Jesus Now

Wow, it's been a while, hasn't it?? I'm getting into the groove of life, with my daughter being back in school, as well as my teaching an evening Bible study at my church . . . I will begin teaching a morning study tomorrow, as well. It's exciting, and I am just in love with the ladies who attend!! What a privilege to serve them.

So, I just read a book entitled "Something Beautiful for God," a book about Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta . . . it was amazing!! The woman's joy and beauty are truly what we are looking for in this world - a joy and beauty from God, alone. And I have to say that between this book and another entitled "The Irresistible Revolution," I have had a lot of food for thought these days - heavy, heavy food - the kind that sits in your gut and takes a while to digest.

I've been wanting to start processing through these thoughts right here with you, but have just had trouble figuring out where to start, and how to express it all. My world has been a bit shaken up by God, and it is good - oh so good!

One of the comments the author made in "Something Beautiful For God," was basically that we spend so much time trying to get to know the "Jesus of history," yet this term is really an oxymoron, since Jesus is now . . . He is always now. Coupled with the story of love and sacrifice of Mother Teresa, this made me start thinking about how we do tend to spend most of our time getting to know the Jesus of the Bible (not that this is bad), and no time getting to know the "Jesus of now." The Jesus in the homeless man walking down the street with no shoes; the Jesus in the woman with a drug addiction and 5 neglected children; the Jesus in the cranky store clerk; the Jesus in the crazy woman on the bus; the Jesus in our neighbor, our family, our friends, our enemies. We need to get to know the Jesus around us, through Whom all things have their existence, and all people their life. The thing is, we can't get to know this Jesus through donations, or prayer, or even just looking at them and pitying them . . . we only get to know this Jesus through face-time, one-on-one face time. We need to be willing to get our hands dirty, sacrifice our time, our love, ourselves. We need to be willing to get to know these people, see their worth and beauty, and in-turn get to know the Jesus in them who gives them their worth and beauty.

It's hard . . . I wish I could tell you to follow my example, but to be honest, I'm scared . . . I'm scared to dive in, get involved, and abandon all. I don't know why - maybe because it's not necessarily easy, and it's definitely not all about me and my comfort and my needs and my desires. It will mean sacrifice and tears and tiredness and possibly heartbreak and failure, and yet why wouldn't I be willing to give so much for my Jesus?? Why, indeed . . .

Lord, give us the strength and courage to step out with You, to meet You in those around us. We are afraid to do so, yet we are more afraid of missing out on what You have for our lives. Please, hold our hands, guide our steps, and fill our hearts with Your lavish love, that we would then be able to pour it out again! We love you!

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." - Jesus