July 9th People Reflection

Saturday 7/9/2005

Mark 15.1-20-Nail him to a cross- set Barabbas free

1 Kings 10-Israel was rich under Solomon

Hosea 11.12-12.14-So return to your God. Patiently trust him, and show love and justice.

Romans 8.1-11-Set my mind on things of the Spirit- it brings life and peace

Luke 15.3-10-There will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents

Psalm 20- but our pride in is the name of the LORD our God

You ever try to pick up marbles with your feet and put them in a plastic cup?—Well yesterday – that was one of the exercises I had to do in therapy for my leg—and it was hard! – I tried and tried and tried- kept getting a marble – pick it up a couple of inches – drop it – over and over and over- never getting close to the cup- asked the therapist if this was some kind of mental torture—so God speaks a message through this guy next to me—he was watching the whole time—he says—"If those therapists would look away for a minute; I would do that for you real quick." – It reminded me of Jesus- how he was willing to take on my punishment for sin – to be nailed to a cross to set me free- Barabbas was set free in Jesus stead- but hey – were talking marbles and toes here- not even close to sin and a cross- but still- this guy understood what I was going through- he had been through it himself- he understood—Jesus understands too—and I’m sure I can pick some marbles up with my toes and put them in a cup—but my foot is swollen- it doesn’t work like it should—so now what—so I think on about how Jesus changed everything- yea- he died for my sin- but I still sin! – what’s with that? – why?- I don’t want to! – I want to pick those marbles up and put them in the cup—but I can’t—and then I finally get one in the cup—I let out a whoop – and the people around me clap for me! – so now I feel like a big shot- like I can do it on my own—I can not sin on my own? – hold on a minute- my salvation isn’t something I can earn on my own- even if I pick up all those marbles and put them in the cup- that doesn’t mean I’m healed- I can’t do this on my own- wait a minute- now I’m focusing on how good I am – how many marbles I can get in the cup- but how did I get that first marble in the cup anyway? – It was a gft from God- you see Jesus died on the cross to free me from my sin- just like this guy next to me was willing to take on the marble exercise—he didn’t have to though—once I realize I’m free from sin- once I realize I’m free from having to think it’s all me me me who will accomplish putting all the marbles in the cup—once I realize all this- then I’m also free to change my focus—I don’t focus on me—I focus on the gifts God has given me through Christ Jesus- I can forget about the sin and do the service and work and calling God has called me to do—I can forget about getting all the marbles in the cup and focus on the gift of each marble and the joy each one brings when it falls into the cup- you see- now I can put the marbles in the cup – not because I’m so great and talented- but because God has given me the freedom to keep on trying- time after time- it’s no longer frustrating- it’s now a joy – to pick up a marble and drop it a thousand times – because it’s not about how many marbles I get in the cup- it’s about how I serve and love a God so great that in the end—that God I love will get all those marbles in the cup for me! – I am now as rich as Solomon because I have learned to set my mind on things of the Spirit – not on the marbles of this world- I have learned to repent of my sin and hear the angels rejoice in heaven- I have learned that my pride is not in me – but in the name of Jesus—did I hear God speak yesterday? – Yea—through a man next to me willing to take my marbles and put them in the cup for me—a man that changed my focus on the marble exercise and on my life—Thanks be to God!

Prayer- Lord keep my focus on you – you have freed me from the burden of sin- to love you- to worship you – to praise you and to love and have compassion on all those people you set before me day after day- you have taken the marbles of my sin and slam dunked them in that cup- thank you for releasing me from this torture—now as I daily deal with sin- I repent – I turn to you for forgivenes—send me into the world to take those marbles and put them in that cup- with the joy and freedom only you can give- what a great game – what a great joy it is to serve you and to love you and all people. Thanks be to God! -- Amen