Monday, March 26, 2012

I'm not Special












Yesterday during our church service, the pastor asked for some testimonies from the congregation as to who Jesus was to them.


While listening to the half dozen or so people who spoke out about what God had done in their lives through Jesus, I heard many of the same things that I had experienced.  In a way, if I am completely honest, I felt a little jealous.


HEY! That is MY Jesus you are talking about. He belongs to me.


What a strange thing to think, huh?






It got me to thinking about the workers in the field parable, where the early hired were upset because the late hired got the same reward, also about James and John requesting to be the greatest in the Kingdom, how Martha was busy doing busy work and Mary was sitting at His feet, how John called himself the disciple who Jesus loved.


Also about Hagar, when cast out by Abraham and Sarah, heard the Lord's voice and was saved from death in the desert. Peter's call to the Gentiles and him realizing that God was no respecter of persons.





How He says He gives rain to the just and the unjust.






 And I wonder, if He is perfect love, then He could and does love all of His completely and in an extremely personal way. THAT is amazing and something I can't even comprehend being so selfish in my own flesh.

But He does it, I'm sure of it. Somehow. He has His own relationship to each of us uniquely.






Susan and I were discussing how getting real with God is so important to the relationship, not just head knowledge. I went off into the head knowledge thing as more preferable for a time, it seemed safer.


Paul likens our relationship to Christ in more intimate ways, though.

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Eph 5:29-32)

 I fear sometimes that if God loves everyone like He does me, then there won't be enough of Him for everyone! Ridiculous!


 Job 12:10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

Acts7:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

1 Cor 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.






Posted by Ma at 8:15 AM
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19 comments:

  1. So true- I'm not special either- but at the same time we are all very special to our Father. It is amazing how I was pondering in a similar vain in my prayer and devotions this morning. Our Father wants to be the god of our everything. It is an intimate relationship. That is why when we seek after other things to get answers, such as astrology etc., then we are not trusting His council. This is so important to understand. We must get real with Him because He knows everything anyway. Why would we want to seek for answers outside of the very source of all knowledge and understanding? Sadly I know people who are doing this right now.
    God bless Ma! Have a blessed day.

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    1. He knows everything anyway.

      So true.

      Solomon asked for wisdom and that is what I would like, too, but not the wisdom of men.

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  2. God loves it when we take from him and wants us to come to him again and again. Hard to imagine, with our little human conceptions of love with so many conditions. But I think of it as how a father or mother loves each of her children so much, the parent's love never runs out.

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    1. I thought of it on those terms too. If I had 1 or 100 children, I would have a special love for each of them, even though not perfect. It's kind of the closest thing we have to compare it to.

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  3. This is really a very beautiful post Ma. Thanks so much for taking the time to write it.

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  4. Ok, I wasn't going to comment, lol, so if this comes out completely jumbled and nonsensical, don't say I didn't warn ya, HA!

    I've been looking into the aspect of the problem people that claim the Holy Spirit a little too liberally, and alot too irreverently...casually....jokingly, and I really had to soul-search to think if I was guilty of that and if I am, I'm hoping for your forgiveness and God's mercy.

    I know that I don't give the Lord enough credit for all that He has done for me and for all that He gives to everyone, whether we perceive others to be good or bad people, He still gives His blessings to all. I certainly don't want to be flippant about this fact, or say anything about what Jesus does through His Holy Spirit that would diminish and put a level of disrespect to what He does. Of course we need to be careful, and always measure any Holy Spirit intervention in our lives with what is stated in His Word to us, His Bible. Why wouldn't Jesus want to commune with His bride? Of course He does, more than any of us realize. Does bringing it up and talking about it make it vulgar and common-place and unholy? I think the Lord does want us to share what He does for us with others, so that others will know the reason for the joy that is within us. It doesn't require us to be anything special, it just shows that HE IS that special.

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    1. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
      And he is before all things, and by him all things are held together.


      I love your last thought it is HE that is that special. I guess what my point was being one of the "elect" puts one in a frame of mind unwittingly that it is US vs. THEM, and how can we love our neighbor as ourself...even if they aren't "in" if we think ourselves chosen and them not. So that is where I got knocked down a bit by realizing that He is working and we don't know how long it will take for Him to gather the saints. He is very patient, and we are not. I have fallen into this "okay I'm ready Lord let's get on with it" Leave the rest behind, I'm ready to go.

      THAT is not loving. I should be praying for mercy and patience.

      It reminds me of a thread Tex put up some time ago:

      God loves people you can't stand

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    2. "I guess what my point was being one of the "elect" puts one in a frame of mind unwittingly that it is US vs. THEM"

      Yes, I've seen that, and been guilty of that. So true.

      I tend to think that we miss alot of what the Lord is doing and saying to us. Sure He talks through our reading of scripture. Often He speaks through situations that occur all around us, just as Jesus spoke in parables, reminding us of His love, His providence, His presence. I guess what I've been wondering is:

      Is it truly better to ignore the things that God speaks to me in my circumstances because there are other people who get it wrong when they claim Holy Spirit gifts? Is the one wrong better than the other?

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    3. Is it truly better to ignore the things that God speaks to me in my circumstances because there are other people who get it wrong when they claim Holy Spirit gifts? Is the one wrong better than the other?

      That reminds me of how the religious leaders wanted to shut the apostles up and how Gamaliel told them that if it wasn't from God, it would fizzle out, but if it was from God it would succeed and they would only find themselves on the wrong side.

      Jesus told us to ask seek and knock. If we are sincere, and only He knows, I can't imagine Him leading us astray. We have to learn to hear His voice, through the scriptures primarily, but also I think in everything. If HE is everywhere then why couldn't we?


      “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell [the grave], behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:7–10)

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  5. Your verses and reflections are beautiful encouragements. We all wrestle with jealousies and, in my case, ingratitude (even unbelief) whether we admit it or not. Blessings!

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    1. Thanks Petra, I'm glad you get what I was going for:)

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    1. Thanks for reading ms nk rey:)

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  7. Oh Ma-wonderful post! As always I am lifted up when I visit.

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  8. Your reflections certainly gave me food for thought. Jealousy is certainly something we as humans have difficultly with. Thankfully for us, God's grace and mercy is big enough to cover all of our foolish mistakes and misunderstandings.

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    1. I am so glad our God is merciful!

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  9. At times I feel like I am no one special. While so many do such great things in my Church there I am doing little things. Then I remember...He doesn't think my contribution is small. He is awesome!
    Blessings, Joanne

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Your comments are always most welcome.

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