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Brothers and sistersFriday, May 7, 1999
John 15:15 Jesus adds the second chapter to this story. First I am a child, then I am a servant, finally I am a friend of Jesus. As a child I lay in his arms and bask in his love. He nurtures me and disciplines me and makes me confident of myself. He enables me to obey him when he says (in verse 12), "Love each other as I have loved you." When I become a servant, I seek out his instructions. "Here am I Lord, send me!" Polish the gold medals you gave us all, dust off my forgiveness skills, set the hospitality table, and listen...listen...listen for the doorbell. Above the door to our house is a brass plate that says, "You are now entering the mission field." And finally I know Jesus' friendship. Friends are easy with each other. Jesus loves me, and I love him. We lay down our lives for each other. Nothing can break our commitment to each other. We trust each other, no matter what happens. This friendship is both a private and a corporate thing, because Jesus shows up when we gather together too. We are brothers and sisters, Jesus' friends together. Jesus binds us together. Denise Barker writes, "Is there someone hard to love in your life? Picture yourself standing with that person in the presence of Jesus. He loves you both. He sees into your hearts and knows what is lovable in each of you. Feel the peace of Jesus between you." Yes, Lord, yes! |
In a moment etched in my memory, my friend Leonard Dormady told me, "Jesus never wants you to be his servant before he is sure you are his child." If I forget this, and get the cart before the horse, I try to please Jesus with my hard work, forgetting that he loves me anyway.