I Get Stuck Each Time

"Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, 'This man receives sinners and eats with them.'" (Luke 15:1,2 NASB)

I love these two verses that set the scene for the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the prodigal son  in Luke 15. In fact, each time I reach this chapter in my Bible reading, I get stuck on these two verses and find it hard to move on. Here's why:

• I'm blown-away by God's goodness to me. I'm a sinner. Just like the men that the Pharisees and scribes were grumbling about, I'm a sinner. I'm a sinner. I'm a S.I.N.N.E.R! And yet the whole of God's word tells me that Jesus is willing to receive me, just as he was willing to receive the tax collectors and notorious sinners in the verse above. That just takes my breath away; the King of Kings and Lord of Lords has a place of fellowship for me. (See John 14:21, 23)
• As I let it soak in that Jesus is willing to receive me, I then find I want to be like the tax collectors and the sinners mentioned in Luke 15:1. I realize that a desire to be like a tax collector sounds a bit odd. But look at the men's longings. They're elbowing each other for a place near Jesus. They want to listen to Him. I want the desire to come to Jesus and listen to Him to be hallmarks of my life. In fact, I want my yearning to come to Jesus and listen to Jesus to burn a bit more brightly each day in my heart.
• In order for the tax collectors and sinners to want to come and listen to Jesus, there just had to be something irresistible about being near the Son of God--that is if you were humble. The religious establishment represented in Luke 15:2 missed the wonder of Jesus due to pride. They saw themselves as good and "those other guys" as bad. Jesus saw each man's heart.
• Jesus very demeanor, let alone His message of forgiveness of sin, must have been so winsome, so compelling, so loving that those who were used to being repulsed by society laid down their defensiveness to come...and listen. I want to know this Jesus. What a King!

So you can see why I get stuck on these two verses. I see not just "tax collectors and sinners" but me. And...I see a Saviour who saves based on His goodness, not my on effort to clean up my life. So, I want to come near to Jesus and I want to listen to Him. Thankfully, Jesus welcomes sinners to His table, including me.

365 People Pictures--Day 7: Great-Grandma Love

 

My husband's mom is a gifted grandmother and our children have benefited immensely. Now at 82 she's nurturing yet another generation. Over the New Year's weekend, Jane, and her sister, Jean, visited and blessed us all with an outpouring of affection. I give thanks to God for my mother-in-law!

Prayer for My Children's Focus

Author of All Existence, Source of All Blessedness,

May my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren

     and all their spouses

be always amongst those who not only hear,

     but know Thee,

  who walk with and rejoice in Thee,

  who take Thee at Thy word and find life there.

May they cherish simplicity and godly sincerety of character.

Help them, please, Redeemer God,

  to set their affections on things above,

  to shun forbidden follies and vanities.

O God, make each of them worthy of Thy calling,

  that the name of Jesus may be glorified.

(Paraphrase of Valley of Vision, pgs. 20,21, leather edition)

365 People Pictures -- Day 6: Brielle

 

After six months, I still can't believe the color of my granddaughter's eyes.

Our creator is quite the artist! I thank Him every day for His wonderful gift of a granchild!

365 People Pictures -- Day 5: My Beloved

Day 5:

On Sunday my husband and I will celebrate 29 amazing years together. If there have ever been two people who have, by God's grace, lived an adventurous life together, it would have to be us! Even now, we wait to hear if the State Department will be able to help us (and other families in similar situations). Just today Russian President Putin signed into law a bill banning Americans from adopting Russian children. We still long to bring to closure our adoption of three precious brothers and their little sister. So, we wait and we pray while we thank the Lord for the many, many blessings He has provided over the years, including 12 children and one grandchild. God is, indeed, faithful. And, nothing will be impossible with God! (Luke 1:37 NASB)

Today I captured this picture of my best friend staring out an airport window watching for a plane to arrive. That plane was carrying Lissie's friend, Eric, and his sister, Kali--also a dear friend of our daughter. Eric and Lissie will have the opportunity to spend two weeks together so that they have a better idea where their relationship is headed before Lissie returns to her teaching job in Central Asia in mid January.

365 People Pictures -- Day 4: Eric West and Brielle

Day 4:

I'm cheating already in my determination to take a people-picture a day.

I took this photo a couple of weeks ago in Ohio. The man kissing my granddaughter, Brielle, is her Uncle Eric (on the Nix side of our family). Something about this picture just reaches down into my soul. Obviously, I altered the look of the photo; my tool was the photo editing software Lightroom.

Want to Be Successful?

I'm reading a book called Embracing Obscurity. And believe it or not, the author of the newly published title is Anonymous. The book is about the need for less self-focus in the life of a Christian. I've found it quite convicting so far!

Yesterday I read the quote below. I found it compelling enough that I've gone back several times to re-read the words.

"You want to be successful? If you live comfortably, share what you have. If you have a spouse, serve him or her sacrificially. If your home is filled with the clamor and clutter of children, savor the monumental challenge of raising them. If others follow you, point them to Christ. If you are given accolades, receive them humbly. Love and serve people around you. Walk well through the inevitable sufferings of life. Live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. This is true success. And really, what more could we possibly want?" (pg. 89)
 

On the evening of the holiday that inevitably ends up being about stuff no matter how hard we try to "remember the reason for the season," I find these words refreshing.