THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

March 31, 2021

Happy Easter!

LIFE IN THE FOLD:

Sometimes I take communion at home. I don't think this needs to be something that is only done in church, as a congregation, but that it can be personally beneficial to take communion as part of our daily prayer and devotional time. When I do so, I take my time to reflect on what it truly means, and it is a very intimate time between me and Jesus.

Recently, I was preparing to take communion at home and I said, "Father, I don't think I truly understand the depth of love that you have for me. I know and believe that you love me, but I don't really comprehend how deep that love is."

I believe if we could truly comprehend and understand how much God loves us, we would see ourselves differently and it would impact how we lived our lives. We wouldn't be negative or critical about ourselves, and would sincerely love ourselves; which in turn, would help us love others better.

In Matthew 22:37-39 we are told this: "And He [Jesus] said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Until we can honestly and fully love ourself, we can't fully and completely love others. We may feel love for those who love us in return and who are kind to us; but we won't truly love those individuals who are difficult or hateful or rude or are a thorn in our side. Many times, those people are the ones who need Jesus in their lives and need to be shown love the most. I struggle with this. And sometimes there are even christian people who rub me the wrong way and I have a hard time loving. But that doesn't excuse me from following this commandment.

This particular morning as I was preparing to take communion and asked the Father to show me how much He truly loved me, He began to do so. God wants us to ask Him to show us things and loves being involved in our thoughts and desires to teach us and show Himself to us! I'm going to try to share with you what He showed me.

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Jesus, the only Son of God, was there with His Father from the very beginning. John 1:1 tell us, "In the beginning was The Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God." John was introducing Jesus and who He is. John also writes that Jesus was in the world, and the world was made through Him; but the world did not know Him. He came to His own, but His own didn't receive Him. The Word became flesh and lived among us.

It's difficult for our minds to really grasp and comprehend that God and Jesus are One; yet distinctly different. I've read the analogy to explain it in a manner that we can somewhat understand like this: God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are like a triangle; three different sides, but joined together as one. I've also heard it described as an egg that has the shell, yoke, and egg white; it's one egg, but composed of 3 different parts. I've also heard it described as water which can be water, ice, or steam; it is all water, but are all different. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three different entities, yet are One.

In John 14, Philip said to Jesus, "'Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.' Jesus replied, 'Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show Him to you? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in Me, who is doing His work.'"

When God sent Jesus, His Son, to earth in human form, He sent a part of Himself. That human man, humbled Himself to be formed within a woman's womb and live with mankind for thirty-three years. Jesus felt the same thing as other humans. He grew weary, He worked, He had to walk to get to where He wanted to go, and got dusty and sweaty. He ate food and He slept. Yet He had the wisdom of God, and spent the last three years of His life on earth ministering and teaching and healing. He was anointed to do the work of His Father.

This is what really deepened my understanding of how loved we are by the Father. When Jesus was in the garden praying the night that He was arrested, He agonized. Jesus fell on His face and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me! Yet not as I will, but as You will." Jesus prayed these same words three times. Luke, the physician who was, also, a disciple of Jesus, wrote this, "In His anguish, He was praying fervently; and His sweat was like drops of blood falling on the ground."

Try for a moment to imagine how this must have broken His Father's heart! God's only Son, was crying out to Him in anguish. Three times God heard His Child crying out to Him, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me!" He heard the agony in Jesus' voice. He saw the sweat, falling like drops of blood to the blood. His Son said, "Not My will, but Yours"; but yet repeatedly asked to be delivered from what laid ahead of Him, if possible. Jesus was willing to fulfill His purpose, but yet in those moments in the garden asked His Daddy to please let this cup pass from Him, if possible.

One of the most agonizing things I've witnessed is when a child is going through something that is extremely difficult, and the parent wanting to do something to ease their pain, but being unable to do so. Perhaps sickness or disease has ravaged the child's body and they are suffering. The parents are doing everything possible to ease that pain, but can't take it from them. Perhaps their child is being bullied or hurt by others; perhaps even made fun of or mocked. As much as they would like to protect their son or daughter from the detrimental treatment of others, they can't always do so. All they can do is give love and support and prayer.

God had sent His Son, a part of Himself, to earth as the Promised Messiah and Savior. The cross was something He had to endure in order to become the sacrificial Lamb for the sins of mankind, so that they could be forgiven of those sins and not perish. I believe the Father knew that His Son knew that He must endure that cross and what the upcoming hours held, and He was willing to do so. But in His human form, in those moments, it may have felt overwhelming.

This is what love looks like! God watched the agony of His Son and heard Him asking for the cup to pass from Him, if possible. Yet He knew that the cross had to be endured for His purpose for mankind to be fulfilled. I believe in those moments, God saw my face and your face and all the millions of people who needed a Savior. He knew that we needed to blood of His Son to be shed so our sins could be forgiven.

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, He had endured being beaten and crushed and bruised. He had been mocked and ridiculed. He had been stripped of His garments. Darkness fell upon all the land and Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have you abandoned (forsaken) Me?"

That is another picture of the great love that the Father has for us. God had watched and knew each tiny detail that had happened to His Son. He had heard the mocking and laughing. He saw the floggings. He saw Jesus being asked to carry His own cross. He saw the soldiers strip Jesus and then casting lots for His clothing; leaving Jesus hanging naked on the cross for all to see. The Father was offering His Son up for the salvation of mankind, and this was the response of many. Then in those last moments, He heard Jesus cry out to Him, "My God, My God, why have you abandoned Me?" His one and only Son, a part of Himself, felt forsaken and abandoned.

As a parent, think of how that would make you feel. To hear your child asking for you to help them out of a difficult hardship, only to know that they had to go through it for a purpose. To hear that child crying out to you and asking why you had abandoned them. To feel as if you are being crushed and your heart being broken into a million pieces, while you stand by and watch.

Yet God did that out of His great love for me and you and every other man and woman who have ever lived. He watched the very ones whom His Son was dying for refused and mock Him. Yet, He knew that there would be millions who would accept His Son and the gift of salvation.

Lastly, I want to show you something. John 3:16 speaks of God sending His one and only Son. But look at what is written in 2 Corinthians chapter 6. Verse 16 says, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." That sounds great, but verse 18 is even better!! "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters."

Jesus, God's one and only Son, came to earth and died on the cross for our sins. When we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us. We can call upon His name and be saved. Then we become sons and daughter of God!! God's family grows bigger and bigger with each individual who accepts the gift of His Son and the work that was done on the cross. That God desires us to be His sons and daughters is awesome!! His love for us is so amazingly great!

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

A man I once knew many years ago went with his family and some friends to the beach. At some point, his daughter and another kid (I think a girl) got out too far, and were in danger of drowning. He had time to swim out to them, but could only save one of them. I don't even want to understand what was going through his head at that moment. I wish he didn't have to face that, and hope no one else ever has to face a moment like that. Whatever his thoughts, he saved the friend instead of his daughter. Maybe he just grabbed the one who was closer; or thought his daughter was strong enough for him to come back; I don't know. But ultimately, he lost his child so other parents wouldn't lose theirs.

As hard as that would be to go through, try to imagine how it would be: suppose the friend felt unworthy to live when their friend drowned. She might live out her whole life consumed by guilt. She may even try to even things by ending her life.

After the father lost his girl so the friend could live, imagine how he would feel if that friend threw away her life or all hope of happiness in her life. His sacrifice would have been wasted.

You can probably already see how this compares to our Heavenly Father allowing Jesus to die. He knew Jesus would be resurrected, but still had to see Him endure the torture and death. Jesus made that sacrifice to give us eternal life. But so many people simply don't accept that gift.

ON THE MENEWE:

Avocado, Corn & Tomato Salad

Place salad ingredients in a bowl.

Dressing:

Mix dressing ingredients together and pour over salad.

Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

Easter has always been a very special time for my family when I was growing up, and I have so many memories associated with it. We always got new shoes and a new dress (homemade by Mama when I was a kid) each Easter. We would have an egg hunt and party at school the Friday before Easter Sunday; then would always have an egg hunt for the kids following the Sunday service at church. The week leading up to Easter Sunday, six area churches would get together for what we called "Pre-Easter Services", where each night a different church would lead the service. On their assigned night, the church would lead the congregational singing, have many special songs from singers in their church, then their pastor would preach. On Sunday morning, all of the churches would get together at the host church for a sunrise service. Afterwards, everyone would go back home or to their church for breakfast, then would all attend their home church for their morning service. It was always such a special week leading up to a special Easter Sunday service at our church. The focus would be on the resurrection of Jesus and we would celebrate that He is alive!

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

We want to avoid suffering, death, sin, ashes. But we live in a world crushed and broken and torn, a world God Himself visited to redeem. We receive His poured-out life, and being allowed the high privilege of suffering with Him, may then pour ourselves our for others. - Elisabeth Elliot

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org