Jesus WANTS to

When you've read something over and over again and hear sermons pertaining to Jesus it's easy to think you've got it all figured out. At least for me. For a while now I've had this tendency to skip over the Gospels because I've had this egotistical assumption that I knew all the stories. How silly to think that I had it all figured out. For the past two weeks I've really been enjoying hearing from the Lord while reading through the Gospels. I've been thinking a lot about the character of God, of Jesus and how He relates to His people.
From my time working at the Christian bookstore I acquired a copy of the Message, just the New Testament on CD. As you all know I spend more time in my car than anywhere else, so it's been a major blessing to have it. When I sit down to read I usually read out of the NIV or the NLT, but hearing the Message translation is pretty refreshing.
Anyways, so I took to really listening to each story and observing Jesus' actions and reactions. I've been looking at the way He interacts with people and their responses to Him. One story that I'm sure we've all heard before, or at least have some recollection of reading over is Jesus healing the leper. There's an account in each of the first 3 gospels: Matthew chapter 8, Mark chapter 1, and Luke chapter 5. So as I'm listening to the New Testament, Message translation in my car each time this story told one main thing sticks out for me. The leper kneels before Jesus and tell Him that if He WANTS to, Jesus can heal his body. How does Jesus respond? "I want to. Be clean."
Jesus WANTS the man to be well. He doesn't just heal him because that's what the Son of God is supposed to do. He does it because he WANTS to. I looked at the NIV just to get another idea of Jesus' willingness. In the NIV the word used is willing. "If you are willing, you can make me clean." "I am willing. Be clean!"
Now it doesn't strike me as strange that Jesus does something for someone because He's done more for me than I deserve. He DOES lots. During His whole ministry He was doing. What strikes me is the way the man approaches Him. He is humble... viewed as a lowly person in society, if he's even really a part of society. He knows though, that Jesus needs to merely speak the words and it will be. "If you want to, you can make me clean." I also feel like he was a bold man. For someone who doesn't have a high standing the in the world, he sure does walk right up to Jesus talk to Him. Of course those of "high standings" looked down upon the fact that Jesus kept the company of mere peasants, but that didn't bother this man. He knew that Jesus was the one place he could find refuge. Jesus wanted to make the man clean. He wanted him to be well.
Jesus wants to make us all clean. Another word for want is desire. His desire is for us to be clean and well. He is willing to make us clean. He is willing... it's His will for that to be so. How powerful are those words? I think it's a very big deal to remember what Jesus WANTS. To know what He wants we need to be in His Word, getting to know Him better. I guess that seems elementary, but how easy is it to throw a fit when you don't understand what God is doing? To understand more about the Jesus wants things for you, read your bible.
What does Jesus want for you? What does He want to DO for you? What is He willing to do? Pray for discernment, be in the word, be in constant communication with Him. Recently I've been feeling like God has been really telling me to pray for certain people in my life. At my job my hands stay busy, but my head is given freedom to roam so during those times I often find myself thinking about people and my relationships with them. More often than not I get consumed by my own thoughts. The imagination is a funny thing. So the Lord has asked me to pray for those people that run through my mind each day. instead of just thinking, praying. So now when people cross my mind, who have a tendency to take up much of my thought life, I pray for them. The Father loves hearing the prayers of His people and the prayers for His people. He loves when you talk to Him. He's captivated by you.
Onto update-land. The purity night at church went much better than I could have dreamed. The girls heard what we had to say and the Spirit was moving in that place. My youth worship team was blessed beyond belief by John's talk with them. Worship team has been a bit stressful for me as of late. Would you be praying for the kids and for my leadership? Other than that, I was privileged to go down in southern Illinois to visit with the Hopsons last weekend. They were in Uganda with me last year and they're getting ready to head back in a couple of weeks, and I wanted to spend time with them before they left the States. They'll be in Uganda for the next 3.5 years! It was a major blessing and totally refreshing to spend time with them. They're really like my own family so it was very relaxing and chill. We played laser tag, jammed on the guitar, and D made me my favorite food. I love them so much!
I'm SO glad it's March because it means Spring is on the way. More daylight is sounding really good right now! I'm beyond excited for Spring Break in Florida and hanging out with fun people! Fundraising is moving along fairly well. It's not easy for me to be relaxed about it, but God is ever so patient with my impatience, thankfully. I have been hanging out with some amazing women from Wheatland Salem who are very encouraging. I'm blessed to be in ministry with them and love the way that they challenge me in my daily walk. I have the opportunity to lead worship for the Alpha retreat at church coming up here soon. I'm also REALLY excited because the next two Wheatland Cafes (local band shows at church, outreach for the youth) are raising support for Uganda (which is a total blessing!!) and the first one is a worship night. SO, wanting to be involved I've asked everyone who was on the youth worship team with me in high school to come back and play a set! It's gonna be the first time in almost 10 years that we've all played/sang together! It's so exciting!! I love them all. :)
How can I be praying for you this week? Email me concerns and praises! Much love!