Thursday, November 08, 2007

Jesus Christ, His Son

Regardless of how amazing it is that God could care for us, we would not be able to connect with Him so personally without Jesus.

One of the thoughts that gets me through life is the knowledge that the real world is still to come. A world without tears and separation. A word without misunderstandings and hurt feelings. A world of unlimited, eternal joy spent in the presence of God and those who love him.

I know that when I get there, I will never want to leave. Who in their right mind would choose to leave perfection? Who would risk walking away from that? What if you couldn't get back? What in the world would motivate that kind of behavior?

Love would. If you lived in the perfect world but you knew that the people you loved could never come see you unless you went to get them, would you leave? Would that be enough motivation? That's a hard decision for me! Maybe I'm selfish -- OK, I know I'm selfish -- but I have a hard time seeing myself leaving perfection even to go get someone else.

But that's exactly what Jesus did. Not only that, but He became fully human. A helpless infant limited by space and time and emotions and all those things that make life so wonderful and messy at the same time.

That, my friends, is love. Jesus had everything that you and I have ever dreamed of and He left it. No guarantees that any of these crazy people down here would ever believe He was who He said He was. No guarantees that a single one of us would say, "Hey look! There's God in the flesh! I think I'll devote my life to HIM !"

No guarantees. All risk. Crazy, risky love.

I'm not that brave. I want some guarantees. Will you love me? Then I can love you. Will you laugh when I'm trying to be funny? Good. Will you understand me and help me when I'm struggling? OK. Then you can be in my life. Call me names, spit on me, and deny you've ever met me? Forget it. No way I'm risking myself for you.

Aren't you glad that God is not like us?

Remember this? If a =b and b=c then a=c? Let's put that concept into scripture.

God is love right? And what is love? Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self‑seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

So, God is patient, God is kind. God does not envy, and He does not boast and is not proud. God is not rude and is not self-seeking. He is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

How amazing it is to have a God like that. Not some distant, score-keeping megalomaniac dictator in the sky. THAT is what people do to power. God -- in the form of Jesus -- uses it to come, serve, and rescue us.

And for that, I am truly thankful.






2 comments:

Lindsay said...

Great post, Lisa. Have you ever thought of writing a devotional book?

Sheila said...

This is just wonderful. Thank you for writing it.