(The following was written at around 10:30 this morning. I've had a good day resting at home this afternoon/evening...and phone calls
and texts and visitors and ice cream and I am so very, very blessed and grateful. I am surrounded by people who live out
the love Jesus talks above in the passage referenced below.)
and texts and visitors and ice cream and I am so very, very blessed and grateful. I am surrounded by people who live out
the love Jesus talks above in the passage referenced below.)
It's the last day of March, and I'm sitting in the surgical wing of the hospital.
My IV is in and my back aches and my neck hurts but thankfully the brief moments of panic have passed.
It's an incredibly minor surgery for something completely unrelated to my "normal" health stuff and I'm way used to hospitals and doctors and nurses but it's still not the most fun way to spend a Tuesday morning.
Except for the medication high that I know is coming. That part is awesome. (Just keeping it real.)
I've been sitting here reading John 13. My pastor and friend shared a blog post he wrote (please go read it) from a couple verses in the passage and it got me reading the whole chapter and some commentary on it.
The example Jesus left for us leaves me about speechless.
The Son of God humbled Himself so low. He served. He loved. He did what the Father commanded Him, without delay, no matter how much pain or discomfort it caused Him. He even loved and served the very person who would betray Him so deeply.
He loved and He served and He commanded us to follow His example.
All of His commands are important but I think there's a little significance to someone's more "final" words and verse thirty-four is one of His more final admonitions.
He gave us this command right before He made the ultimate sacrifice for love: His very life.
He suffered and died the most cruel death because He loves.
He took on every one of my sins because of His deep love.
He endured unimaginable grief because His love for His people runs so very deep.
But He didn't just die.
He came back to life so that we may have life.
He ascended to heaven to be our King and He is reigning right at this very moment.
This is something to remember and ponder and give thanks for daily. But I'm thankful for this time of year when we give it extra focus as a Church worldwide, for extra time to reflect and praise our God.
In youth group this year, we taught the kids this definition of the Gospel: "Through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, God saves sinners."
It's so simple but it's so mind blowing.
And leaves me so grateful.
My surgery was supposed to start twenty-five minutes ago but still no sign of the anesthesiologist and Of Monsters and Men is playing on my Spotify app.
And I'm going to head back to the book of John.
God is good.
Have a very blessed Resurrection Day.
My IV is in and my back aches and my neck hurts but thankfully the brief moments of panic have passed.
It's an incredibly minor surgery for something completely unrelated to my "normal" health stuff and I'm way used to hospitals and doctors and nurses but it's still not the most fun way to spend a Tuesday morning.
Except for the medication high that I know is coming. That part is awesome. (Just keeping it real.)
I've been sitting here reading John 13. My pastor and friend shared a blog post he wrote (please go read it) from a couple verses in the passage and it got me reading the whole chapter and some commentary on it.
The example Jesus left for us leaves me about speechless.
The Son of God humbled Himself so low. He served. He loved. He did what the Father commanded Him, without delay, no matter how much pain or discomfort it caused Him. He even loved and served the very person who would betray Him so deeply.
He loved and He served and He commanded us to follow His example.
All of His commands are important but I think there's a little significance to someone's more "final" words and verse thirty-four is one of His more final admonitions.
He gave us this command right before He made the ultimate sacrifice for love: His very life.
He suffered and died the most cruel death because He loves.
He took on every one of my sins because of His deep love.
He endured unimaginable grief because His love for His people runs so very deep.
But He didn't just die.
He came back to life so that we may have life.
He ascended to heaven to be our King and He is reigning right at this very moment.
This is something to remember and ponder and give thanks for daily. But I'm thankful for this time of year when we give it extra focus as a Church worldwide, for extra time to reflect and praise our God.
In youth group this year, we taught the kids this definition of the Gospel: "Through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, God saves sinners."
It's so simple but it's so mind blowing.
And leaves me so grateful.
My surgery was supposed to start twenty-five minutes ago but still no sign of the anesthesiologist and Of Monsters and Men is playing on my Spotify app.
And I'm going to head back to the book of John.
God is good.
Have a very blessed Resurrection Day.