Not Even A Cross

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day:    Deuteronomy 6: 6-7

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Memory verse: Romans 8:32 ►He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Today's reading: DEUTERONOMY 1-3 MARK 10:32-52

Jesus Did

It is hard to wrap our heads around-the fact that Jesus went through all the emotions and feelings that we go through. Some may have been sad since you got up this morning or you got up tired or maybe excited. All these things Jesus felt.

Jesus was heart-broken and wept over losing a good friend(John 11:35). The scripture tells us that Jesus got hungry(Mark 11:12).

He got frustrated and angry(Mark 11:14, John 2:16&17).

But was Jesus ever excited? The Bible never uses words to show how excited Jesus became or that He was never excited.

Imagine you are a small child seeing Jesus in the crowd and watching what was going on. You hear Jesus ask the blind man, "What do you want me to do?" Read Mark 10:46-52

Jesus heard the man cry out for Him and Jesus told the disciples to fetch him. They said to Bartimaeus, "Cheer up-Jesus is calling...!"

It is hard to hear this without sensing some excitement-if we stop and think about it long enough. Jesus knew what He was about to do for a man He had never met but loved-every person Jesus met on every road-He loved as much as anyone in the world-as He does you and all of us. He knew He was about to restore sight to a man who was in total darkness. I must imagine that Jesus was thrilled to the depths of His heart to witness a blind man's healing-one of His children for whom He would soon die...

It is O.K. to imagine about good things as you read scripture. Paul wrote:

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Philippians 4:8

He was glorifying His father in Heaven and loving the people he had created and traveling with a group of rag-tag folks who were young-yes, they had good times along with all the trials-sure, they did-a lot of laughs and jokes and tears were shared all along the way.

Jesus knew it would get serious soon enough. He carried a load of responsibility but also a load of love and life. Yes, Jesus was a grown man- a real, grown-man who knows the real joy of righteousness in one's heart through all the highs and lows of this life.

Jesus was full of joy and peace and yes, I believe, fun and laughter. If the life of Jesus teaches us anything, it is that life is short and nothing stops the freedom in real, righteous love-not even a cross.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

I confess that I let my heart be heavy a lot. Show me more and  more how to be free in Your Spirit to live, love, and laugh.

Our God of Joyfilling Life!

In the name of Jesus,

Amen