I guess you’re never gonna know about my life after training camp. Just assume that I’m sane. Anyway, I was doing some homework tonight, listening to my favorite sermon jam from Judah Smith called Jesus is loving, Barrabbas. Now, if you’ve never seen that you need to stop what you’re doing and watch that. Seriously it is life changing.
Now once you’ve watched it, I want to take you on the journey the Spirit took me on when I listened to it this time.
What is love? How do you define it? Some of you will say God, because it’s what you’re supposed to say. Some will say it’s a feeling, an emotion, and some of you are those people that answer questions with hallmark cards. Example: “What is love?” “Love is leaving the last cheesecake bite for them.” No don’t be mislead, that isn’t love that is stupidity.
But seriously…First you need to know that I work with the middle school/high school youth at my church and I absolutely LOVE those kids. Now God put one of them on my mind specifically. She’s a great kid, tries to live for Christ and isn’t ashamed. I love her. God asked me if I would die for her. Not an easy, passing in your sleep type death either, but would I be willing to go all Bruno Mars and catch a grenade for her, or jump in front of a train for her. Well of course I would, I love her. Then He took me a step deeper. He said, now Mary would you be willing to do that every time she sinned? I was all like uh sh..shh….sure. I mean how much could she really sin right? Heh heh. So wrong. By the fourth lie, or bad thought, or cheated on test I would sadly probably be over it.
Now don’t forget that that is a kid that I love, and eventually I wouldn’t be willing to do it anymore. We talked about love earlier, remember? Now humor me and think of someone you love. A child, parent, niece/nephew, grandchild, anyone at all that you just absolutely love. Would you do it for them? Would you die for them over and over every time they sinned? Because that’s what Jesus did for you and me. Sure Jesus wasn’t physically crucified a million billion times over for every sin of every person that’s ever lived, but when He died once he took on every sin of every person that has ever lived and will ever live. So technically, Jesus did just that. Every time you sin, you hammer the nail a little harder into His precious hands and feet.
Let’s not stop there though, let’s take it just a little farther. Some of you have heard this parallel before so just stay with me. We’ve been talking about love, now let’s talk about hate. We throw that word around as if we have a right to. Think about someone you hate. For the Grinch it was the Who’s, for FSU fans it’s the Gators, who is it for you? That neighbor, coworker, classmate? Whoever it is, picture them in your mind, every bad thing about them, every sin, every flaw. Think about it, bask in the loathe. Now take your precious beloved one and kill them to save the one you hate. *slam on brakes* DO WHAT?!?! But that’s what God did. Now I know ya’ll are TRIPPING out screaming at your computer screens that GOD DOESN’T HATE US! And of course you’re right, that’s why He sent His Son. But are we not everything vile and flawed and disgusting that you thought about in the person you hate? Maybe not in the same ways, but we are ALL sinners. We are all vile, unclean beings, but He chose to do it anyway.
We are Barrabbas, but Jesus chose to take our chains and let us go free.
TTFN, Ta ta for now!
Mary
