trusting Jesus – Seek Grow Love

As I was driving home today listening to my favorite oldies station (All the best rock music was in the 60’s through 80’s, everyone knows that) I heard “How Deep is Your Love?” by the Bee Gees. (Disco, but still better than today’s stuff). “How deep is your love how deep is your love, I really need to learn?”

Isn’t that THE question we all ask constantly throughout our lives? “Do you love me? How much do you love me? What are the limits of your love for me?” We all want and need to know that we are loved.

One of the foundational needs of every human being from the moment of birth is to know that they are loved and securely attached to a loving caregiver. “If I’m cute, do you love me? If I cry do you love me enough to pick me up and comfort me? If I make a stinky mess do you love me enough to clean me up and put a fresh diaper and clothes on me? If I take a pair of scissors and cut holes in your suit jacket will you still love me Daddy? (Extra points if you figure out which Fletcher kid actually did than when they were 4).” The answer is, “Yes, I still love you.” And I love you when a tree somehow jumps in front of the car as you’re driving (A different Fletcher kid, at age 16). “Will you still love me when I disobey you or when I reject your values and beliefs?” “Yes, even when you break my heart, I will still love you.”

In Ephesians 3 Paul shares something for which he is earnestly praying for his readers. Paul is praying that they might ask Jesus “how deep is your love” and that God might give them the power to comprehend just how much Jesus loves them. He writes in vs. 17-19 “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…”(ESV). Essentially, Paul is saying that he wants them to know the unknowable, the unlimited love of Christ for them in all of its dimensions. How high, how wide, how long, how deep is the love of Jesus Christ for us? As you read through the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life you can see his love in action. Jesus touches the untouchable leper, love in action. Jesus doesn’t condemn the woman caught in the act of adultery, love in action. Jesus feeds 5,000, love in action. Jesus turns water into wine to save the wedding celebration and spare the father shame, love in action. Jesus undergoes betrayal, rejection, and false accusations, and is spit upon, mocked, beaten, scourged, and crucified, all love in action.

How do we begin to understand this love according to Paul? By Faith. We have to trust Jesus enough to allow him into our hearts so that we may begin to experience that love and be transformed inside out. Paul says that like a tree we have to sink down our roots into that love (vs. 17). Jesus referred to himself as the vine and his disciples as the branches. (John 15:4-6) In order to bear the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control- Galatians 5:22-23) we need to maintain a continuous connection to Jesus.

“Do you love me?”

Jesus answers a resounding “yes!”

“How much do you love me? “

Jesus answers, “I love you so much I died on the cross for you.”

“What are the limits of your love for me?”

Jesus answers- “Put your complete trust in me and ask God to show you the full dimensions of my love, it’s a love beyond human comprehension.”

To summarize Paul, we need the faith to believe in the reality of Jesus’ love and be willing to trust and sink our roots down into that love to draw on the love of Christ and maintain an ongoing connection.

My prayer for you today echoes the prayers of Paul. May you have the power to know the breadth and length and height and depth of his love so that God can fill you to overflowing.

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions:

How important is it for you to know that you are loved?
Reflect on your life, can you name some ways that Jesus has demonstrated his love for you?
How does God, as our Father, ultimately reveal his love for us through the love of Jesus? If you are not sure, take some time to pray and ask God to show you today.

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On the Water

THEME WEEK – PETER: Matthew 14

Old Testament: Ezra 1-3

Poetry: Psalm 14

Today’s passage of Matthew 14 has a lot to unpack. There is much to learn from each story there, but my focus for this passage has always been the last portion: walking on water. Because while John’s death was tragic, and the feeding of the 5,000 is wondrous, the story of Peter stepping out of the boat has always been one of mixed emotions for me.

Starting in verse 22 we read:

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Jesus has performed miracles before this story. It should be no surprise that he could walk on water, but it truly must have been a sight to see. Coming through wind and darkness and waves, it was enough to make the disciples proclaim him to be a ghost. But Jesus calls through the wind and the lapping of the waves and over the creaking of the boat to reassure his followers. And Peter’s immediate response is one that I’ve always found commendable. He asked Jesus to call him out.

He wants Jesus to call him out on to dark water to do something terrifying that he knows he’s completely incapable of doing on his own. He is fully aware that only Jesus, using the power and authority given to him by God alone, can help him do this great thing.

So he asks him to call him out. How often do we ask to be called out into dangerous waters? Usually my request is, “Lord, keep me safe. Keep my family safe. Keep my life simple.” It’s not “Lord, send me out into water well over my head.”

Peter asked to be called out because he knew that Jesus would help him. And I feel like he should get credit for this. And yet as we read further we see Jesus tell him he has little faith.

But Jesus! He was the only disciple who stepped out of the boat!

Poor Peter. He boldly trusts Jesus and goes out on the water but he loses focus. Rather than keeping his eyes on Christ he starts seeing the waves and winds and realizes just the sort of situation he’s in. He’s standing over deep water and the sea is not calm. This is no peaceful frolic. This is scarier and bigger than he expected, and suddenly the danger and the risk is all he can see. Christ is forgotten.

If we are called to do big things for Christ, we cannot expect it to be simple and peaceful. We live in a world of sin, full of wind and waves, and he is calling us into it to do his work. But he’s right there. He is giving us the authority and the power to do great things. Unfortunately, sometimes all we can see is the danger.

It takes great faith to step out onto the water, but having faith for a moment isn’t enough. Continuing on in faith despite obstacles and fear is what we are actually called to do. We cannot just step out of the boat. We must go forth as we are called. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Some things to think about:

What waters do you feel called on to?

What do your winds and waves look like?

What are some practical things that can help you focus less on your obstacles, and more on Jesus? (Maybe it’s deepening your prayer life. Maybe it’s getting a fellow Christian to go alongside you.)

How can you pray bigger prayers and in what areas of your life can you ask Jesus to call you out over deeper water?

My prayer for you today is that you are bold in your faith. I pray that you are able to see Jesus in areas in your life and that you hear his calling. I pray that you not only step out of the boat but that you also continue on toward him, trusting him to keep you above the water.

-Jenn Haynes

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Jesus is Looking for You

Luke 5

In this time of year, the wider church celebrates Lent. In this period leading up to Easter, we take time to examine ourselves, our sins, our motives, our hearts and souls, and recognize that it was for our sins that Christ died, not only to free us but to change us. While the reading in Numbers is very important, and I am glad you are reading the Old Testament, I want us to focus on Christ this week and his life as portrayed by Luke.

There are two stories in Luke 5 to which I want you to pay particular attention. Let’s look first at Luke 5:1-11. Jesus is already an established teacher, a rabbi, and has a ministry going. He is probably on the lookout for disciples. Disciples were usually chosen from a core group of aspiring, promising young men. They would have excelled at learning the language, would be able to read the Torah, memorize the Torah, study and debate the Torah. In the learning institutions, those who were not promising, or who had to work with their parents to feed the family, were sent home to learn the family trade. So Jesus meets up with a guy named Simon. We might recognize him more from his nickname, Peter. Simon is a fisherman, who has his lot in life, knows what his station is. He KNOWS he’s not meant to be a rabbi’s disciple. He KNOWS he wasn’t smart enough or rich enough to make the cut. But Jesus isn’t looking for the richest or the smartest. Jesus says “cast out your net” and Simon says “because you say so.” They’d been fishing all night. They ain’t got nuthin’, as we say in the South. (SC represent) These good ol’ country boys know what they are doing, but Simon likes Jesus, trusts him, and does what he says.

And that is what Jesus is looking for.

And there is a miracle.

So many fish the nets tore, and the ships sank, and it took two crews.

That’s a lotta fish.

Simon, James, and John were all amazed and astonished, and Jesus said “You will now fish for people.”

And they pulled up their boats.

Left everything.

And followed him.

Later on in the chapter, we read about Levi the tax collector. We may know him better by the name Matthew, who we think is the same guy. Now tax collectors were hated. Jews despised by their brothers and sisters because they were thought of as traitors. They were Jews, collecting money from other Jews for Rome, the occupying military force. To get rich, they would overcharge the Jews and keep the rest, which was legal, but tantamount to stealing. And this traitorous thief is sitting in his tax booth. Jesus sees this guy and says two words to him : “Follow me”

Levi followed him.

Left everything.

Right there in the booth.

Levi is amazed and astonished that a holy rabbi would look for him, would choose him to follow, would send him out to work.

A whole lotta tax collectors and sinners heard this good news that God’s kingdom was open to them. Jesus said that he came to call the sick, and heal them. He healed the sick there that night, and it was miraculous.

Jesus is looking for you.

He is seeking those who will listen, whether it is to let down a net or to let down your guard. The call will always be “Follow me.” If you listen, he will accept you. We know we aren’t rich enough. He KNOWS we are. (Colossians 1:27) We know we aren’t smart enough. He KNOWS we are. (1 Corinthians 1:25) We know we aren’t good enough. He KNOWS we are. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
He says to you today: “Follow me.” Pull up the boat, get out of the booth. Leave EVERYTHING behind. And follow him.

-Jake Ballard

Read or listen to today’s Bible reading at BibleGateway.com – Numbers 29-30 and Luke 5

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Epilogue of John

John 21

The twenty first chapter of the Gospel of John is a fascinating chapter.

Far be it from me to correct the story-telling ability of the author, but why end here? It feels like the story was wrapped up with a nice bow when the author wrote the words we looked at yesterday. Then, almost as if the author forgot a couple stories, he tags on these last couple bits. My fascination with the narration, however, does not diminish what it teaches. Of course, there is both an author and an Author, and so much is given to us in this last chapter.

What I want to focus in on, though, is what happens with Peter? Peter, Peter, Peter. He walks on water, but he doubts. He asks Jesus to wash his whole body when he only needs his feet taken care of. He says “I’ll die for you” but denies him three times. What are we gonna do with Peter?

Of course, you and I are JUST LIKE Peter.

I’ve denied Jesus.

Haven’t you?

I had my doubts after a huge moment of success, when I “walked on water.”

Haven’t you?

I put my foot so far in my mouth my toe tickled by tonsils.

Haven’t you?

So the question is not, “What are we gonna do with Peter?” The question is, “What is Jesus gonna do with Peter?” because that will let us know what Jesus is gonna do with us.

And the answer is exciting.

He makes us better.

He finds Peter and the other disciples fishing, and after helping them perform a miracle, Peter swims to shore. While ashore, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?”

Every time, Peter says “Yes!”

And Jesus responds with “Feed my lambs.” “Shepherd my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.”

When a person fails to live up to the standard Jesus sets, Jesus forgives and works with us. We look at one of the most flawed characters in the New Testament and see, time and again, his failures, his misunderstandings, his sins. But because Peter trusted Jesus and wanted to follow him, Jesus doesn’t give up on Peter. Jesus lets him know that he will be with him, even in the difficult days ahead. He gives him the power and ability to lead, and Peter becomes one of the leaders in the church. He expands the mission of the church beyond Jews and to the Gentiles. He trains other Pastors/Shepherds in how to care for the people of God. (See 1 Peter 5.)

The next time you wonder “Am I useless? What can God do with me?” look to the life of Peter. Take encouragement in the beautiful truth that, if we trust and love Jesus, or even WANT to trust and love him, he will not let us go. He will fight for us, care for us, and ultimately, he will change us into the kind of person God wants us to be.

-Jake Ballard

Tag: trusting Jesus