January 13th - "He wept"

The story...

This year, my best friend and I are studying, a book called "John."  We're studying this book along with a bigger group.  John's the author of the book and arguably, the best friend of the Man he's writing about.  John tells the Man's story in a way that only a best friend, and eye witness, could.  The protagonist of the story's mother was Mary and His father is claimed to be God Himself. Yes, He claimed, and provided evidence, that God was His Father.  The Man John wrote about is referred to by many names; strangely, no one name seems to capture all of who He was and is.  In chapter 11 the Man is walking with His close friends toward a town called Bethany.  He's going to see two sisters and their brother - John says the Man loved the three.  The women's brother died and they were filled with grief.  They believed this Man's father was God himself, and hoped that He would come to heal their brother.  When He witnesses grief emoting from the women, John says "He wept."

Today, I'll be speaking at my mother's memorial service.  No person needs to explain the kind of feeling that He felt when John says "He wept."  I've been weeping, at unexpected times, throughout the last week - I loved my momma so... much.

The only church in town will share how this man, Lazarus, was raised from the dead just a few months before his Savior's blood was shed, body buried, and body resurrected by His own power.   Strangely and wonderfully, scripture confirms that we can be spiritually co-crucified, and co-risen from the dead to live rightly with God, in Christ, now and forever.   Man, that's good news!  Hey, why not read this book of John today?

Today, I stand thankful for my faith in Christ and for the love of my momma.

Just for today...

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me."  Revelation 3:20 (NASB)

"Do I secretly relish feeling sorry for myself and want sympathy from others?"  One Day at a Time (p. 13)

"Once upon a time I was afraid to live life for myself. This was because I did not know how to do it and thought that there was no one to show me."  Courage to Change (p. 13)