Jesus for real

Jesus for real

 

Today I led a devotional period for a group of Salvation Army Officers. We were gathered where you would expect to find people praying, in a hall. 

I think they call this an epiphany, a moment of enlightenment whether new or the magnification of an old truth its an ahhhh moment and you become aware.  Two builders walked passed at the time which only served to underline the prophetic nature of this moment in time; that is that Jesus meets people on the highways, the lanes, the corner markets, or just generally  amongst the clamber of every day life.

My attention was drawn to one of those coffee table books it was entitled “Journeys with the Messiah”. It’s an exquisite book and will be an alluring pick up and read book that will lead to some long conversations for the future. What is so cool is this guy had an epiphany one day, to find someone to fit the profile of what Jesus may have looked like, and then to go to Israel walk the same dusty lanes and take photo’s of Jesus talking with normal people from all walks of life, and from different periods of history. My favourite of all is Jesus walking with a Nazi Soldier carrying his rifle and back pack deep in conversation. How many Soldiers in the heat of battle find themselves talking to Jesus even if it is just a cry for help? The other is that of a refugee family walking along a road and there is Jesus carrying all their bags, giving them a break from the long arduous journey. Just talking about life.

The photos are profound, prophetic, but most of all left me thinking, maybe Jesus is not found in cold stone cathedrals or pristine Citadels but on the road with people just talking, just helping, not leading them nowhere but somewhere, to His pretty amazing kingdom. Here’s some photo’s to inspire you I hope you enjoy them.

Crazy little thing called love

Crazy little thing called love

It’s been far to long since my last blog so sincere apologies to those who read it. Since then I have decided to commence a Dip in creative writing paper. That’s been heaps of fun, and very refreshing.

In the 70’s, showing my age now,  there was a song that hit the charts. One of the lines in the song is one of those lines that keeps hanging around. Every now and then it is as if someone pushes the playback button in your head .. “Crazy little thing called love”. The crazy thing is it’s the only line I remember after 30 or so years, the rest of the song left know impression whatsoever.  

On Sunday morning, I’m watching Charles Stanley; He’s talking about “This Crazy little thing called love”. First, it is not a little thing and secondly it is not crazy, although it has been known to make people do crazy things, extravagant things and some bizarre things too. Before we even utter the words, we had better know exactly what we mean or people get hurt.

What peeked my interest was, he was both talking about marriage and friendship in the same context. Although they are on different levels, the components to true love remain the same.  I’m thinking to myself so how many time's has someone said to me “Love You” or I to someone else. I have always used those two words carefully, thoughtfully and sparingly because if we are going to use them we better be sure we can fulfil the obligations in our relationships at whatever level. I mean do I have it wrong when I say in today’s culture it’s bandy about all to easily and insincerely or at best ignorantly.

So here’s four words to contemplate.

• Love Selflessly
• Love understandingly
• Love forgivingly
• Love Sacrificially

To the last Charles Stanley suggested this is often the most costly and requires we sometimes take the fall to protect another we love.

I had messed up badly. Careering through the trees, weaving in an out through the many bush walks, and unmarked tracks, we were racing my colleague and me. I was a Christian he was a pothead and we were grassed on. In the bosses office our list of sins were recounted, one of us was going to get fired, one of us had to take the fall.

Before I could speak in my defence, my friend spoke out and said it all, he took the fall. He fell on his sword and was fired while I got a warning. The Crazy thing is, before this, I never considered him as a friend. He would push his way in try to hang with me, I was indifferent after all he was a pothead I was a Christian.  This Crazy thing called love was no more clearly exhibited than now to me. As he walked out of the gate, and out of work a lump came up in my throat. It should have been me, because I was after all the ringleader. What a coward I said to myself. When I asked him why he said, "because I think your cool you've got responsibilites I haven't and I like you".   

I have never forgotten that sacrificial unbridled act of extravagant love. That guy knew more about love then I ever will.