know what their relationship was really like? The DaVinci Code (I know... dirty words these days) suggests Jesus had a wife, Mary Magdalene, but that is only one of the theories about which Mary might have been Jesus' wife. A Rabbi was usually required to be married. It was part of the customary of the times. (Still is, pretty much.)

But whether Jesus was married to Mary of Bethany or not married at all, it's obvious from Scripture that they shared a closeness not mentioned about any other woman he was known to keep company with. She sat at his feet while her sister worked her tail off... I doubt she'd have done that on her own. She immediately raced from the house to see Jesus when her brother was dead, and it was after this encounter that Jesus wept. Jesus and Mary were perhaps "soulmates" in the modern sense of the word, and as such she would have sensed his anxiety and tension over the events to come.

So to hell with convention... this was her chance to pay a tangible tribute to the Lord she loved. A jar of oxnard, expensive stuff, had to kept sealed or it would dry out. Once the seal was broken, the entire amount would have to be used up immediately. It was apparently used to prepare the dead; maybe it was left over from when Lazarus had died, an extra jar not used when he was buried. She used it on Jesus. To everyone else it was a huge waste, to Jesus it was a display of love. And this was one time he didn't let it pass. "She will be remembered for this..."

An Intimate Moment with Mary

I am not totally convinced this is Mary, although it could be.... if Ive learned nothing else lately, Ive learned to cross-reference stories, and this story is really, really similar to the one where Mary is mentioned, but there are a few details that are not exactly the same.... and Mary is not named in this passage.... not that I find that extremely important, but thought I would mention it just the same....

besides that, it is a beautiful picture of one of Christ's followers... I do find it odd that the women seem to always be doing what the right thing is while the men are sitting around dumb-founded and missing the point (who says the Bible is prejudiced against women?)...

to me, this is a much more complicated example than what it is usually made out to be.... here is someone going against social etiquette to worship the Christ... its not like the rest of the followers were doing anything wrong - heck, they were at a banquet held for his honor... but - the misstepped when they criticized the way someone else wanted to honor Jesus - especially when it went across the boundaries of social etiquette and standards... she was worshiping freely and openly, and yet she was criticized... but then Jesus turns the tables and criticizes them, not her...

how convicting.... judging someone else's way to worship - Ive been guilty of doing it, Ive also been judged for how Ive worshiped as well... I struggled for a long time with this, and finally learned that it doesnt matter how you worship, just as long as you do worship - freely as you feel called to - whether that be dancing, raising your hands, clapping, or just sitting in silence when everyone around you is dancing...

*sorry Ive been MIA lately - Gabe was sick Sunday & Monday morning, so I didnt get in to work until 1 on Monday, and then I was so busy, and I tried to post yesterday, but blogger wouldnt let me so I decided that that was my sign that I just wasnt supposed to post on that lesson

*Im thinking we should start thinking about our next book, we are getting close to Holy Week in the book, and there isnt too much more after that, so we may want to start at least thinking about where we want to go next....

An Intimate Moment with Mary (Mark 14:1-11)

I really like the "sandwich" structure Mark uses here. The account of the conspiracy by the religious leaders and Judas is divided by the account of Jesus' annointing here in Bethany. To me, it emphasizes the striking contrast between the hostility of those who plotted His death and the loving devotion of one who recognized Him as the suffering Messiah.

This can be a little confusing but this isn't the same story which we have looked at before. That woman was a prostitute and this woman is Mary, Martha's sister. The woman who has sat at His feet listening intently every chance she has been given. I don't know that she really "knew" about His upcoming death but this was more about pouring her heart out to Him regardless of the timing. To me it represents how close of friends Jesus was with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Regardless, Jesus promised Mary that wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world her deed of love would also be told along with the gospel in memory of her. Isn't that the coolest? To look beyond His death, burial, and resurrection to the present period of time, to right now and know that we will talk about sweet Mary?

The poor disciples who allowed themselves to be led by Judas...tsk tsk tsk. Stand up for yourselves! I can understand why Judas would critisize the use of the money because he was in charge of the 'treasury' for the disciples. Granted it was a legitimate concern but it concealed the disciples' insensitivity and Judas' greed. So they scolded Mary. I love how Christ defended Mary calling it a 'beautiful' thing (lit., "a good [kalon, 'noble, beautiful, good'] work"). Unlike the disciples Christ saw it as an expression of love and devotion to Him in light of His approaching death.

I see the contrast in verse 7 as not between Jesus and the poor but between the words "always" and "not always". Opportunities to help the poor will always be present and the disciples should take advantage of them. But Jesus would not be in their midst much longer and opportunities to show Him love were diminishing rapidly. In a sense she had anointed His body beforehand in preparation for its burial. But, I don't think she really knew that.

I'm intrigued about why Judas offered to betray Jesus. Several things come to mind. 1) Judas was the only non-Galilean member of the Twelve, and he may responded to the official notice (I think that is in John). 2) He was disillusioned by Jesus' failure to establish a political kingdom and his hopes for material gain seemed doomed. 3) His love for money moved him to salvage something for himself. Ultimately, it boils down to his coming under satanic control. In Judas' life one finds an intriguing combination of divine sovereighnty and human responsibility. According to God's plan Jesus must suffer and die (Rev. 13:8); yet Judas, though not compelled to be the traitor, was held repsonsible for submitting to Satan's directives.

It just goes to show that people can be really "close" to Christ, participating in Church, doing the "right" things (kind of like Jules was before) and not be saved. Because if Judas had really been saved Satan could not have entered into him.

Interesting lesson. Great prayer at the end! I really like the prayer.

An Intimate Moment with Mary

Okay...didn't we already do this one?

There were several places in this chapter that I wasn't real happy with the way Gire explained them. For instance, Mary poured the perfume over Jesus' head because she could sense that he was going to die when his own disciples could not? REALLY? Is that really why she did it? Or, was he kinda smelly that day and she wanted to show her love and so she broke the bottle and poured the perfume on him?

The line that really irritated me though was this one:

"For the disciples, the ministry was fast becoming a business to be budgested rather than a Savior to be served."

He's dissin' the disciples? I understand that they were having trouble grasping what Jesus was telling them about his impending death but wouldn't we all? If a loved one came to you and said that they were going to die soon, wouldn't you do everything you could to block that thought from your mind? Especially when it was someone you thought had come to save the world? Saying that the ministry was becoming a business - where is the proof in that? Man, he makes them sound like the precursor to Jimmy Swaggert or something.

The one part I did really like was this:

"The Savior had come to earth to break an alabaster jar for humanity."

Now THAT's a beautiful thought - especially after Addie had explained the whole premise about the alabaster jar. On top of that, I thought the prayer at the end was spot on. It really was beautifully put.

An Instructive Moment about the Patience of God (Luke 20:9-19)

Yet again, here is another passage which speaks of God's judgment against the ones who reject Him. It reminds me yet again of Noah and his time. God waited patiently for people to turn from their wicked ways and yet they did not. Noah and his family were the only righteous people on the face of the earth. God then destroyed the whole earth and began again through Noah and his family.

Since God has passed judgment before, why do people not believe He will pass judgment again? Yes, He is a loving God, but people seem to overlook or forget that He is also a just God. He will follow through with what He says. You know, one really has to "trip" over Jesus to get into hell.

I, for one, am grateful for the protection the Lord surrounds me with. Truly, my desire is to share Him, the Lord whom I know, with everyone who will listen. How I pray that my sin would not get in the way! May He continually clean me from the inside out! And yet again, I desire to be the fragrance of Christ which draws people to Him.

Instructive Moment about the Patience of God

I very much appreciated Gire's interpretation with all the references from Isaiah. He paints an understandable and logical picture of a people whose own self-absorption and corruption have led to final ruin.

He could easily have been talking about America in the present. But he could easily have been telling a parable about all human beings as well. Given a lush and fertile vineyard (Earth) and entrusted with the care of it, we have raped her topsoil, exploited her resources, turned her rainforests into wastelands, diverted ecosystems to our own selfish use, enslaved each other with lies/promises of getting rich quickly... the stone walls are ready to crumble. There have been plenty of prophets who have warned us about global warming, the results of a nuclear winter, the importance of zero population growth... but we shush them up, buy them off, call them crackpots, kill them in the media.

And when the favored son comes... we will destroy him too. If we can. If we haven't already killed each other before he gets here.

The prayer itself was somehow very comforting to me in the midst of all the turmoil in our world. "Help me to be a good tenant of the little acre of life you have entrusted into my care." I may not be able to change the way the world runs itself. But I can sure change the way I run...

An Instructive Moment about the Patience of God

Gire writes:

"The parable teaches two things about God's patience. It is long-suffering and it has limits."

This whole "salvation" thing is so hard to comprehend sometimes, isn't it? We as Christians believe that once we are "saved" we will be included into God's family both now and in the afterlife. But, more than any other aspect of Christianity, this is the one I find so hard to not question over and over again. What if I sin repeatedly over the course of my life and never truly repent? Will God eventually get tired of my lip service and decide I'm too much trouble? What if the evil one finds me at a weak and vulnerable time and I stray far away from God again? Will that be more than His patience can take?

Or, what if I'm saved but then all I ever do is go to church each week and sleep through the service? What if I never use my gifts or bear fruit or any of the rest of the things I'm supposed to be doing - like growing more "Christ-like?" What then? Are we really all that sure that God isn't going to just get really pissed off and decide we're too much trouble to be let into His Kingdom? Is salvation REALLY something you can "lock in?"

Does anybody else ever worry about these things?

I know (most of) what scripture says about our salvation but can we really believe that God doesn't let His patience run out with some of His children? It just really makes me wonder where God would - and does - draw the line.

An Instructive Moment About Faithfulness

Ill be honest, I dont really think I got the point of this lesson - it just wasnt one of those that really shook me up or anything....

I am also not as familiar with Luke's version of this story as I am with the Sunday-school version that Matthew presents... so I did really enjoy having a little more detail to this story, albeit a little more violent...

the one thing that I did get out of this lesson was that we must continue God's work in His absence - He expects that of us - we have certain responsibilities.... and God is not going to be as lenient when He comes back on those are wasting away their Christian lives doing nothing - I think that is a big problem of the church today - we only want the happy parts of Christianity, we dont want the work or the suffering, but it part of who we are, so we must take up that cross and bear it fully....

I do find it interesting that when the master told the servants to take away the one talent of the lazy servant and give it to the one who had 10, the servants made the statement that he already had 10... how perfect a description of humanity - why give it to him - he already has so much? but didnt he deserve it - the master thought so.... so it will be in judgment, when God's kingdom comes - God is a just God, and I think we forget that alot of times and get stuck on that whole 'God is love' thing - yes, God IS love, but love doesnt come without correction....


*just thought you girls would want to know that I was so intrigued by our discussion on Zaccheaus on Wednesday that I was telling Daniel about it and he decided to use the rich young ruler vs Zaccheaus as the topic for youth Bible study on Wednesday night - sure enough if he didnt start singing the song as well

*also, Happy Mothers Day to you all..... hope you all have a wonderful day and get lots of unexpected joy throughout the day.... (this includes you, Jules, youre a great "mother" to that little Gracie of yours)

An Instructive Moment about Faithfulness (Luke 19:11-27)

This was a pretty straight forward story for me. Probably because I have not had any time to really ponder and dig into it. My mom is improving and she keeps trying to reconstruct her "missed" days. It must be a wonderful exercise for her mind because she is beginning to remember bits and pieces of her "lost" days. Thank you so much for your prayers. We have appreciated them so much.

Now, back to this story. I've heard several different sermons on this section before but I have not taken the time to look up any of my sermon notes taken for this one. Not enough time and I probably wouldn't be able to read my own handwriting now! Lol!

Anyway, I know I do not want to be the one who does nothing with what the Lord has given me. Obviously, I won't be since I am secure in my salvation while this person was not a believer. I see the servant who did nothing, not even bank it for the interest it could have earned, really did not expect the king to return. He did expect him to return so why should he really take care of any of the king's business?

By this servant being thrown out (see Matthew 25:30) of the kingdom indicates to me that this servant really belonged to the group of people who did not want the king to rule over them. It is clear that Jesus was going away to receive His kingship and when He returned He would establish His kingdom. Until He returns I need to be about His business...the things He desires for me to accomplish before His return. It makes me think of the verse, Ephesians 2:10 "For we are His workmanship [poema--meaning His masterpiece], created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Since I am a follower of Christ I need to fulfill my responsibilities, just as the disciples were given responsibilities from Christ. On His return He will reward the faithful. But here is another place where Christ makes it clear that His enemies would be judged before Him.

I did like the poem which Gire ended with in the prayer. For it truly is without Him I can do nothing!!!

An Instructive Moment About Faithfulness

This is, once again, an example of a parable that didn't appear to have a lot of meaning for me when I first read it. I've had two occasions to hear people talk about it since I first read the Chapter of Luke and both people used the same premise but used the "minas" to represent two different things in the life of the Christian.

Last December, when our church was in the process of starting up a new capital campaign, I had occasion to listen to a series my pastor did in the past that dealt with money and how we are God's stewards for it. After listening to the tapes and talking to a few people about it, my entire outlook on money changed.

In reference to this story, it meant that if I throw away my money for no good reason or I let it sit hoarded away, earning no interest and doing no good for others, God will not look to entrust a greater sum of money to me. But, if I grow my money and make the most of it by giving freely to others, I will find that I somehow always have enough. This is how I've viewed money ever since and I have to admit...it's been working like a charm. Even though my bills are higher than last year and the cost of living (GAS and FOOD) has risen by a large amount, I still have enough money at the end of the day, even though I now give regularly to my church and have even doubled what I gave in the previous year. Funny how that works!

Then, I took a class at church on spiritual gifts and I got the example of this parable raised before me again - only this time the minas were our talents. God gives us each specific talents and sprititual gifts so that we may help others in areas that they, themselves, may not be gifted in. This creates an environment inside God's church where all people are privy to the best of all worlds. The ones who are gifted at playing musical instruments and singing provide us with inspiring worship music. Pastors are gifted with the ability to lead and teach people. Others help us learn to manage our money better or counsel us when we are in crisis. Some cook the meals at our events and others keep the facility up and running. We often say "practice makes perfect" and this is a case where I think it applies. If we use our gifts, we get better at using our gifts - which means more people are inspired by our gifts and are then more likely to want to use their gifts. Again, the "minas" multiply and we are rewarded for it. Use your gifts and you get better at your gifts and then more people grow because of your gifts. Cool how that works, eh?

But (and this is my final point, I promise!) is that I think any aspect important to Christianity fits inside the premise of this parable. Practice compassion and you'll become more compassionate. Show love to others and feel more loved in return. Be faithful unto God and His teachings and your life will be showered with His blessings.

Instructive Moment About Faithfulness

I appreciate Gire's interpretation of this passage. It flows with a certain logic and has a spiritual truth attached. But something in the back of my brain also tells me the interpretation is too simplistic, too literal to be the whole story. However, my brain and heart are a bit mushy around the edges today, so I'll leave it at that. Good points... I agree with them... not convinced it's what this parable really means, but in the absence of anything more profound, let it ride.

Intimate Moment with Zacchaeus

Sorry I'm so late in posting, but we left early this morning for the Holy Cross funeral and have just returned. It was beautiful and sad and uplifting and underscored that for us who believe in Jesus Christ, death cannot triumph.

I've always loved the story of Zacchaeus. We used to sing about him in Sunday school. And later, as an adult, when I learned a few more Bible stories, I compared him to the man who said "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" That same man went away sad, because he was very wealthy. But Zacchaeus was also wealthy and the perfect consolation prize for Jesus.

Jesus didn't win over every person who met him. Some were transformed, some stayed just the way they were. It's the case both for and against free will, I think. I remember once being in a personal growth workshop. The facilitator issued a warning at the beginning. He said, "Once you start on this path, there is no turning back. You can decide to stop growing at any time, but you can never go back to the way you were before." For those of us who have been transformed by Christ, there is no turning back either. And certainly not for Zacchaeus.

An Intimate Moment with Zacchaeus

This is one of the few lessons that I remember reading from before - though this is probably the one I remember my reaction most the first time I read it, and why I almost dreaded reading it again for today.... I bawled... this will probably be the most personal lesson for me out of this entire book b/c I relate to this story so intimately....

the first time I read it, I was in jr college, fresh out of high school... things were going good, I was getting involved, I had made new friends, school was going well.... I thought I had left the past behind me and started new.... dont get me wrong, high school was mostly great, but it had its moments - I was ready to spread my wings and fly....

I had some extra time, so I figured I would go to my dorm room and spend some quiet time with this book and with my God..... I got to the following part and had to stop...

"Somehow this short man has survived growing up in a tall world. Growing up the object of stares. Growing up the brunt of jokes. Growing up the kid who got pushed around. In the jostled process of growing up, a part of his childhood was trodden underfoot. And that tender part of him died. Crushed under the callused and often cruel feet of the tall. And yet he carries that stepped-on part of himself everywhere he goes. Even up the stout trunk of that sycamore tree. But somewhere along the way to adulthood Zacchaeus learned to compensate - first, to laugh at the jokes, and later, to fight back."

I just sat on my bed and let the tears flow freely.... this was me, my life, printed out for everyone to read. In case I havent mentioned it before, Im only 4'8"... people can be so mean. I cant tell you how often I wished I had never been born by that time in my life b/c that would have been better than going through the torture that I felt most days. I did learn to fight back - with words. I became an expert at hurling words straight into the heart of people, just as they had done me.

And then I refound the Savior. I found my purpose and place in Christ my senior year of high school.... the scars were still fresh though, and they still bled... often.

Jr college is where I first saw people my own age living for Christ, and that had a severe impact on my outlook. For the first time, I felt like people really cared about me and who I was, not just how cute or tiny I was. It was a very freeing. To live under the wing of God's protection those 2 years. It was like the water after being put in the fire and hammered out. It was relief, but it also made me harder and stronger. I no longer felt like I had to carry the weight of my past life and the insults. Yes, they still came, but they didnt sink in like they used to.

Soon after that, I met my husband. Here was where God's love truly was exemplified. He didnt care how small I was. He cared that I had been hurt before. He didnt care that there were alot of things that I just couldnt do. He wanted to do them for me. He didnt care that I was insulted over and over again by the world. He wanted to be the one who protected me and stood watch over me. Here is where I finally could see Christ's love brought into flesh. And I know God loved me enough to give me that tangible evidence of His love b/c that is what I needed at the time. I needed to feel someone love me. To feel someone's arms wrap around me in a huge hug. I needed to look into someone's face and know that they cared. I needed to hear someone's voice telling me that it was ok.

When in jr college, I read an article with DC Talk (youth oriented Christian band) and it was about them and their new album. One of the members was newly married, and he was talking about one of their songs, Consume Me. (if you dont know this song, you should at least check out the lyrics) This was "my" worship song at the time - you know that one song that you have that always puts you in the mood to worship, or if you cant find the words, then the song says it for you. Well, he mentioned that when he sings this song, sometimes he thinks about his wife. And I, in my pharisitical ferver, pretty much deemed this blasphemy. I couldnt understand how a song about God could be applied equally to your mate. I get it now....

It didnt hurt near as bad to read this lesson this time, although it still dredges up old feelings and hurts. The insults are still there. Do they still bother me? yeah, at times they do... Do I dwell on them? Nah... those are not the thoughts of my God, my husband, or my son - they have no place in my heart....

"And amid the rubble, that crushed, stepped-on part of this litte man's heart springs to life."

An Intimate Moment with Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-9)

You just have to love Zacchaeus! His stature makes me think of the actor, Danny DeVito. Can't you just picture someone like that running up to the sycamore tree and climbing it? What a picture of an adult becoming like a child....I wonder if Luke may have been presenting Zacchaeus' actions as a commentary on Jesus' words that unless people become like little children they cannot enter the kingdom of God (Luke 18:17). At our old home, across the street, stood a tall sycamore. They grow quite rapidly and reach a fair height. I think one reason I've always enjoyed this story is because of the song I learned when I was little (no, I can't sing if for you now LOL).

Zacchaeus was the second person to come to faith in Jesus in Jericho. Zacchaeus, like the blind man, was considered outside the normal Jewish system because of his activities for Rome as a tax collector. Can't you just hear the hissing and booing that must have accompanied him wherever he went? And the stares that must have been thrown his way? Right before this passage of Scripture there is the story of the rich ruler. Zacchaeus responded to Jesus' message in precisely the opposite way the rich ruler had responded (18:18-25). Zacchaeus, also wealthy, knew he was a sinner. When Jesus called on him, he responded with a greater enthusiasm than Jesus had asked for. Oh my goodness...am I the only one feeling the piercing of that statement? How often do I respond with "greater" enthusiasm than called for? Very few, if any, if the truth be known.

Isn't this a great account about Jesus' words that with God all things are possible (18:25-27)? Most people think having wealth is such a blessing from God, yet, most people with wealth stumble and find it very difficult to come to Jesus. But here is Zacchaeus who was a wealthy person who found salvation!

When Jesus called to Zacchaeus by name and told him He would be staying with him, he welcomed Him gladly. A side note, ladies, the word "gladly" (chairon) is literally "rejoicing." Luke used this verb (and the noun, chara) nine times (1:14; 8:13; 10:17; 13:17; 15:5, 9, 32; 19:6, 37) to denote an attitude of joy accompanying faith and salvation.

Oh, I can hear how the word "sinner" must have d-r-i-p-p-e-d off their tongues as the people mumbled and grumbled about Christ going to his home. Yet, when Zacchaeus stood up and voluntarily announced he would give half of what he owned to the poor and, then, on top of that, he would repay fourfold all he had wronged, I wonder if anyone gasped?!!! I absolutely LOVE to be around new Christians! They cannot help themselves. It's like they are a watch spring wound up so tight just waiting for someone to come along where they can just "spring" on them. That was Zacchaeus. He publicly wanted the people to know that his time with Jesus had changed his life. I find it fascinating that his response to part with much of his wealth was similar to what Jesus asked the rich ruler to do but he could not (18:22).

Just a note to point out that Jesus' words, "Today salvation has come to this house," did not imply that the act of giving to the poor had saved Zacchaeus, but that his change in heart/lifestyle evidenced his right relationship before God.

An Intimate Moment with Zacchaeus

It was the very last sentence of the prayer that hit the nail on the head for me.

"...it is not I who seek you in the streets nearly as much as it is you who seeks me in the Sycamores..."

I remember not too long ago when someone told me "It wasn't YOU who went seeking God first. It was God whispering your name that sent you on your journey to find Him."

I had never heard that. I thought it was all up to us. I thought every person at one time in their life went looking for God and either said "yes" or said "no." I didn't have a CLUE that it was God seeking US.

God seeking ME?

It still just blows me right out of the water, you know? Poor, pitiful, ignorant, hard-headed ME.

And I, too, had an experience or two like Zacchaeus after he met Christ. I remember just last December being all concerned that I wasn't going to be able to afford to give enough to my church in the coming year and I was also wrestling with "How can I spend money on something I WANT when there are people who don't have what they NEED?" My wall of "what's mine is mine" had started to come down, just like the walls of Jericho. I'm sure a lot of people have the same reaction but it was such a twist on things for me to be so concerned with someone other than myself.

It still amazes me that people can have that "light bulb moment" and then instantly see the world through a completely different set of glasses. It really is like walking into a room for the first time and having someone turn the lights on. It's all new. It's all different. Yet - it's still all the same.

What a miracle that moment is. What a blessed, blessed, miracle.

An Incredible Moment with a Blind Man

I cross referenced this story first to make sure it wasnt another one that I was thinking of (it wasnt).... I did find it interesting though that in Matthew it doesnt give this story, but it gives a story similar - in the one in Matthew, Jesus and his followers were leaving Jericho (in this lesson, they were arriving in Jericho), and it was almost the same exact story except it was 2 blind guys instead of one.... I just thought it was interesting that Jesus had the same experience arriving in and leaving Jericho, except leaving, he left twice the blessings as when he got there....

Once again, we see someone making a "fool" of himself, just to be near Jesus - not knowing even how Jesus would react... it makes me wonder why Jesus says this guys faith has healed him - why did this guy have faith? surely he had heard of this Jesus, but it had to be more than just in passing for him to have faith in him, right? Makes me think he did have at least one friend who watched out for him and told him of this Jesus that everyone was talking about....

I also found it interesting, that the crowds told him to hush when he started calling out, but he only repeated louder.... then in Mark, I believe, it says the crowds told him to cheer up that the Master was asking for him.... odd, Im wondering if the ones that told him to hush were the every day people and the ones that told him to cheer up, were the Christ-followers.... what a beautiful picture this paints (to me) of his followers and how they really tried to love like Christ.... here was a man, poor and blind and desperate, making a fool of himself.... did the "Christians" care, no, they encouraged him - to go to Jesus, and told him that Jesus did want him..... this is the type of Christian that I want to be....

Sorry for the confusion...

With CJ away and Claire busy with her mom, I emailed Addie and said "Let's just wait until Monday to do this chapter." Then Claire went and posted! (I never would have imagined that in a million years!!!)

So, today, let's all get caught up on the Blind Man Chapter and we'll move forward from there on Wednesday.

Praise be to God that Nana is home and that Addie doesn't have to keep working 55 hours for no logical reason!

An Incredible Moment with a Blind Man

At first, I read through this Chapter and thought, "What?" Really, I couldn't have been more bored. Nothing about it grabbed me. Nothing made me stop and think. I just thought to myself, "Well, that was kind of a waste of time..."

But then on Sunday I woke up and something occurred to me. This blind man was healed because he stood up and screamed to be heard. He went and did whatever he had to to get Jesus to see him and to be healed by him. This blind man didn't care that others were in his way or that they were all "shushing" him. He wanted to be seen by Jesus and nothing was going to stop him.

This is what faith is...Taking personal responsibility for your life and doing whatever it takes to make your way to God. If you spend your whole like waiting for God to pick you out of a crowd and ask you what you want, you will probably be waiting a very long time. He wants you to come to HIM. He wants you to express your heart's desire. He wants to know that this isn't something you will easily cast away - He wants it to be something you seek after so it will have meaning for you.

So, the chapter I originally thought was just plain boring really did have an effect on me. And, oddly enough, I used this example when I met with my new mentee, Patti, last night. There's another godincidence for ya...

Incredible Moment with a Blind Man

"In the twinkling of an eye" was Gire aware of his play on words I wonder? This is a story of a blind man receiving his sight. Twinkling eye... get it?

Life can change that fast. This we know intellectually, of course, but on a cell level... we forget. Until it changes that fast. I've just lived through five days of "eye twinkling" episodes and frankly, I'm exhausted. Yes, I am blessed, and I'm praising God, just like the blind man. And I'm more committed to following Christ down the road, just like the blind man. But I need some rest. Over the next few days the road will take me to a day-long facilitated meeting with my sisters, two funerals and a full moon fireside. I have much on my mind and heart.

An Incredible Moment with a Blind Man (Luke 18:35-43)

Update: My mom was admitted to the hospital late Thursday afternoon. We spent all day in the ER having tests done and blood drawn. They are trying to rule out a stroke along with her other problems. Hubby and I left her tonight ready to go to sleep. She is still confused but maybe not quite as much. I'll be heading back to the hospital first thing this morning but if there is dialogue I'll respond on Saturday sometime. Right now we don't know if she will get released tomorrow or if she will be kept through the weekend.

I know, I didn't need to post at all. However, I did need to post because it helps me to focus on the One who is Able. Able in all things. Able to sustain life, able to take life, able to heal, able to strengthen, able to pour out His love, mercy and grace on our family. After my day today(Thursday) I need to redirect my focus, calm my thoughts, and direct my attention upwards. This helps me to do that. Thanks, Jules and Addie!

Ok, on to the post....

What an example of how the nation of Israel should have responded to the Messiah!! Isn't it interesting that in each case the person who did respond was an outcast from the mainstream of Judaism.

My understanding is there were two Jerichos then, an old city and a new city. Jesus was leaving old Jericho and approaching the new Jericho when the miracle occurred. As Christ passed by the blind man, hearing the commotion around him, asked what was going on. When he was told it was Jesus of Nazareth, he immediately realized that the Messiah was there. How do we know? Because of how he addressed Him..."Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." By using "Son of David" they were appealing to Him as Messiah.

What great symbolic value is here in this account. Well, I think so anyway. :) The man was a beggar sitting by the side of the road, waiting for something to happen. He was blind and could do nothing to change his condition. Isn't that just like us? We were blind, in fact, we were more than blind, we were dead in our sins. The Messiah came through his town. Immediately the blind man recognized Him as the Messiah, the one who could save him from his blindness. I wonder, how many attempts does it take for people to realize when the Messiah passes near to them? Spiritual outcasts, unable to help themselves, far more readily recognized the Messiah and ased for His help than did the Jewish religious leaders.

The people in front tried to keep him quiet. Likewise, the religious leasers tried to keep people from believing on Jesus. But, I love how the opposition made the man more adamant in his faith.

This man was so confident that Jesus, the Messiah, had the power to heal him. When Jesus stated that his faith had healed him, He was not saying the the man's faith possessed some power but rather, the man had faith in the Messiah, and it was the Messiah's power that had healed him. In the same way, if the nation had faith in the Messiah, their faith would have healed them of their spiritual blindness. Nothing stopped this man from praising God!!!

I remember one time when Pilot had shared in school about groceries being dropped off anonymously on our front porch. He was offering up a praise in how the Lord provided for us. He attended a Christian school filled with very wealthy families (obviously we were not one of those). Most of the children asked why we just didn't go to the store and buy our own food. Well, to make a long story short, as he was telling me this after he got home from school, my mind filled with all kinds of thoughts...."oh, what must they think?" Or, "Oh, man, how embarrassing..." I didn't voice those thoughts but just let him finish sharing. He then went off to do his homework. As I worked on chopping my veggies for dinner the Lord convicted me strongly about Praising Him. I went in to Pilot's room and told him how proud I was of him for sharing how the Lord had worked so personally in our family. We have always been a family where personal attention was given by God. And, we should always be willing to share God's goodness poured out on us. That's what I see this man doing...praising the Lord to the highest because of how the Lord had blessed him!