Does It Feel Like Robbery?

Something hit me when my sister visited. The evening she came to Koriyama, she needed to go over to church and have the missionary there show her Bible School treasurer stuff. The short termer was also there with another girl from the States. The missionary wife was going to take the two girls to a nearby McDonalds just to chat and enjoy western food and invited me to come along. We had no idea how long the treasurer-talk would take. I figured let the three girls go; I'd wait for Joyce. It occurred to me later how easy that was: being with the others would've been a chance I would've jumped at, but because I "wanted every minute with my sister possible", it didn't even look like an option!

(In reality, it did take a long time, but we did get McDonalds stuff afterwards, and Joyce paid for it all!)

Do we want "every bit of Jesus possible" in such a way that nothing else looks attractive? that we can throw them away easily? In following God, what are we willing to "lose" without feeling like we're making a sacrifice?

In college, a Bible doctrines teacher was referring to Phil. 2:5-8 in which Christ "thought it not robbery to be equal with God" and commented the Japanese rendering was closer to the original, about how Christ didn't think his powers as God were something that had to be kept in His grasp but was willing to let go of them and embrace all the limitations of man. He didn't feel He "was being robbed" but let them go willingly, freely.

We can deny ourselves things out of stoic Christian duty and a sense of loyalty to the One Who gave His life for us...but as long as we "think it robbery" or look on it as SACRIFICE, we're falling far short of the real blessing God intended!

Church: Relief for Burnt Sole

The thing that made a strong impression on me at the pool was the following: adults "on duty" are supposed to watch the children, from the four corners of the pool. None of the other mothers wanted to take the hot corner with no shade--so I walked over there. Usually, there are 15 mins. of swim time, 5 mins. of break, 15 mins. back in, so forth. And during the breaks, the adults are told to go to different corners so the same person doesn't have to stand in the same place the whole time. This year, there was no such thing said. So guess who stood at the unshaded corner for the whole time? I found myself moving nearer to the pool to stand in the puddle created by the splashing--the place was too hot for my feet! During breaks and when we were all done, I found myself walking back to the side, looking for puddles to step in and cool my burning soles (I would've normally avoided those spots of water)! I sez to myself, maybe the reason Christians don't feel the "ahhh" of Sun morning worship is because we haven't been feeling the burning sensation of fighting with sin during the week to want to feel relief! We're too comfortable!

It's when we're ALONE that we know the full blessedness of the Lord's being with us. It's when we're HURTING that His comfort means so much. It's when we're aware that we DON'T HAVE that we ask more readily, plead with Him, for the Grace we then realize we need.

Then He DELIGHTS to answer, to be all for us! "All that Thrills My Soul is Jesus!"

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of your heart....Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee....Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee." (Ps. 37:4, 63:3, 73:25)