Meeting Jesus in the sunroom
I’m at home now in North Carolina for Christmas. My dad was leading a musical at his church today, with my mom singing a solo, and your boy (me!) slept in by accident. I kept looking at my phone to see what time it was, and to my dismay it never turned over to Eastern Time. I thought I got a better phone when I supposedly upgraded, but my last phone would do that automatically, and this one doesn’t! Oh well.
It was somewhat refreshing to not go though. I really needed some quiet time. I had some of that yesterday in my old truck as I was driving down the road to home, but for the most part I was on the phone. Unfortunately, I don’t think I will have a lot of quiet time the rest of my trip home either. My parents like to give me all sorts of things to do while I am here, like seeing a lot of the people around home, etc. I like doing all that, but sometimes I just need some quiet time.
While I was sitting here this morning after getting ready for the day, I started reading my Scripture. I started back in Mark 1:25 where I briefly mentioned the other day in my last blog, and I couldn’t stop reading it. In this particular verse Jesus is talking to the unclean spirit in this man’s body. I couldn’t help but stop and think about my “unclean spirits.” I guess if I was going to list a couple of them out really quick it would be my pride, selfishness, neediness, and trust me I could go on and on. With all that said, I started thinking about this exorcism story and my life.
What would happen if Jesus walked up to me and saw through me, seeing all the unclean spirits that are in my life? What would happen if I asked Him to heal me? This morning in my best way possible, I have tried to bring myself to Jesus. In some sort of weird mysterious way I have pictured Jesus here in this sunroom with me this morning healing me of my unclean spirits. I know this sounds really silly, but I have needed it. I have needed to be freed from some of the things that tend to weigh me down and discourage me (a lot of people tend to call these things chains in our life).
Sometimes it seems to me like all that I can really think about in my life when it pertains to God are all these mess-ups, or chains, that are in my life. I don’t know about you, but I feel like every time I do something good or want to do something good I think of when I blew it the last time. If you are anything like me then you have a lot of mess-ups in your life, and you often let those things define who you are and limit what you can do for God.
The truth is the devil wants us to think of all the things we have done in our lives that would make us feel unworthy of anything God has to offer or wants to do in our lives. Well, we are unworthy, but that doesn’t mean that God can’t and won’t use us. I think that is one of the great things about Christ; that He is so great, He can actually use someone like me and you to fulfill His purpose. That is pretty encouraging to me, however, that doesn’t mean that the devil won’t be trying to discourage us along the way.
I have to say that this morning was a huge help for me. I needed to meet Jesus. I needed to lay it all out again and say “here it is God.” I needed to be reminded that I don’t have to carry all the weight of my burdens. Now, I know that to some degree that doesn’t make sense and I don’t fully understand it either, but I can definitely say that this morning I felt a little bit lighter. I guess it is safe to say that I felt forgiven.
I don’t know where you all are, but in verse 27, only two verses down, the Scripture reminds us that “He (meaning Jesus) commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” Whatever your “unclean spirits” are (anger, hurt, pride, fornication, abuse, etc.), I urge you to take them to Jesus. Jesus can and will free us from all the junk in our pasts and in our present. No matter what you have dealt with or are dealing with now, Jesus came to save you from it. Period. Take it to Jesus.
Travis Cottrell wrote a song entitled Jesus Saves (You should listen to it at http://www.myspace.com/traviscottrellministries). Anyway, the lyrics to the song are this…
Hear the heart of heaven beating, Jesus Saves, Jesus Saves, And the hush of mercy breathing, Jesus Saves, Jesus Saves, Hear the host of Angels sing, Glory to the new-born king, and the sounding joy repeating, Jesus Saves, Jesus Saves. See the Humblest hearts adore him. And the wisest bow before him. See the sky alive with praise, melting darkness in its blaze. There is light forevermore in Jesus Saves. He will live our sorrow sharing. He will die our burden bearing. “It is done!” will shout the cross, Christ has paid redemption’s cost! While the empty tomb’s declaring, Jesus Saves, Jesus Saves. Freedom’s calling, chains are falling, hope is dawning bright and true. Day is breaking, night is quaking, God is making all things new. Oh to grace, how great a debtor, Are the saint’s who shout together. Jesus Saves, Jesus Saves. Rising up so fast and strong, lifting up salvation’s song, the redeemed will sing forever, Jesus Saves, Jesus Saves.