One More!

So, the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."

- St. John, John 11:3

"The thing that I love the most about God… that I forget the most about God...

is that He loves me for no reason at all. Ask Him, 'God, why do you love me?'

And He will say, 'Because!... Just Because!"

- A Pastor

Anybody tell you lately: "Boy, do you look tired! You getting enough sleep?"

Don't you love that? Just makes your day, right? I'd rather they lie to me and just tell me I look fabulous! (smile). Anyhow, there's a reason for my chronic fatigue - grandkids! You see, their two favorite words are, "One more!" Whenever I twirl them or swing them or wrestle with them, or tickle them or throw them up in the air… It's always, "One more, PawPaw! One more!" It's exhausting! And a bonanza for my chiropractor!

So, why do I do it? For the same reason God does it for me and for you.

You see, I'm totally "over the moon" about my grandchildren, and it's my love for them that moves my heart to bless them. What I want you to know, more than anything else, as we step into 2023 is this:It is not your love for Jesus, it is not your good behavior for Jesus, it is not your compassionate acts for Jesus… that moves Jesus to bless you. It is His love for YOU alone that moves the heart of Jesus to help you and heal you and bless you!

Do you remember, in John 11, when Lazarus, Jesus' best friend, was really sick and his sisters, Martha and Mary, went to Jesus for help? I love the fact that as they made their appeal to Jesus, they did not remind Jesus of all the good things Lazarus had done, or how many people he had helped, or how much he admired Jesus, or what a good person he was so he didn't deserve to die. No….

They did not lay out a laundry list of Lazarus' good deeds… they simply said, "Lord, the one you love is sick."

So… you know the story. Lazarus dies. But, because Jesus loved Lazarus He went to his grave and raised him from the dead. And you know what Martha and Mary said when Lazarus walked out of that tomb?

"One more, Jesus! One more!"

Okay… maybe not… but that's what my grandkids would've said because they know Jesus loves them - just because, for no particular reason at all.

Wow! Doesn't that just take the pressure off… of having to be this or to do that to try and get God to bless us? Remember the Apostle John? Five times in the Bible John calls himself, "the disciple Jesus loved." I love that! Was he Jesus' favorite? I don't know. But it doesn't matter… because he believed he was! The point is: We are all God's favorites! Believe it! So... in 2023...

When you see that glorious sunset... whisper..."One more, Jesus! One more!"

When you look into the face of your brand new baby girl... whisper… "One more, Jesus! One more!"

When your wife comes through that difficult surgery...

When you just get the news that the cancer's in remission...

         ...that your dad is okay...

         ...that your son has celebrated five years sober...

         ...that your daughter has graduated...

         ...that the depression has lifted...

         ...that an unexpected check has arrived...shout..."One more, Jesus! One more!"

Because the Savior of the World who came to you and to me on Christmas Day loves Us! For no particular reason at all! AMEN.

Pastor Harry

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