Jesus Is With You

The eyes of the Lord watch over you,

and He hears your prayers.

1 Peter 3:12

You are never alone. Jesus is always with you. Do you believe that?

Whether you have known Jesus for awhile, as far back as you can remember, or have recently started to follow Him, He walks beside you; He leads you; He protects you from behind and on all sides; He lives within you. You are never alone.

Even if you wander away from Him (which technically is not possible, but your thoughts and actions can make you feel distant from Him); He is always watching over you, and He is always listening.

What does that mean for you today?

Maybe you've been distant, not listening, doing your own thing--Is it time to "come back"? Is it time to ask for His help, His forgiveness, His guidance?

Maybe you've been trying to listen and follow and do the right things, but it seems too hard; Is it time to remember He loves you no matter what, to simply receive His love, rest in it, and rely on His strength, not your own? It's okay to just Be still and know that He is God--that He is your God, your Savior, your best friend; You can trust Him with your imperfect self.

Maybe you've been following Him closely and living in His presence daily, but everyone around you seems off-course, troubled, or lost. You feel burdened for them, but you don't know how to help. You feel at-odds with them, but anything you say or do just pushes them further away. You don't understand their behavior or attitude or can't relate to their pain. Do you need to just keep following and trusting, but the waiting or loneliness seems unbearable?

Sometimes Jesus has great things for us to do, new places to take us, ways to use us, things to show and teach us. But sometimes it's just about being with Him. Believing in His love. Believing in His faithfulness. Believing He sees your deeds and knows your heart and hears every prayer--even if it's just a whisper or desperate cry.

To just be known.

Seen.

Heard.

Loved.

He sees you. He knows. He listens.

He is with you. You are His.

Jesus is with you.

 

 

"I am with you always."

Matthew 28:20

 

 

Love Over Fear

If you have seen the Disney movie Monsters, Inc., you know that for many years this fictitious company believed scaring children was the way to power their monster world. They snuck into bedrooms at night to frighten children and get them to scream, filling up canisters with the valuable resource of Scare Energy. But when one of their not-scary employees, Mike Wazowski, decides he wants to be a Scarer too, like his friend Sulley, he isn't able to scare a child and gain energy from the human world that way. But he does make them laugh, producing much more energy than any scream ever could and completely changing the strategy of Monsters, Inc.  Scary monsters are out and funny monsters are in!

You've probably heard the phrase 'laughter is the best medicine', and you know from experience that it is much more pleasant to be happy than sad. But have you ever thought about joy outweighing the power of fear?

In Galatians 5:22-23, we read about the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Notice how joy comes before peace, and love comes before joy?  I don't believe it's an accident they are in that order.  In Nehemiah 8:10, God tells the people, The joy of the LORD is your strength.  They were facing scary opposition from their enemies, but God said, 'Don't be afraid of them, just find joy in Me: that is your best weapon.'  He wanted them to have peace and be at peace with others, but first they needed to embrace joy.

'So how do I find joy?' you may ask.  'I'd much rather be happy than sad or afraid, but in these days, in these times, in my circumstances?  I don't think that's possible. I can maybe muster up enough faith to get through this crisis. (Faith over fear, as they say.) I can smile when others are around and cry when I'm alone and pretend to be happy. But to have real joy, real peace, and real faith?  That's like living in a fantasy world where monsters are funny and laughter saves our society--fine for a kids' movie when I was eight, but in my life as a teenager?'

If you are lacking peace, you are likely also lacking joy, so take another look at which Fruit of the Spirit comes first... Love.

Can love lead to joy?  Can love triumph over fear?

In Nehemiah, where the people were sad because they realized they hadn't been following God, Nehemiah said, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks and share with people who have nothing."  This might sound like he was saying, 'Just forget about your problems and party! Eat pizza and ice cream and drown your sorrow in food and laughter.'  But he wasn't talking about temporary joy; he was talking about real joy that comes from thankfulness for what you have (love for God) and sharing what you have (love for others).

In Matthew 22:37-39, we read these words of Jesus: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself."

There is a lot of hate and anger in this world. There is a lot of ungratefulness and selfishness. There is a lot of fear and loneliness and sadness. But love... Love brings joy, love brings peace, and love is a choice we can make every day.

 

 

Love God; Be thankful for what you have and trust God to always take care of you. The joy of the LORD is your strength.  Joyful gratitude and trust in an almighty God is powerful.

Love others; Give generously...whatever you have to share. Time, friendship, kindness, practical help. Don't be so consumed with your own problems that you forget others have needs too.

Love yourself; Believe in God's love for you. Believe you are special and unique, made for a purpose, the creation of His very hands.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness... It's a great list of what can heal our world...of what can heal your world.

But it starts with Love.

 

May the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace

as you trust in him.

Romans 15:13

 

 

 

hands to sky photo courtesy of freeimages.com

The Storyteller

Did you know that Jesus once told a story about dirt?

That might sound a bit odd, but for those He was speaking to, dirt was a very important part of their lives. And if you think about it, it's a pretty important part of our lives too.

You might think of dirt as something that gets your clothes dirty when you play outside, and that is certainly true. But for those who work in the dirt for a living such as farmers, gardeners, and other agricultural workers, the dirt, or soil, is literally their life. The crops, flowers, bushes, and trees they grow all need good dirt to make the harvest as bountiful as possible. And thanks to them, their hard work, and the good soil they cultivate each year, you and I can eat nutritious food, enjoy pretty landscaping, and sit in the shade on a hot day.

Without good soil we literally could not survive, something the people who lived at the time of Jesus were well aware of. So He told a story about the condition of their hearts they could relate to. Think about something that is very important you, like a sport you play, a hobby you enjoy, a school subject you're good at, or a way you make money. If Jesus told a story that related to soccer or photography or science or how to be the best babysitter ever (or whatever you enjoy), you would probably pay more attention and understand the lesson better, right?

So Jesus told a story about dirt. And even though you and I might not know much about how plants grow, we probably know enough to understand what Jesus wanted them to understand.

He talked about three types of soil that were not good for planting and growing crops: The hard-packed dirt, the rocky soil, and the areas full of weeds. He said that as a farmer went out and scattered the seed for a new planting season, the seeds that fell on the soil that hadn't been properly prepared would not do well.

He told the story to a crowd of people but later His disciples asked Him to explain it, and He did:

"The farmer sows the word." (Mark 4:14) --This tells us the seeds represent the truth that God spoke to His people.

"Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

"Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

"Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful." (Mark 4:15-19)

Looking at these three types of soil, which do you feel describes the condition of your heart at least some of the time? When you go to church or read your Bible, does it affect you at all? Do you remember what you heard or read? Does it excite you at first but then fades later? Does it point out things in your life you may need to change or pursue, but your worries, priorities, or other interests keep you from doing so?

If any of these are true for you, think seriously about why that is. What is getting in the way of your relationship with God and your understanding of Him? What needs to change? How can you be more ready to hear from God and follow His voice?

"The seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest...” (Mark 4:20; NLT)

God wants to speak to you. He wants you to know Him. He wants you to understand how much you are loved. He wants to lead you, guide you, help you, and teach you everything you need to know to follow Him and live the life He has for you.

How awesome is that? Sometimes we get it into our heads that God is distant and wants to remain that way. But nothing could be further from the truth. That's why Jesus came! He came to speak the truth and demonstrate God's love and power. And God does the same today.

He sends His spirit to teach us, help us, and empower us to be so much more than we can be on our own. But we must listen and prepare our hearts to receive the truth. One of the ways I enjoy doing that most is to read other stories (parables) that Jesus told. They can be found throughout the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), but I've listed a few of my favorites below and I encourage you to read them over the next week or two. What do you hear God saying to you?

Luke 15:11-32

Luke 10:30-37

Luke 15:3-7

John 10:1-10

Matthew 13:31-32

The Worth of Losing Everything

 I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.

 Philippians 3:8

 

Giving up things is hard. 😞

Whether it's forced on us or our choice, sometimes we just have to let go of things: Interests and activities; Relationships; Bad habits; Goals; Freedoms--yes, even in America.

We don't like it. We avoid it wherever possible. We fight to keep what we have and cling to our comforts, our way of life, even our habits that aren't really good for us. We know it, but still...

One time when a great crowd of people was following Jesus, He spoke these words:

"Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciple."

With a bit of word study, I learned the phrase "everything you have" can not only pertain to one's possessions, but also one's being. Jesus wasn't just talking about giving up riches or material goods, but also oneself: My way of being, existing, living.

We've all learned a lot about that during this pandemic, haven't we? Time with friends and family; Activities we love; Celebrations; The freedom to do whatever we want, when we want.

Our way of life has changed. And for the most part the changes were not our choice. And while choosing to follow Jesus is entirely an act of free will, a personal choice I have made, the terms of that choice are not without cost. Following Jesus is all about surrender: Giving up my way of life and being, for His way. Letting go of what I want, for what He wants.

And yet, I did it, and I continue to do it. (Following Jesus is a daily choice, not a one-time decision.)

Why would I do that? Why would I give up my way for someone else's way?

Because God's way is better.

Not always easier or convenient or comfortable; but better. More beneficial; More satisfying; More rewarding; More purposeful.

In His words about the cost of following Him, Jesus warns these wanna-be disciples they may not be up for it, even suggesting they may fail: “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you."

Thanks for the pep-talk, Jesus. 😏

But hold on. Jesus finishes His message by saying His words are for "whoever has ears to hear", a distinction Jesus gave to those who were really listening. Not only to His words but also the heart of God. He wasn't talking about failure or defeat coming to those who choose to follow Him and give up their own ways, but rather the cost of not following.

Independence, self-sufficiency, pride, thinking I can make it on my own and fight my own battles and gain the whole world by giving up my soul? Foolishness!

But surrender to a mighty God? Giving up my ways for His ways? Love over selfishness? Peace over strife? Joy over despair? Faith over doubt?

Pure gold.

On another day when Jesus was with his closest disciples, He spoke these words:

"Everyone who has left their home or family or livelihood for My sake will receive a hundred times as much and will truly know Me and My Father. But many who cling to what they have will find they have nothing, and those who have let go and humbled themselves will lead."

If Jesus is telling you to let go of something, let it go. And if things have been taken from you, it's okay. Jesus will always give you what you need, and even if you have to wait for awhile, the reward for your trust and patience and faith will be so great--you won't even believe what He does. 😊

 

Scripture taken from: 

Luke 14:28-35

Matthew 19:29-30; (paraphrase mine)