We are Blessed to Be a Blessing

John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through Him they might be saved."

Why is it that a lot of the time when you say you follow Jesus Christ, that you want to emulate His life in yours that you are labeled a condemer, a judger? Who started this anyway? There in John it specifically says that Jesus did not come to condemn, but to save!

That is what I need to be doing in my life, where I live. Now, don't get me wrong...there is NO WAY that I can save anyone, but I can lead them to the One who can.

God has blessed me so that I can bless others. Maybe that's the rub. Maybe, just maybe, I'm not blessing.

It has made me think about just how God has blessed me and what I can do to bless others. How can I be an encouragement? How can I be salt and light?

Now, there will be a time that Jesus comes to judge and rule, but for now He came to save!

I want to reflect that in my life.

TRUST...

....is not a matter of me or my faith, it's a matter of what or who I trust in.

On a coin it says, "In God We Trust."

King David put it this way, "Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.

Psalm 20:6-8 (New International Version)

The Miriam-Webster dictionary has this, "1trust
Pronunciation: \ˈtrəst\ Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse traust trust; akin to Old English trēowe faithful — more at true
Date: 13th century
1 a: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something b: one in which confidence is placed2 a: dependence on something future or contingent : hope b: reliance on future payment for property (as merchandise) delivered : credit 3 a: a property interest held by one person for the benefit of another b: a combination of firms or corporations formed by a legal agreement ; especially : one that reduces or threatens to reduce competition4archaic : trustworthiness5 a (1): a charge or duty imposed in faith or confidence or as a condition of some relationship (2): something committed or entrusted to one to be used or cared for in the interest of another b: responsible charge or office c: care, custody — in trust : in the care or possession of a trustee"

I'm talking about #1. assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.

1way2God.net states God's character as, "God is independent, unchangeable, eternal and omnipresent. He exists as a spiritual being, having no form or dimensions, and is omniscient (all-knowing), wise, truthful, faithful, good, loving, merciful, graceful, patient, holy, at peace, righteous and just, jealous for His own honour, wrathful towards sin, perfect in every way, beautiful beyond comprehension, and is glorified through the revelation of Himself."

John says in 1 John that God is love. God is love and He loves me (John 3:16 "For God so loved the world (that's me!) that He gave His only begotten Son (that's Jesus) that whoever believes in Him might not perish, but have eternal life (that's why Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave)". Powerful stuff for me that's for sure!

Since God is love and He loves me I can trust in Him. He is completely trustworthy.

Now I know that it is easy to trust when all is well. Might I also suggest that it is easy to trust when all is not well when you have history, when you know the character of the one in whom you trust.

All this to say....my transmission is blown. It will not work any longer. UGH! My God is able to do more than I could ever imagine. My God loves me more than I will ever really know. My God is trustworthy even when my transmission blows (not just in the car, but blows a huge hole in my budget).

Some trust in chariots (like a certain Honda Pilot) and some in horses, but I will trust in the name of the Lord!

"...since Easters...."

The first Easter that I remember was in 1971 (?). I wasn't 5 yet. I wore my new dress with matching socks, really cute shoes, white gloves and a HAT to church. I remember a little girl with a sailor dress wasn't too nice to me. I didn't like church.

The next Easter I remember was in 1976. It was 4th grade and pantsuits were COOL! I got a fantastic polyester green one and my sister had a matching blue one. Of course we had cool shoes and ditched the idea of a hat and gloves. At this church I found out that I wasn't really wearing the Easter dress code at the time. I didn't know about that though. I thought that God would really like my new outfit. I liked God and I went to church to learn more about Him.

In 1984, right before Easter, I met my husband in a field in Mexicali, Mexico. I was a junior in high school. No, he's not from Mexico and yes that is a whole other story for another blog. The week before Easter I had worked with the poor in Mexico. When I came home on Good Friday my mom was so cool about taking me to the mall to get a new Easter dress. This was one constant tradition at our house. At the mall I just remember seeing all the abundance and reflected on the poverty that I had just seen across the border. We went to lunch and talked. I think that I just wore something that I had in my closet that year to church and thought that God would be happy with me just as I was. Serving Him in Mexico and worshipping Him at church on Easter.

In 1985 Dave invited me to my first ever sun-rise service. Have you ever been to a sunrise service? It's really early to a challenged morning person. Greg Laurie spoke that morning and told the Easter story. I don't remember much of the rest of the day except a lot of family time with Dave's family and mine.

Fast forward to 2009. Easter over the past years has been different. I spent the Easter of 1989 married to my wonderful husband, Dave. Then came the kids. David Jr. was born 2 days after Easter 1990 (no wonder I was so cranky and emotional when my Easter feast didn't work out the way I had invisioned it). With Bethany coming along in 1991 and Kirsten in 1993 Easter each year changed as the kids grew. Some years we were back in Mexico the week before Easter helping the poor. Some years we had sun and some years we even had snow (in California and in Idaho!). This year we are celebrating with friends in Idaho and our oldest two are celebrating with their friends in Michigan.

I've learned a lot about church and God since that first Easter memory. I've learned that God loves it when I go to church no matter what I am wearing. He loves it when I go to church even when it isn't Easter. I've learned that most people at church are nice and that we all can be not so nice once in a while. In fact that's why God sent His son, Jesus, to the earth from heaven. It is because of our inadequacies and failures, our meanness and selfishness that we needed someone to save us. It is because of God's penalty of death for any sin (not measuring up to God's standard) that Jesus died. It is because of God's grace, mercy, power over death, and hope He promises that Jesus came back to life.

"For God so loved the world, that He sent His Son, that whosoever believes in Him, would not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world, but that through Him all might be saved." John 3:16-17