An Unassuming Savior

I love that Jesus is a carpenter--unassuming, normal, average, maybe even below average economically. He doesn't promote himself. He could easily disappear into a crowd. His cousin, John, the one who prepared the way for Him, didn't know for sure that he had the right guy. Until he begins his public ministry, he doesn't stand out in a crowd. Then when he does go into full time ministry, He doesn't draw attention to himself... he doesn't have to. People are just drawn to him. Maybe because he's so much like them... but not.

He's so average... but not.
He's so normal... yet supernatural.
He's so one of us... but something's different.

He breathes the same air, wears clothes made by human hands, walks on earth's dust. That dust even clings to him as it does to us. He sweats. He eats bread and drinks wine. His blood, like ours, is red. He is not untouchable.

But one touch from Him... will change your life. Because, as normal as he is, there is something special about him.

Yes, He walks on earth's dust, but He also walks on water. He drinks water, but he also turns it into wine--not just any wine, but the best wine anyone has ever tasted. He breaks bread and eats it with his friends. He also multiplies a few loaves and fish into enough to feed 5,000 families... with baskets full left over.

Then he becomes bread--broken bread. He pours out his blood. Broken bread and poured out wine. Crushed, bruised, broken and poured out for us. This unassuming savior becomes the sacrificial lamb that pays the ultimate price for our sin... for all sin. He becomes our righteousness... paves the way for us to come before the throne of God.


Do you know this unassuming savior? There's a book about his life. It's really good. You should read it! You'll come to love this savior too!

a + b ≠ c

I used to think that a + b = c. I do what pleases God: pray, read my Bible, go to church, give, serve, watch Christian TV, and basically live a good, moral life. (That’s a + b.) As I did all that, I would get c: God’s blessing and prosperity, a perfect, clean-cut family that was the picture of a godly family (the picture in my mind anyway.) C to me was basically a life with no difficulties… smooth sailing. Nobody would die prematurely; nobody would experience pain and hopelessness. We would live and raise our children, become grandparents, retire with a giant RV and become snow birds. Life would go according to my plan because I would make good choices, right?

Not right. God had other plans for me—and for most of us, I think. God wants so much more for us than an easy, carefree life. He is so much bigger than a mathematical equation. We try to put God in a box… into a little equation, and He breaks all our rules!

I heard a phrase a few weeks ago that blew me away, “Jesus did not come to make bad men good. He came to make dead men alive.” Does that blow you away like it did me? I’ve read it several times since in a book by Tullian Tchividjian (grandson of Billy Graham) called Jesus + Nothing = Everything. Now that is a mathematical equation God can use!

 

We have a problem, and our problem is sin. I work very hard to “fix” my problem of sin by trying harder and beating myself up when I fail. Oh, and I do the same to those around me! I demand good behavior from them and when they fail, oh boy, do I let them have it—at least in my thoughts.

 

But our sin is not the root of the problem. It is a symptom of our deadness. And there is absolutely nothing I can do to “fix” my problem of deadness! Only Jesus can make me alive. And he reveals himself to me in the toughest, most difficult times. At the times when I am empty and have absolutely nothing to give God--no goodness, no performance, nothing--I still have everything because I have Jesus.

 

So I have a new equation. Since a + b ≠ c, every day I will remind myself that Jesus + nothing = everything! The solution to my problem has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with Jesus! And that is my Unswerving Hope!

The Inescapable Love of Jesus!

Early this morning, I had one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I had gotten up early because my husband and I wanted to go and vote together before work. As I finished drying my hair, I heard a funny little noise coming from our bedroom. I knew my husband was still sleeping, so I wasn’t sure what it could be. I opened the bathroom door to hear a froggy, sleepy little voice coming from the baby monitor. Our precious little one was singing…

Jesus loves me, this I know

For the Bible tells me so

Little ones to Him belong

They are weak but He is strong!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me, this I know,

As He loved so long ago.

Taking children on His knee,

Saying, “Let them come to Me.”

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Yes, she even included the second verse! As I reflected on that song today, I remembered a night about 20 years ago. I had been having one of those mom days when I was feeling so unworthy, so unlovable. As I rocked my baby, I began singing Jesus Loves Me to her. All I was trying to do was get her to go to sleep so I could have some peace and quiet of my own, but before I realized it, I had tears rolling down my face. I was so blown away by the love of Jesus. I had done nothing to earn or deserve it. In fact, I was probably trying to push Him away. But He wouldn’t hear of it. He loved me, and let me know it in no uncertain terms that night.

I haven’t been able to stop smiling all day as I recall that little croaking voice declaring the love of Jesus this morning before she uttered a single word to anyone else. How privileged are we!