To Love or Not to Love: That is the Question

Birthday cards.  They're almost out of style, especially with facebook at our fingertips.  This morning our daughter, Laura, and I picked out and addressed birthday cards, laughing at pictures and words as we considered each name and whether they would appreciate being an "inspiration" or laugh at a gloppy picture of gummy bears.  Last Saturday we purchased the cards at a nearby Amish store (which is an adventure in itself) and, referring to our simple spreadsheet, we addressed and dated cards for those on my husband's deacon care list and in our Sunday school class.

Why? Each photo, each message, is an expression of love, a remembrance of times together, a tribute to life.  To love--to have compassion--is to act, to reach out, to see and feel another's experience.  And respond.  A birthday card is simple way to knock on the door of someone's life. But our calling is so much greater.  When I walk as one who bears Jesus' name, my heart sees the needs of others and, as Jesus works through me, my agenda dissipates.  His prevails.

"But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’"

"...when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (Matthew 9:13, 36-38).

To follow Jesus is to love, to have mercy, to be and to pray for laborers of His harvest.

Want Change?

Limp, hobble, stop.  Limp, hobble, stop. "Unclean! Make room!" A sharp stone cut his foot and blood flowed, but he didn't feel it.  He scratched scaly skin on his face with scabbed, stubby digits.
"Jesus?  Lord?"  And Jesus drew near. 
For the leper, life was difficult, painful, long.  Each day, each meal, was uncertain. People were impossible.  Those who could help didn't.  Those who wanted to, couldn't.  Each agonizing step led to death, one foot in front of the other.  Until Jesus came.  Compared to leper two thousand years ago, no one was more poor in spirit than he, no one more hungry, thirsty or persecuted; no one more anxious and worried, no one more judged and condemned. No one longed more for the Golden Rule, no one saw more clearly the hypocrisy of its spiritual leaders.
So he came.  He came to Jesus and asked to be cleansed.  Not healed.  Cleansed.  The words, the power and authority of Jesus' teaching spoke to his heart; changed his thinking.  As he sat, perhaps hour after hour, he wanted something more.  He didn't approach Jesus for physical healing, but for the opportunity to enter the courts of the temple once more, to be right with God, to have his heart renewed--and physical healing was the vehicle, the ticket, to restoration.  Physical healing made it possible for him to worship and be one with God's people.
Jesus heard.  He inquired.  He touched.  He healed.  He restored.
Jesus' goal was not to heal broken, wounded bodies.  He is the Ruler of heaven's kingdom.  Reigning deity in the peasant garb (Philippians 2).  A walking, talking sacrifice--dead man walking--that would lead us to God (1 Peter 3:18).  It is only as we listen that we desire Him, that our eyes move from the immediate to the eternal, from the story to the Author.  Isn't that what Jesus taught on the mount?  "...if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.... seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness....he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter" (The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7).
Want change?  Need change?  Long for change?  You will not find it apart from God's Word.  Read it.  Bathe in it.  Meditate on it.  Think it.  Read it again.  Then ask.  You'll be amazed at what God is already doing, and will continue to do.

What I Need

I desperately need to read my Bible. 
Sometimes I don't think so.
Sometimes I don't want to.
Sometimes I put other things first.
But I need it.

Why?

Because it's different than who I am.
It's different than what I think.
It's different than what I do.
It's different than what I say.
It's the opposite of my natural tendencies.

On my own, I flatter, gossip, lie.
On my own, I overindulge and wallow.
On my own I malign and protect myself.
On my own I manipulate and scheme.
On my own I meddle and whine.

God says speak the truth in love.
God says put others first.
God says don't worry.
God says trust.

And I can't.
But He can.
And He will.
What I need...is Jesus.  Jesus from within; Jesus from without.

Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth" (John 17:17 NASB).
"Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105).
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)