Today we had the most amazing thing happen. I know that I have used that “most amazing thing” before, but I am really beginning to believe that a most amazing God only does most amazing things. I think that He leaves the regular amazing things for other people to do so that we don’t get confused with Who is really most amazing. And the most amazing part about this? He uses you and me to do these amazing miracles.
Now I know what you might be thinking, remember that I am the world’s biggest skeptic. The logic would seem that if God is using you and me to do great things, isn’t us who are doing them? I know that might seem good logic, and on the surface that is exactly right. You see, Jesus pointed this out when He explained that it is what comes out of us that shows what is in us. “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart” Matthew 15:18. This is crucial so don’t miss this. This is not some trite explanation of whether you are a good person by what you do or don’t do. That is just surface teaching. No, Jesus is telling us something so much more.
You see, up until this time throughout the bible it has been “God with us”. Even Jesus’ name, Emanuel, means “God with us”. When people prayed they prayed for God to be with them, and Jesus was the answer to their prayers. But, being with us was not good enough for Him, He is so much bigger than that and He is always more than the box into which we put Him.
There is a noticeable shift that He tells His disciples will come with the Holy Spirit. That everything will change from God with us, to God in us. This is so important because now we have the reason for the amazing, that when followers of Jesus do things out of love for His glory, then it is HIM doing them not us.
So my amazing story of what God did today? I found it in a flower pot. It’s always the last place you look, and with our dog Hurley constantly getting into it, it is a wonder I did not find it all over the front yard. I walked outside today to yell for him and examined what he got out to chew up and I found a Kroger bag stuffed among the flowers. Inside was an envelope full of money. I know this came from a follower with Jesus inside because there was no note or identifying information. See, followers only want Jesus to get the glory. There was simply a card attached with this scripture, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him” Romans 15:13.
What Jesus knew was that this week we had to pay for a big ticket item of an international pediatrician evaluation on the kids where we learned that Chad (girl, 5) is likely blind in one eye (more on this in another post). The total on this was $600, the total in the envelope… $522. Amazing.
Ten years ago today several men conspired to steal, kill, and destroy. This desire was inside them and out of the hate in their hearts came the destruction that we know today as 9/11. But out of this same human heart today something amazing was done. And you know what, today has a new meaning for us. Its Chad’s birthday, and she got her first present. Just out of curiosity, I looked up the 5:22 passages in the New Testament, and you know what I found? Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” This is what comes out of Jesus’ heart.
Thanks to the many of our friends who are Christ followers who have given time, prayers, Scentsy commission, Premiere Jewelry, and money gifts to us to help us get our kids home. You know who you are, but I say this with all my heart, more importantly—Jesus knows who you are, you are His and you have His heart.
Brian
No comments:
Post a Comment