Significance and capacity

Several things have come to my attention recently. One a conversation with and a paper a friend shared about significance and how ours is found in our desire to glorify God and comes as a result of our intimacy with God, an intimacy He calls each of us to enter into through Jesus. My friend quotes “It is very obvious in the way God originally created us that he made us with the capacity to be intimate with him.” Radical Reliance, Joe Stowell.

And there is the second thing that caught my attention – our capacity. Today Kent, our pastor, mentioned it in regards to each one having (or being given) a certain capacity to love. In Matt 25, in the parable of the talents, he equated the talent with ones capacity to love – to love God, in a way defined by Him and to love our neighbor as ourselves. The principle seems to be that the more we are able to return this love, the more love we will have to give (the more love we will have to draw from). It’s like God has invested in us a certain capacity to love and is patiently waiting to see what kind of return He will get from His investment – the more we are able to increase His return, the more He is glorified and the more our joy becomes complete.

It's a choice

The shock of being exposed was too much for Ananias. For many Christians in compromise, their greatest fear is not in sinning itself, but in being found out. (from commentary on Acts 5)

FATHER, there is fear of having one’s sins exposed, to others – but You know them already. The commentaries say that Ananias’ sins were greed and pride – but sin - of any kind - is sin and seems to be “conceived within the heart of man”. The enemy may exert influence, but we make the choice. FATHER, help me to be aware of my own sin, to recognize when it is conceived within my heart, and grant me the grace and power to turn from it and to turn towards You; I want to choose rightly, Lord. I want to always choose YOU!

She has done this for the day of My burial (John 12:4-8)

Mary knew that Jesus was going to die, and so she was compelled to offer this extravagant gift of devotion to Jesus. Mary had more insight than others because she spent time at the feet of Jesus. This was the moment at which Jesus was symbolically set apart for burial by one who really understood what was happening.

JESUS, I have always loved this story and want to be like Mary. Her devotion was so remarkable; her passion, her humility and her insight into Who You are. I can only imagine the look of love You must have shown to her at this moment – a connection that was forever made, an understanding deep within the heart of the Lover of our souls and the one loved. An eternal moment captured in time. Thank You, for allowing me to witness and participate in such tenderness and intimacy.

He became very sorrowful, for he was very rich: (Luke 18:23)

The man’s riches were an anchor dragging down his soul, and because he was very rich, the anchor was very heavy. . . Jesus’ purpose wasn’t to make the man sad; but he could only be happy by doing what Jesus told him to do.

FATHER, I see the truth here, that we can only know real joy in doing what You desire for us to do, to love You and surrender all that we have, all that we are – to You. It means trusting You completely – even when faced with trials and hardships – knowing that Your love and grace are greater and more to be desired than anything this world could possibly offer. It means letting go of whatever we are holding on to and falling into Your loving embrace, where there is peace and an abundance of unspeakable joy.