10 seasons

Jesus Knows

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

This past Sunday, we celebrated Palm Sunday. On this day, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey while people laid palm branches on the road before Him and hailed Him with hosannas.

Five days later, these same people were calling out for His death.

Jesus knows what it feels like to be deserted in a time of need.

Jesus is with the woman whose husband walked out on her, saying he didn’t love her any more.

Jesus is with the boy whose friend suddenly acts like a stranger when the cool kids are around because he doesn’t want anybody to think he’s friends with a nerd.

Jesus is with that one whose friend who he counted on suddenly disappears from his life and he can’t for the life of him figure out why.

The beautiful part is that Jesus can do more than feel the pain we feel. He can actually do something about it.

That death Jesus faced on the cross was more than the murder of an innocent man and the hands of a mob.

It was God in the flesh laying down His own life for the ones who deserted Him, the ones who mocked Him, the ones who spit in His face, the ones who drove the nails into His wrists and feet. the very ones who killed Him.

Ultimately, it wasn’t sin that killed Jesus. It wasn’t the pain. In the end, He gave His life up willingly, a choice He had made from day one.

That means that no one need ever be alone again. Jesus’ death and resurrection means that one day every wrong will be made right and all the hurts and wounds of the world will be healed.

I love that Jesus never turns down anyone who earnestly seeks Him in faith. You and I didn’t find Jesus, because it wasn’t He who was lost. We were the ones who were lost, and Jesus is the One who found us.

And Jesus still knows.

 

 

Friends And All That

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / 1 Comment

I love the TV show Friends. I’ll admit that. I love the characters and how they interact and how while relationships and love interests come and go, that core group of friends remains intact. Well, at least it did for 10 seasons. But it seems that just about everything good comes to and end on this side of heaven.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about friendship. I know I am still a novice when it comes to being in a friendship that goes beyond the surfacy “How you doin” kind of relationship. I don’t always get it right. Sometimes I try too hard and say the wrong thing or press too hard.

I’m starting to see that not every friendship will last forever. Not every relationship should.

I don’t mean that the relationships are bad or toxic or destructive. I don’t mean that something bad will happen to mess up a good thing.

What I mean is that sometimes God puts people into our lives for a limited time. Some are there for 5 minutes, some for 5 months, some for 5 years and some for 50. That’s just the way God intended it.

I may only have one or two meaningful conversations with you and never see you again, but walk away a better person because of those conversations. That relationship has served its purpose.

It’s not up to me to sustain every one of my relationships. If that person is meant to be in my life, God will keep him or her there. He or she will be around. That’s not to say that I can’t do my part to be supportive and encouraging and a good listener. But I don’t have to worry constantly about ruining the relationship.

Honestly, that epiphany has lifted a proverbial weight off my shoulders. I don’t have the anxiety of worrying if my friends will desert me after they find out what a humongous goober I am. At least I have a lot less anxiety in that regard.

I can only do my part and be the best friend I can. I can’t worry about how the other responds or about how much or how little of an impact I have on the other person. I can try to be Jesus and leave the results to God.

I have an awkward confession to make. I took one of those “Which Friends Character are You Like?” quizzes on facebook a couple of years ago. I was sure I’d be like Ross or maybe even Chandler or possibly Joey. I ended up being most like Phoebe. I never saw that one coming. But I can see that spontaneous free-spirit sometimes. And I do so like smelly cats.

So I can watch re-runs of Friends and be grateful for the friends I have while I have them. So can you.