Costly

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23 (ESV)

Imagine with me a situation where a close friend or family member is really sick. It looks like from their illness, they may not make it and may die. Your heart is aching because you love them so very much and you can’t be with them. They live in a different part of the country. To be with them would be very costly because traveling there will be expensive. You will have to leave your job to spend time with them to help them through. If you make this decision, everything as you know it will change - and not necessarily for the better.

As you ponder this decision, your heart is breaking. Being with them is the only thing you want and yet, it seems so huge to make this decision. It’s crazy. People don’t do this kind of thing. Finally, you can stand it no longer. You go all in and make the move. You quit your job, charge the very expensive ticket and sacrifice to love.

Saying I love you over the phone has meaning. But saying it in person is tangible. A phone call is not the same as an in person touch. When you show up in person, the impact on the receiver is profound.

God knew this. That’s why he came to be “With us.”

God saw our predicament. He realized the pain we were in and the uncertainty that surrounded us. His heart ached for us because he loves us so very much. Jesus lived in a different place (a much better place than here) but he left that to move near so we could see tangibly, personally, how much we are loved.

The cost to him was great. There would be no going back to the way things were. The sacrifice was immense.

All this, so God could shout out loud, with tangible evidence, “I love you.” I love you more than anything I have. There is no price too great or a circumstance so insurmountable that I cannot get to you.

Lean into this. Lean in and remember what this season really means. It’s about a God who gives all of his heart for what his heart loves. And then go and do the same.

A Good Inconvenience

This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. John 15:12-13 (MSG)

What do you think that means? “Put your life on the line for your friends.”

Does it mean take a minute away from what you are doing to do something for someone else? Does it mean to take time? To stop, to linger, to be present?

In our fast paced society with a to-do list longer than we can possibly accomplish, we regularly push through what needs to get done never touching anyone in a meaningful way. And, when we do think we need to help, we schedule it in. God forbid we just stop, in the middle of the chaos and touch.

As I write these words, I know I am a huge offender in this department. My schedule gets really full. I do schedule time to see people not because I feel like I have to but because I want to. I truly want to spend time and catch up.

But there are times in the middle of the circus where God says “Call.” And I think “When am I going to do that?” The answer should be now. Always now. If I stop and call and listen, truly listen without focusing on my agenda or my schedule that is when the Holy Spirit moves. That is when the bonding happens and not only have I loved on someone, I too have been filled with love.

This text in other versions says “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” We read that and think we have to physically die to fulfill it, like Jesus did. But Jesus also laid down his life every single day. He stopped to talk to people. He listened and interacted. He was present.

Maybe, just maybe laying down our life simply means to be inconvenienced so we can love. Taking myself out of the center and someone else in is exactly what Jesus did. We should die like that…..often.

A Minute In It - What Do You Hold On To?

A minute in God’s Word will change your life. Take a moment to read the text below and then answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

54 So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance. 55 The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. 56 A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!”

57 But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!”

58 After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!”

“No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted.

59 About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.”

60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

61 At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” 62 And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly. Luke 22:54-61 (NLT)

Why did Peter deny Jesus?
What was he protecting?
What is it in your life that you are protecting?
Are you denying Jesus by holding on to what you have?

For The Love Of.....

Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this? Esther 4:14 (NLT)

Our sermon series and Bible Study theme at church right now is “Fleshing Out Love.” Have you ever read the Bible with this in mind? Recently, I put on this lens and read Esther. What an eye-opening experience. And boy does the lesson apply to our world.

As you read the first chapter, you can see what King Xerxes is in love with. He is in love with his wealth, his things, his pleasure, his power, his self-importance. Pretty much he is in love with himself. All of his actions demonstrate this. Because of this, Esther ends up in the palace in his harem.

Chapter 2 and 3 moves through the story and Esther is chosen as Queen. All throughout, her cousin Mordecai comes to the palace to hear word of her. He adopted her when his Uncle and Aunt died. He loves Esther and his family. He also loves integrity. When he overheard a plot to kill the King, he didn’t harbor bitterness because of what the King did to Esther, he revealed the plot and saved the King’s life.

Chapter 4 introduces Haman. He is also in love with himself and his power, his money and his position. Oh, and he’s in love with his belief that anyone that doesn’t believe like he does is useless and needs to be done away with. He acts on this and goes to the King asking permission, offering to pay for it and unfortunately, the King says yes. They issue a decree saying all Jews will be slaughtered on a specific day.

In Chapter 5 Mordecai goes into mourning and sits outside the palace gates in sackcloth and ashes. Esther hears and a conversation ensues. Mordecai demonstrating love for his people and his family asks her to help. Here, Esther demonstrates love for her own life and says that she can’t. She will die. Mordecai says “You are going to die anyway. This is why you are here!” Esther agrees and she goes before the king loving her people and her calling more than her life.

As you read through this story, I bet you thought of people that may have fit in every single role. Right? Can I challenge you with a thought? We probably all fit in every role at some time in our week. None of us is above the self-love that is demonstrated that caused harm to others. We do it every time we judge. What we need to get to is the sacrificial love exhibited by Mordecai and Esther. The love that puts others first always. The love that sacrifices what we think for what is best for human beings.

This is the love that was lived out by Jesus. I know I have a long way to go but this is what I want my life to look like. How about you?