I started my run a few blocks from the trail head and just as I approached the start of the levee another gentlemen started down the path.  Uh-no!  a rabbit.   So as I rounded the first turn and could see across the levee for quite a distance I noticed there were several runners and walkers out in front of me.  One by one, I placed my eyes on the back of the individual in front of me and ran them down.  As I approached the first mile, I noticed another runner in the distance, maybe 1/4 mile ahead, and sub consciously I fixed in on him.  I traveled through the first mile 15 seconds faster than I wanted, but I was feeling so fleet a foot and completely in control.  I continued ahead, slowly gaining on the object of my fixation.   I come along side the final runner with about a third of a mile to my turn around marker, the two-mile.  We arrived together at the two-mile mark more than 20 seconds faster than my intended pace and even faster than the first mile. Yes!

He was continuing down the path, so we parted ways and I turned around.  Since there were no returning runners in front of me, I had nothing to focus on but to gloat of my achievements!  And as you can guess, my time greatly reduced on the two miles back in.

This morning, I came across these great proverbs

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.

26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.

27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.

I could not help but be reminded of my trip across the levee last night.  As long as I had someone to focus on, to fix my gaze directly on, I was in the zone.  Moving efficiently and effectively towards the target – actually not even realizing the effort I was giving!  But as soon as I had no focus.  As soon as I could observe the grass, and the distance, and the birds, and get absorbing in myself gratifying thoughts, my efficiently was greatly reduced.

So it is with our spirits!  Make sure you are focused on the right thing today.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God Hebrews 12:2 NIV

For instance, this week is Celebrate Your Name Week, which evidently goes by the acronym CYNW.  And today is Fun Facts about Names Day.  Odd.  You can check out the web site and see all sorts of fun facts that will make this day terrific for those you share them with!

So since it is CYNW week, I just thought maybe a quick reminder about the many names of that guy we claim to follow might be a refreshing start to Monday morning.  So I searched the Interwebs and found this wordle.  There all the go now it seems.

That’s a pretty good list, and it reminds me of this verse from Isaiah that describes some of those names

6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6  New International Version (NIV)

Those seem like a description of a dude that might be a good one to hang around and learn from!

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4 7-12

But despite that I think they heard something, and the main thing I told them, is probably something all of us could be reminded of as well.

Before this parable Jesus has been asked to clarify who a person’s neighbor is.  He tells a story that we all know pretty well about a man and his rescuer.  He finished the story by with this little exchange:

  ³⁶“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37

This is really interesting, as if I can paraphrase that last bit, it might be like this:

“Go and have mercy on those who hate you, oh and also have mercy on those that you hate.”

And that’s a pretty amazing way of showing who are neighbor is that we are commanded to show love towards ( with as much love as we show ourselves!!!)

Well, what else can I say, except – Go and Do Likewise!

Yes, the Christ, the Son of God, was nailed to a cross and hung for hours before he gave up the spirit and from that some of my favorite verses where written

⁵⁰ But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and died.

⁵¹ Then the curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces, from the top to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks broke apart.⁵² The graves opened, and many of God’s people who had died were raised from the dead.⁵³ They came out of the graves after Jesus was raised from the dead and went into the holy city, where they appeared to many people.

⁵⁴ When the army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and everything else that happened, they were very frightened and said, “He really was the Son of God!” Matthew 17 NCV

And freedom was delivered, to the people of the world!

Andrew gets to read today in a little gathering from the 53 chapter of the book of Isaiah . I thought it was worth sharing on this Good Friday a little bit from that chapter.

4 But he took our suffering on him
and felt our pain for us.
We saw his suffering
and thought God was punishing him.
5 But he was wounded for the wrong we did;
he was crushed for the evil we did.
The punishment, which made us well, was given to him,
and we are healed because of his wounds.
6 We all have wandered away like sheep;
each of us has gone his own way.
But the Lord has put on him the punishment
for all the evil we have done.

and then the greatest part of it all

12 For this reason I will make him a great man among people,
and he will share in all things with those who are strong.
He willingly gave his life
and was treated like a criminal.
But he carried away the sins of many people
and asked forgiveness for those who sinned.”

So, even though he was the Son of God, he let himself be killed by men, for those very men and for us. But the news doesn’t stop there.. wait until Sunday!

But there is an event that seems to define the evening activities of this Passover Thursday, as the Christ, the Lamb, gathers his men for one last meal, one last time to teach, one last time to give them the instruction they need before the show really starts. It’s a little like that last practice before the big game, as coaches struggle to find that one piece of information that his players should hold above all else they have learned. And look what Jesus tells them, after he washes their feet in an educational “hands-on” interactive instructional session:

^10-12Jesus said, “If you’ve had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you’re clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you’re clean. But not every one of you.” (He knew who was betraying him. That’s why he said, “Not every one of you.”) After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table.

^12-17Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life. (John 13:12-17, The Message)

He tells them, and through them he tells us – Be a servant, follow my example. Do what I have done, act like I have acted – give your life for the others.  So, speaking of following, here is a little short video clip about following him.

Hm, follow him, imitate him, act like him.  I wonder what would happen if we do?

So on this day when those most unholy negotiations took place, consider the negotiations on your docket today. Consider your motivation and your ability to be steadfast to the one who will set you free.

 ^31-32Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.” (John 8:31-32, The Message)

And so today I thought I would share one of my favorite verses and one of the verses motivates me to keep writing this blog.  When Jesus was entering Jersalem he was being praised by the residents there, much to the chagrin of the “religious leaders” of the time.  Take a look:

 ³⁵ They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

 ³⁷ When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

 ³⁸ “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

   “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

 ³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

   ⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:35-40, New International Version, ©2011)

What I love about this verse is that Jesus says hey if you silence them, even the stones will cry out and testify to me! That’s pretty powerful!
But why does that motivate me? As much as I would love to see stones literally praising him, I think that is my job to testify of his love and grace and mercy.
How about you, are you letting the rocks do your job, or are you keeping them relegated to a back up role?

So today, there is just one thing on my head. It was stuck there yesterday morning as I heard an outstanding lesson about the women at the well from John 4. The part of this that has stuck with me is the end of the conversation between the women and Jesus here:

25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” John 4:25-26 (New International Version, ©2010)

Man, I just can’t this this out of my head. This dude Jesus, says that he is the Messiah, the Savior of the World that was predicted, and then those around him claim that again later in the chapter.

42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” John 4:42 (New International Version, ©2010)

This thought is so oustanding, so complex, so motivating and so uplifting, that this has just stuck with me for the last day. These words cannot be dismissed. There is something that you have to do with these words. Some decision must be made. Contemplate this and think about what you will do with these words.

And since this is the busiest time of the year, all sort of schedules are being redone.  Final exams are being moved, Christmas plays and programs adjusted to later in the week.  Shuffling this from here to there, so we can work this in here.

Of course on top of it all is the general confusion about a 19 degree snow filled December day in Chattanooga.  That just never happens.

With all of this changing going on around, it’s always good to know this:

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (New International Version, ©2010)