Unfailing Love

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.

-John 21:7

In context, Jesus has been resurrected and is appearing to His apostles. The apostles weren't able to catch any fish until they followed Christ's suggestion of casting their net to the right of the boat. Once this was done they caught 153 fish.

Now, in the midst of this miracle, Peter saw that a man was standing at the shore, shouting these orders to the apostles. Once another apostle acknowledged that it was Jesus standing before them, Peter jumped ship to swim and greet Him.

When I read this passage, my heart becomes filled with such joy. Peter, a man not unlike the rest of us, is so excited to see His Savior that he couldn't even wait until the boat reached the shore, he had to jump out and swim as fast as he could towards his Best Friend.

In my mind, the image of the bride, who just caught glimpse of her Beautiful Bridgegroom takes precedence. Overjoyed and overwhelmed with His Majesty and Presence, the bride jumps ship to get closer to Him as fast as she possibly can. What Love!

Do you jump ship at the very sight of your Husband, Father, Lord--just to be in His presence and His arms that much sooner?

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."

-John 21:15

Thinking Of You

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

Philippians 1:27

A thought on Ash Wednesday:

Ash Wednesday is one of the most unique days, in the sense that other people know (for sure) that you are a Christian (nothing says Christ-follower like black ashes smudged across your forehead!).

On that day, do you think that Christians think more about how they're acting, since other people know for sure that they are Christian? Do you change your actions more, in order to adjust them to be more like Christ's?

What if we were to live every day as if a cross was literally visible across our foreheads? How would you change/adjust your thoughts, sayings, and actions if Christ was the only thing on your mind (and head)?

Something to pray about.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

James 2:14, 18, 22

...Still

Directly from the prayer book:

I love you, Lord Jesus Christ.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

-2 Peter 1:3-4

We only need knowledge of You, but You do more. You give us promises and a hope. Through these promises we can build a personal relationship with You --The Beginning and the End! We will be able to resist sinful desires only through Christ alone. Not only do You promise us that You love us, You show it. You are entirely amazing, and I never get sick of getting to know You more. I am in awe of your Majesty.

I love You.

Amen.

Who I Am

Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck him with their hands....

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst." A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness— his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth— that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken." And again another Scripture says, "They will look on him whom they have pierced."

-John 19:1-3, 28-37

A simple prayer:

I pray for you.

I pray that you see that God never leaves you.

That you understand that He has a good plan for you for every second of your life.

He never stops listening, and He never stops loving.

I pray that you seek Him, not just in Study, not just in reading the Bible, not just in prayer, not just in service, but through everything that God has given you the opportunity to do.

I pray that every morning you wake up and choose to love Him.

That you lay down your life, and crucify yourself with Him.

I pray that you acknowledge His presence in yourself, and that you keep his dwelling alive and strong.

I pray that you follow His Word, so that you may learn how to capture His Heart.

I pray that His joy becomes your strength, and when in sadness those are His tears from your eyes.

I pray that you understand that you are His poetry.

A living masterpiece living in a world that is in submission to Him.

I pray that through the rough times, you go to your Husband for guidance,

and that you do not rely on those who can fall right along with you.

For though it is nice to talk to another living human about what's going wrong,

it is better to talk to He who can fix things, and love you with an everlasting love.

I pray that you desire to love with no bounds.

With nothing to hold you back.

Most importantly, I pray that you never forget.

Never forget that your Father was beaten and killed for every single person on this planet,

and even when He was bleeding on the cross, He loved every single sinner that walked this earth,

more than you can love your spouse, your child, and your talents.

His passion is for you.

May your passion be for Him.

Amen.

But I will sing of your strength;

I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.

For you have been to me a fortress

and a refuge in the day of my distress.

-Psalm 59:16