Have You Been Bumped?

Many will bump up against Him as He makes His way through our world...

HE IS RISEN...HE IS RISEN INDEED!

Recall the last devotional, shared with a pastor whose writings, coupled with the Holy Spirit, inspired it, in which the question was asked: How Close? will we come in our relationship with the risen Jesus?

This very same idea was brought to mind as I was praying several days ago, but from a very new and exciting perspective. This time the thought posed was: what happens when Jesus bumps up against us? Realistically, the answer to this question should be very different for the believer (the one who has already come to know Jesus as his brother and Lord) and the not-yet-believer (he or she who only knows about Jesus in one form or fashion). But for both, the profound experience of being "bumped" by Jesus has the potential of bringing you both to the knees (and face) in wonder and love, and that Reality is what I hope to (even somewhat) translate here.

For those who don't know the Real Live Jesus (and by this, I mean those who have not been born again: [John 3:3, 5-7; Romans 6:4-7; Colossians 2:11-12]), and who perhaps see him as only a historical figure or maybe as nothing at all, having Jesus "approach" can take many forms and incite different reactions. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse...For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him (Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:16). Whether realized or not, that "thrill" when being presented by a particular vista; that profound sense of peace when feeling like one is "in the (exact) right place at the (exact) right time"; that nearly other-worldly experience of being "known" when someone says or does something that, unbeknownst to that person, goes straight to the core of your being...is, quite often, a supernatural "bump" from Jesus. He is attempting to communicate to you His Presence...His Love...His desire to come close to and commune with you. What will your reaction be? Some will brush it off as an "emotional experience." Others will try to grab the beauty, the tranquility, the "being known" feeling and possess it...use it in the attempt to enhance what is perceived as an emotional high. And there are those who, without really even knowing why, will be repulsed by the touch of the One who wants them for His Own, since this means an agonizing yet beautiful surrender (Mark 8:35; Luke 9:23), to which our self-centered natures are vehemently opposed. But some...will recognize it as Something or Someone that is attempting to get their attention...and will hopefully pursue the hazy sense of familiarity with the feel of the Hand that formed them from the beginning (Psalm 139:15-16).

For those who know You, Lord, when you bump up against us...that is, when we have been stilled enough (Psalm 23:1-3) to take time to call out to You (Psalm 91:14-16)...to open the door to You (Revelation 3:20)...to enjoy sweet, precious time together (Luke 10:38-42)...the response is to know that we are indeed at the (exact) right place at the (exact) right time: with You. Additionally, as the old-but-always-true hymn professes, "the things of earth...grow strangely dim, In the light of (Your) glory and grace" - the things of this world that mattered so incredibly and terribly much just moments before suddenly lose their harsh edges and do, in fact, become "strangely dim" in Your Presence. No wonder this lyricist asserts that it is "In Your Presence" where he...where we...belong. I like how Brennan Manning in his amazing writing The Ragamuffin Gospel describes this "bump" from You, Lord. He refers to a time when being encountered by You was called "being seized by the power of a great affection" (p. 195). And that's exactly what it is, Lord, isn't it? You come to us to share Your Presence...Your Love...and You are longing for a response...

 

 

...What will our response be...?

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!”... (John 20:16)

I pray for all of us that more and more, instead of being side-swiped and side-tracked by the million and one distractions that exist both externally and internally, we can "turn our eyes upon Jesus (upon You, Lord), look full in His wonderful face (and You are so, so beautiful), and the things of earth WILL grow strangely dim, in the light of YOUR glory and grace."

Blessings on all of you.

In His Love,

Terri

How Close?

It's neat when devotionals from one sister or brother inspire extrapolations, resulting in a whole new, but related, "penned" (or in this case, typed) praise to God. Thank you to the pastor/brother who shared his thoughts about the different levels of intimacy one can share with Jesus...and therefore with whom I share this devotional.

"Then Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life...'" (John 6:53-54)


"Take me into the holy of holies, Take me in by the blood of the lamb, Take me into the holy of holies, Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am..." (Kutless, "Take Me In" )

Not many people will argue over the fact that Jesus was real. "He was a teacher," "He was a good man," "He was a prophet," "He was a blasphemer," "He was a kook,"... "He was (is)...our Messiah/Savior." To those who perceive Him to be any one of the first five (or anything else similar to these), Jesus was really just a historical figure. To some a good one, to others not-so-much-so. And evidence does exist that Jesus was, in fact, part of history. However one cannot have an intimate relationship with someone who was just part of history.

For those who believe both that Jesus walked the earth AND that He did so...as God's Son...to rescue a sinful and dying world, there are different levels of intimacy with Him that can be shared. (Thank you, Pastor C., for illuminating these in your writing...)...

Many will bump up against Him as He makes His way through our world...

It is sad these days the ease with which churches encourage their congregants to declare Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Jesus Himself, in one of the many parables He shared with the multitudes, warned that before submitting to being a follower of Him, one needed to "count the cost" of precisely what this meant (Luke 14:27-29). Without the Holy Spirit-given understanding of what walking this narrow path entails (Matthew 7:13-14), many will in fact just "bump up against" Jesus as they hear about Him in church, talk about Him in small groups, and read about Him during quiet times. Not that any one of these things couldn't be used by God to draw a person nearer to their Lord and Savior (John 6:44); but unless this occurs, there will be very little intimacy with Jesus...if any at all.

Many will encounter Him, amid the curious crowd of on-lookers...

This description fits the many who came (and still come) to Jesus seeking "things": those who sought miracles and signs (Luke 11:29), the many who brought their maladies to Him to be healed (Matthew 4:24) and the multitudes who sat and listened to His teachings (Mark 1:21-22; Luke 9:10-11). Although there were some from this bunch who did end up, because spiritual sight was imparted (Ephesians 1:17-20), seeing something much deeper in Jesus and thus a greater reason to continue to follow Him, a great majority of these "on-lookers" may (or may not) have just gotten what they needed or wanted and gone back to their original lives (Luke 17:11-17). Does this still happen today?

But few will...fight their way close enough to be able to let their finger tips graze the hem of His robes...

And then there were those such as the woman who had been bleeding for many years (Matthew 9:20-22), or the sinful lady who washed Jesus' feet with her tears:

"Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, 'Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil...'" (Luke 7:44-46)

How many of us will actually touch, or grasp on and hold on to, Jesus' robe? Rub our cheek against His foot? Sit with Him as the world rushes wildly on around us (Luke 10:38-42)? How many will dare to go into the holy of holies, where only one's self is allowed to enter, carrying nothing except a cross and a yearning to meet with the Savior there (Luke 9:57-62, 14:25-27)? And it is a fight: against the world's ridicule (John 15:18-20), against the multitude of satan's obstacles (Ephesians 6:12; 1 Peter 5:8) , and against our lack of desire to take up our cross, which is His cross, and follow Him wherever He leads (Romans 7:18-25; Galatians 5:16-17; Psalm 51:10)...

...but it's worth it...

...after 12 years (and many doctors), a bleeding woman was instantly made well (Matthew 9:22). The uninvited lady (who far surpassed the pharisee in his lack of welcome to the teacher) was recognized by Jesus as having a love for Him exploding in her heart (Luke 7:47). And from nowhere else can solid love, peace, and joy (John 14:26-27; Galatians 5:22-25; 1 John 4:10)...and Eternal Life (John 10:10)...meaning Real Life...come but by sitting in the Presence of...with our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

How close will you come...?

"Then Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life...'"

"Jesus said...'come, follow me...'" (Matthew 19:21)

In His Love,

Terri

Sanitized

Sanitize: to make more acceptable by removing unpleasant or undesired features (Merriam Webster's Dictionary)

^"Then Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.'" (John 6:53)

The other day I was sitting in a local Target and watched as people walked in and yanked hand sanitizer towelettes off the rolls provided, wiping off the handles of the carts used by previous shoppers. I thought to myself, "we spend so much time trying to protect ourselves from this and that germ, attempting like never before to keep ourselves as cleansed as possible, when all along there is a much deeper and more critical problem going on..."

Relationships with one another, and God, are being sanitized.

But then I had to consider, how does this perception fit in with the actual definition of something being sanitized? (And quite honestly, I'm still pondering that right now, so if anyone has any of their own ideas they would like to share, PLEASE feel free...). Several thoughts occurred:

One is that due to the fear of exposure; the risks involved in becoming intimate with someone; and quite frankly, the self-centeredness that God Himself warned would permeate our world-apart-from-Him (Matthew 24:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:1-5), we have (even beyond our own consciousness) chosen to engage in more sterilized interactions, making the deep fellowship and yes even sometimes resulting pain become the "unpleasant and undesirable features" we remove. Now relationships are easier...more "acceptable"...often more in line with our own needs and schedules. Facebook and Twitter, for example, tend to minimize the sound and touch of those with whom we "communicate." Replies are brief and entries are often self-centered, and both often get lost as they move down on the person's "wall." People are satisfied to accrue "friends," often who never even "talk" with one another. And the process itself causes us to sit in front of a computer screen, giving us the control of being "on" or "off" (line). It's scary to think that this may be becoming (already is?) the norm of relationships in our society. But it didn't start nor does it end there. Blinds of homes are shut; car windows rolled up; tv screens are hypnotizing; and hearts are being encased and hardened within the very tombs we are creating for ourselves, or which are being constructed for us:

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.

And yes, this sanitizing has definitely found its way into the Church/Body of Christ, satirized in this video attached here. The video is funny, but the message is tragic.

...And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

The second thought that occurred (intricately entwined with the first) is that satan - in whom "lawlessness" is made manifest, and which is running rampant these days - plays orchestra conductor of these sanitized relationships. Satan works directly and he works through people, and he can definitely "encourage" the mass production and advertising of those things that can then separate us from each other (2 Corinthians 11:13-14: "You can't live without it!"). He also takes fear, mistrust, and hatred and redirects them onto and toward one another instead of allowing them to remain in their rightful places: on him and his demonic army (Ephesians 6:12). And all of these are part of his strategy to divide and conquer, to blind, and to dehumanize, so that when he manifests himself in the form of the antichrist - his one last clarion call before Jesus appears again - many will follow him, caring more for their own self-preservation (which he will deceptively offer) and unable (and perhaps unwilling) to rescue one another from the surrounding chaos, which will be disguised as peace (Revelation 17:8). And it makes total sense that satan would be involved in this sanitizing of relationships, since surely real love and intimacy with one another and with God are not only unpleasant and undesirable, but detestable to him since they challenge on the deepest level his master plan of destruction. Hair, clothing, and individual personality were considered undesirable to Hitler when he was led to annihilate millions. So he sanitized, and thus dehumanized and then ultimately destroyed, not only Jewish people, but all of those whom he perceived to obstruct his master plan. This is one highly visible event representing what satan is doing and will continue to do (John 10:10) until his own demise has come. And unless we turn to God, who is ready and willing to protect and empower us against these onslaughts (2 Chronicles 7:14), we too will fall prey (we are falling prey) to satan's holocaust (1 Peter 5:8).

So now why include the scripture verse above, spoken by Jesus Himself, about having to eat his flesh and drink his blood?

Because by contrast, this is about as intimate and unsanitized as you can get when it comes to having a relationship with someone. And in fact many ran from it (John 6:66; and I don't frequently go by these things, but notice that the very verse in which many turned from Jesus and walked the other way contains the same numbers as the mark that will be assigned to those who likewise are not covered by Jesus' blood, and therefore prone to follow satan's representative: "666" -- Revelation 13:16-18/worth reading is all of 1-18). God intended for our love for one another and our relationship with Him to go deep (John 13:34-35), so deep that He would have His Son tell us that unless we consumed Him, we would have no life in us. This is incredibly unsanitary, but this is how close we need to be with Him (and He invites that). And this is just about as close as we could be to one another (indwelled by Him). We must hear and believe this, because it's getting late.

If anyone has an ear, let him hear... (Revelation 13:9)

...Please...

In Jesus' Name,

Love,
Terri

Breathe In...Breathe Out

This is the air I breathe..."

"Keep in mind, there are other options.  I can breathe hatred into the world.  I can breathe suspicion.  I can breathe revenge.  I can breathe divisiveness...(or)...I can breathe life" ("The Little Black Book: Six-minute meditations on the Sunday Gospels of Lent [Cycle B], February 28, 2012).

This devotional was actually inspired by a devotional (portion above) written by Bishop Ken Untener.  In it, Bishop Untener spotlights the Spirit - the Holy Spirit of God - who comes to dwell within anyone (John 14:16-20) whose heart is turned back to God (Ezekiel 36:26); brought back Home to Him by the drawing of that very same Spirit (John 6:44)!

In the lyric which precedes the Bishop's quote, it is that very same living, loving, eternal Spirit about which the author sings.  It is only by "breathing in" the Holy Spirit of God that he is able to truly live; not attempting to survive on the increasingly polluted "air" (sustenance) the world has to offer, but turning his entire self (Matthew 16:25) in the direction - into the realm - of He Who fills our lungs...our whole person...with Life (John 10:10; Ephesians 3:20-21; Philippians 4:19).

This is why I liked Bishop Untener's devotional.  He takes the "breathing in" process a step further.  He emphasizes that the Life that is born (John 3:5-8; John 1:12-13) and that blossoms (Matthew 13:31-32) within someone who turns his or her earthly life back over to God (Mark 8:34-35) is refreshment and renewal that can be shared with others.  Instead of the myriad of other things that can be "breathed out" (complaints, condemnations, gossip, judgments, profanities, slander..."and the like" - Galatians 5:19-21), it is a sweet smelling aroma that can be exhaled by someone who has and knows the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:1-2).  He or she can truly breathe life onto others; and then, if that same Spirit intervenes, the fresh air within which those on the receiving end find themselves can awaken them to their own need for Him.  And once accepted, then they too will know the acquiescing and Life-giving "Ahhhhh" that comes from having Him Who is Eternal Life abiding within. 

"This is the air I breathe..." 

Thank you, Lord, for giving your life (and then coming back) so that we could become truly Alive: like Pinocchio being transformed from a wooden puppet into a real live boy, or the Velveteen Rabbit being loved so much, and by that love, receiving Real Life.  That's how much You have loved and love us...but oh so much more.  And for those who have in fact received this Life from You, may we constantly be humbled by Your Love, and then be willing to breathe out Your Life and Love...the Holy Spirit...to others. 

Thank you, Lord.

(In His Love), 

Terri

The Peace of Knowing

"Let's say that you were there in the garden with Him (Jesus) and spoke to Him, 'Excuse me, Sir, but it would appear that You have lost Your peace that You speak of so often. Have You?...'" (from Lifetime Guarantee by Bill Gillham, p. 149)

"And being in an agony [of mind], He prayed [all the] more earnestly and intently, and His sweat became like great clots of blood dropping down upon the ground." (Luke 22:44)

"And after He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly, behold, there arose a violent storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered up by the waves; but He was sleeping..." (Matthew 8:23-24)

"Excuse me, Sir, but it would appear that You have lost Your peace...

Have You?..."

Bill Gillham, in his outstanding book Lifetime Guarantee, distinguishes between a peace that is identified through the emotions - one could say a quiet that results when the waves of life are relatively calm - and a peace that lives much deeper within; one that results, as he states, from knowing something (p. 149). Gillham illuminates this distinction using Jesus Himself, and His highly emotion-filled encounter with the Father. Anyone who perceives or portrays Jesus as having no emotions need only go with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane. There, he pled with His Father to reconsider the amazing act He was being asked to perform: to receive the entire weight of the world's Sin upon Him (Isaiah 53:6), and from this to be temporarily but completely severed from His beloved Father's Presence (Mark 14:32-36, 15:34, 37). He told three of His disciples that his “soul (was) exceedingly sorrowful, even to death..." (14:34); and because of His agony, he prayed so fervently that it was reported that He began sweating drops of blood (Luke 22:44). Have you ever been in such anguish? Has your own spirit or soul ever been so distressed that it felt nearly like your heart was going to burst out of your chest?

And suddenly, behold, there arose a violent storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered up by the waves; but He was sleeping...

...at peace...in the midst of turmoil...

Even in your agony...even as the storm blew viciously around Jesus and His disciples...even as drops of blood spilled from His beautiful face...there was (and is) a peace; a peace that comes from knowing something. A peace that comes from knowing Someone, and that at the center of the raging storm (of emotions), He is completely and permanently Present and will not allow anything to happen through which He will not take you as long as you remain in Him (Psalm 23; John 15:4-5). You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You...is a promise from God to anyone who has committed him or herself to Him (Isaiah 26:3), but it is one that is based on a condition: whose mind is stayed on You. Once our heart/mind gaze is removed from Him and set on the myriad of emotions that can occur at any particular moment, that deeply settled peace which comes from knowing God's Presence is "exposed to the elements" and can now be blown around if refuge back in Him is not sought. However, grab onto the hem of His garment (Matthew 14:35-36)...set the heart and mind on things above (Colossians 3:1-2)...sit at His feet (Luke 10:38-42)...practice His Solid and Eternal Presence (Brother Lawrence)...get to Know Him (John 17:3)...and no matter what tempest may arise, in spite of the emotions that may result, you too can "sleep"...that is, your spirit can truly remain at rest. The result? Just as Jesus was able to pronounce to His Father, as the blood-sweat fell from his brow, "Not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39), we too can yield to our Father, peacefully...full of peace, in just the same way.

Scott Krippayne, Jeremy Camp, and Mercy Me all have songs that share this Reality of the Peace of His Presence. I pray you'll take time to listen...and have His Peace.

"And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well."

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You...

In His Love,
Terri

Philippians 4:8

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9)

A believer's thought life is probably one of the most powerful advocates of or enemies to his or her walk (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) - either leading into the light (Psalm 89:15; Ephesians 5:8; 1 John 1:7) or into darkness (Isaiah 59:8-10; Matthew 6:23; John 12:35).

The above scripture, I believe, gives a powerful prescription as to how to protects one's mind from the invasion of the oh-so-many things that are out there (and "in there") which seek to take over the thought life...that attempt to snatch us from the place of Glory at the right hand of the Father, where we are "alive together in Christ" (Ephesians 2:4-6) and slam us (hopefully only temporarily) into a dark and dismal "doubting castle" where temptation towards any type of sin and old nature response (Galatians 5:19-21) is great:

"Now there was, not far from the place where they lay, a castle, called Doubting-Castle, the owner whereof was Giant Despair, and it was in his grounds they now were sleeping...with a grim and surly voice, he (Giant Despair) bid them awake...They told him they were Pilgrims, and that they had lost their Way. Then said the Giant...you must go along with me. So they were forced to go, because he was stronger than they. They also had but little to say, for they knew themselves in a Fault. The Giant...put them into his castle, in a very dark Dungeon, nasty and stinking to the spirit of these two men..." (John Bunyan, from The Pilgrim's Progress, pp. 128-129)

How easy it is to lose our way when we start allowing entrance and entertainment to (or when they just break right on in...) thoughts that set themselves up against God's thoughts and Ways. So here again is that prescription, each part an extremely potent safeguard for our minds (Greek/Word Origins from Study Light):

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true...

Greek: Alethes. Loving/speaking the truth.

Word Origin: A - The first letter. Christ is the Alpha: beginning and end.

Lanthano - To be hidden, secretly, unawares.

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" (John 14:6)

"...the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints...which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:26-27)

...whatever things are noble,

Greek: Semnos. Also "honest" "honorable."

Word Origin: Sebomai - to revere, to worship.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey." (Zechariah 9:9)

whatever things are just,

Greek: Dikaios. Righteous, observing divine laws. Conformed to the will of God.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25)

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God..." (1 Peter 3:18)

whatever things are pure,

Greek: Hagnos. Exciting reverence, sacred. Pure from carnality.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

whatever things are lovely,

Greek: Prosphiles. Acceptable, pleasing.
Word Origin: Pros - at, near, by, together.
Phileo - to love, friendship love.
Philos - one of the bridegroom's friends.

"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15)

whatever things are of good report,

Greek: Euphemos. Sound well, good repute.
Word Origin: Eu - good, well, well done.
Pheme - fame, report.

"His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’" (Matthew 25:21)

"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”(Matthew 17:5)

if there is any virtue

Greek: Arete. Moral goodness, modesty, purity.
Word Origin: Arrhen - a male.
Airo - to raise, elevate, lift up, to raise from the ground. To bear or carry what has been raised.

"Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind...Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."   (Philippians 2:1-2, 5-8)

and if there is anything praiseworthy—

Greek: Epainos. Approbation, commendation, praise.
Word Origin: Epi - of position, on, at, by, over, against
Aineo - to sing praises to honor God. To allow. To promise, vow.

"Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name." (Psalm 30:4)

"Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’" (Luke 10:8-9)


...meditate on these things.

In His Everlasting Love: the One Who Is the manifestation of those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. Terri

"...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

Unfinished Business

"The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: 'Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.' Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make." (Jeremiah 18:1-4)

Oh how gracious God is to persevere with us, the "marred pots," faithfully, willingly, patiently smoothing out the uneven areas, fixing the rough edges, masterfully molding us into that which only He can see in its perfectly completed form (1 John 3:2). It sounds so flowing...so simple...

...BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS LIKE THAT!

As human "marred pots," we do not always appreciate the work that God is doing, particularly when it starts to infringe upon some of the things we still like in our flawed form. Also, because we cannot truly envision the finished product, we can become impatient, even mistrusting, and start to believe that the work will never get done or that we need to help God out. We will often jump off His wonderful potter's wheel, and quite frankly, He will let us. He'll let us choose our own paths, orchestrate our own circumstances..."write our own ticket," so to speak...but for a child of God, what will always be written on that proverbial, self-assigned ticket are the words "Unfinished Business."

"Yes, My child, you can go here, there, EVERYWHERE, but you will have unfinished business with Me"...

"Yes, you can try to find your own way, write your own story, 'follow your dreams'; but you still will have unfinished business with Me"...

"Yes, you can choose whatever you want; but unless it contributes to making you into that which I desire, there will always be a sense of unfinished business with Me"...

God will not rest until He has completed the work He has begun in us (Philippians 1:6)...until we are more and more the "vessel...it seemed good for the potter to make." Yet if we attempt to add to or subtract from this work, or try to avoid it altogether, this will only postpone the fullness of the amazing transaction God wants to do in us by His Holy Spirit:

 (1 John 3:2)  "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

(John 5:24)  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."

(2 Corinthians 5:17)  "Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!"  

So thankfully, God will continue to write the words "Unfinished Business" on all of His children, to remind us of in Whose Hands we belong and to keep us from going too far away from Him. And even if there is still a faded uppercase "U" or portions of a little "f" from the "Unfinished Business" still present on us when it is time to go Home with Him, He will make sure that the final touches to His work are completed as we enter into His Presence (1 Corinthians 15:52). But for now, we must continuously submit ourselves to God as the marred pots that we are, trust in His Perfecting Handiwork, and consistently cooperate with the movements of the Potter's Merciful Hands.

                                                                                                                                           
Thank you, God, so very, very much.

In His Love,

Terri