peace . love . joy

God

thank You for new friends
who care for me
though we don't know each other well
we can get along
encouraging and building and sharing

thank You for old friends
who love me still
despite all my negative traits and annoying habits
who will listen
when i need a listening non-judgemental ear

thank You for my family
close and far away
all weird habits and traits and arguments aside
we will be there for one another
and surprise each other with our care and concern and love

thank You for choosing still
to speak to me
even though i know i made you sad today
You chose to use people
including those i've but just met to converse with me

thank You for forgiving
me my sins and transgressions
You let Yourself endure ridicule and pain and sorrow beyond human comprehension
just so the way would be open
and we could be together again in paradise one day

thank You for showing me
parts of Your will in motion
that i may sing praises to Your holy Name
forever and ever
were stones have breath would they shout and sing and scream holy are You

thank You for affirmations
of Your plan for my life
You knit me together in the most secret of places
a plan of my life in front of You
i choose to follow what You will for me

thank You for knowing me
so well
my short-comings and my tendencies You know
Like the back of Your hand
You know what makes me tick and what weighs heavy upon my heart

thank You for loving me
much more than i can ever hope to compare
Magnanimous and genuine and true
that is who You are
You love me with a passionate undying love

and for that i am thankful.

'When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."'

~ John 21: 15

There by the sea, Jesus first called them to become fishers of men and women. There by the sea of fishes, Jesus first called them to look beyond the material and see the immaterial: the sea of souls. To go and share love of the Father, the joy and peace of the Spirit, and the hope of the Son.

That was three or so years ago. Now comes the call to be a shepherd.

But why did the passage note Jesus especially instructing Peter, but not the others?
And why did He ask if he loved Him?

Perhaps Peter secretly thought his love for the Lord is far greater and magnificent as compared to that of the others. Perhaps his love really was 'better' than the others'.

But love is only evident in obedience, and a willing servant's heart.

"Feed my lambs."
Lambs are baby sheep. At that point in time, followers of Christ were just beginning to take heart that the man they believed to be the Messiah really was the Messiah. They were babies in the Faith. Only later would the first babies grow into youths and adults, and then it would be their turn to care for the new babies from the new generations.

What was Peter to use as lamb feed?
Jesus, of course!
Just as Jesus had been feeding Peter and the other eleven especially for the past three years with fish and bread, so now Peter is to take over the reins.

Sheep must be cared for and tended. Rather like people. And the role of caring and tending is that of the shepherd.

For the rest of their lives, the apostles will take on the role and responsibility of the shepherd of souls.

In many of Peter's letters to come, 'shepherd' will always be there written between the lines.

That is what the word 'pastor' means, by the way =]

You are called to become not just fishers of men, but shepherds of souls. To willingly allow the Almighty to reach those who have yet to see and hear and taste and feel and smell through you, for His glory. And to willingly allow Him to use you to tend His sheep on Earth.

Scary?

Well, let me put it this way:

Do you truly love Jesus Christ more than these?

'"Hear then the parable of the sower:

When anyone hears the word of the kindgom and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

~ Matthew 13: 18-23

This was yesterday's lesson, in my group, led by Clarence, for the 16 year olds. It was titled "Spiritual Receptivity". Daunting title, isn't it? But I thought Clarence did a swell job, managing to make sense and hold the fort by himself simultaneously =]

Anyhow, here're some of my thoughts about the passage:

'When anyone hears the word of the kindgom and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.'

What does it mean to not 'understand' the 'word of the kingdom'? Sounds pretty simple, you say, well then you think about it and tell me what it means to 'understand', then. Comprehend, to grasp the meaning of, to 'get'. Yes, yes, but what does it mean to comprehend? To grasp the meaning of? To 'get'?

I looked to the next few verses, hoping for some light to be shed on the subject, and I found it, or at least I think I did. I found what it means to 'understand' the 'word of the kingdom'.

'As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.'

Does this second person 'understand'?
I think he went one step further: he 'received it with joy'. In Faith.
But he 'has no root in himself', and enduring for a bit, he backs down and runs away, tail between his legs.
He lacks the 'root'. Virtue & Knowledge.

'As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.'

Does this third person 'understand'?
This one 'hears the word', but is overcome by the world.
He too lacks. Self-control & Steadfastness.

'As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.'

This last person Jesus describes as having heard and understood.
Which means he has it all.

And by reference to the prior verses, I take having heard and understood to be:

Having heard the good news, he received it in Faith, supplementing it with Virtue. And by those, he pursued Knowledge, developing Self-control and Steadfastness. In exercising these pearls and treasures, he sheds his mortal coat in exchange for the robe of Godliness, which in turn aligns his heart with that of the Holy One, filling it with Brotherly Affection. He is engulfed by a wave of Love.

Does it sound like this is for non-Christians and for non-Christians only? To comfort the Christian when he evangelises but receives no immediate visible return?

Simeon Peter, servant and apostle of Jesus the Christ wrote a letter 'to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ' (aka Christians) in 2 Peter:

'For this very reason, adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy), and in [exercising] virtue [develop] knowledge (intelligence), And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control, and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety), And in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love.'

~ 2 Peter 1: 5-7

This advice and exhortation is given to you, Christians. The 'you's here refer to you, Christian.

Do you 'understand' your Faith?