Friendship… July 16, 2008

Leo (popsicle unseen) and Caleb

Caleb…our 4 year old…has a friend!

One of the challenges of having a W I D E gap between children is it has been difficult for him to find someone his own age…his life has tended to be surrounded with teenagers…

Caleb met his friend Leo in preschool…Leo would always save Caleb one of the big monster trucks and together they would race around the room as one.

Leo’s mom and I shared that they were each the topic of conversation at their perspective homes.

Caleb likes to stay in his pajamas until the last possible moment until the advent of Leo…most mornings he will bring his bleary self down the stairs with an arm load of clothes for the day…and ask if Leo is coming over today?  Do I get to play with Leo today? 

The first time Leo came over to play…Caleb wanted to wait on the porch…it was 8 o’clock and Leo was set to come over around 10…it was a long wait.  Wait he did…every once in awhile asking what color Leo’s car was?

Last week, Leo’s brother was not home again when they played…I was told that he was really anxious to meet this Caleb that he heard about ALL THE TIME.

Today is Wednesday…we thought this would be the day that Leo would come over but it didn’t happen…Caleb said…Mommy I am just so sad today.

Thinking and giggling about Caleb and Leo has made me think about my friendship with Jesus.

Does my heart beat faster when I am with Him?

Do I have expectancy to see Him?

Do others want to meet Jesus because I talk about Him all the time?

Will I wait until He shows up…even if I think He is late?

Do I realize that He is waiting as well for me to show up…and He is saving me the best stuff…things that I like…that we can do together?

Do I burst out of bed ready to meet with Him…how much anticipation do I have to spend time with Him?

Am I just so sad today because I have missed my time with Him?

Leo is the first thing Caleb thinks about in the morning and his last wish at bedtime…

Is the Name of Jesus on my lips to begin and end my day?

 

Do you remember when you first found your Friend?

Appointed for Eternity… July 16, 2008

“When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.”

Acts 9: 48

Since January, our family has slowly begun the process of finding a new church family. This past Sunday, we visited a church for the first time. It’s always a bit scary…one never knows what lies behind hidden walls.

We found a small group of believers…also going through transition in their body life…a body where heartfelt worship was evident and the Word of God preached boldly. A body of believers whose  desire was to serve the Lord and hear from Him…an incredibly friendly group of modern day believers.

Carl and I left that assembly with hearts full of joy…in fact we sailed through most of the rest of the day…is it because this is the “one”…we honestly don’t know…our hearts rejoiced in the simplicity of the church…no fluff…no extras…the Word was preached from the Word…within the confines of less than an hour we walked through a chapter or two of the book of Acts…verse by verse…living word by living word.

The verse above is from a portion of scripture from my devotional this morning…it hit me in a new way and caused me to read Acts 9 to get the full context…what was “this” that the Gentiles heard.

Paul and Barnabas were on their first missionary trip…and on the Sabbath…they were asked if they wanted to add anything to what had been taught that morning…the people had listened to the Shema ( Deut. 6: 4), readings from the Book of the Law, prayers, readings from the prophets and a sermon…

Did Paul and Barnabas want to add anything?  Well, yes in fact they did…They wanted to fill in the gaps…they began to unfold the story of all stories…they spoke of the exodus out of Egypt, about the judges, the kings…Saul, David…they spoke about John the Baptist and then to Jesus…the author and finisher of their faith…

The people ate it up…in fact they said…can you come back next Sabbath…and they did…

“This” is what the Gentile heard…hearing the full Word of God…not just a part caused them to be glad and honor that word…and they believed…those who were now appointed for eternal life believed.

If I camp out only in the New Testament…I see a portion of who God is…if I live in the Old Testament…it would be easy to lose hope…the promise is evident but the fulfillment not seen.

As believers…we are appointed for eternal life…the Amplified says we are destined…appointed…ordained…

Yes, eternal life is for later…but it is also for now!

Carl and I felt glad not because of a church experience…but because of a reality…a truth…we experienced a bit of eternity…and it wasn’t for down the road…something I thank God that we will one day know in full…but it is for this present day…

We are eternity people…destined, ordained and appointed by God…there is that constant longing to be at home with Him…the Word says He has put eternity in our hearts, yet we can’t fathom what He has done from beginning to end…we are limited in our humanness…but God is limitless…the more we get to know Him…immerse ourselves in the full counsel of  His Word…the more we get glimpses of eternity…this side of Heaven.

Don’t miss your appointment with eternity!