Taking care of God? SERIOUSLY?
Well, yes, very seriously.
If you had lived in Jesus' day, and had known Him personally, would you have been a friend to him?
Would you have invited Him into your house, would you have shared your food, would you have offered Him a place to sleep...and if He was exhausted or hurt, would you have cared or Him? (Invite is the FMF prompt.)
Of course.
Yes!
What a stupid question.
OK...so do you do that now? We have a God who's indestructible, but He can be hurt. Remember that He wept over faithless Jerusalem, and over Lazarus' death....and remember how scared He was in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Is your life a safe place for Him? Can you tolerate having Him around 24/7, a permanent house guest...or are there times when it would be easier if He took a walk or something?
Times when you'd let Him down, and have to see the hurt in His eyes?
He's not some bronze statue; He's no Zeus on far-off Olympus, casually disinterested in us. He walked this planet, and you can walk the same streets (well, if you go to Israel).
He had friends who laughed at His jokes, and who told Him jokes of their own. I wonder what His laugh sounds like?
He ate and drank and slept and walked. His feet got sore.
Sometimes He had enough of people, and needed to be alone.
He lived a life as human as yours, or mine.
So...are you up to the challenge? Can you be the caregiver to a sometimes weary and vulnerable God?
First and foremost, a caregiver's got to be a friend.
The song says, I have a friend in Jesus.
Does He have a friend in you?
The only song that can go with this is Joan Osborne's One Of Us. Enjoy!
My #write31days posts so far are:
October 1 - Worship For Caregivers
October 2 - Talk To A Caregiver
October 3 - Create A Caregiver Haven
October 4 - A Caregiver's Raw Hope
October 5 - A Caregiver's Trust
October 6 - Caregiving For Our Country
October 7 - Caregiver, Don't Hold Too Tight
October 8 - Caregiver, You Will Find Freedom In Truth
October 9 - A Caregiving Plan?
October 10 - A Caregiver's Listening Heart
October 11 - Caregiving Remembrances?
October 12 - Caregiver, Write It Down!
October 11 - Caregiving Remembrances?
October 12 - Caregiver, Write It Down!
I do ask that you be patient with my slow replies to your comments (which we treasure). I'm trying to stay caught up.
Still hoping to get the new and improved version of Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart up and running in the near future. Just haven't had the energy to do it yet...but if you would like to read it, please say so in your comment and I'd be glad to send you a PDF (which should fit your Kindle).
I have another blog, "Starting The Day With Grace". The focus is a grace quote from someone you might not expect (like, say Mick Jagger) and a short commentary. I hope you'll join me.
Marley update... been moved to a sanctuary, and Bay County will revise their 'dangerous dog' codes.
WE MADE A DIFFERENCE!
And marley has a Facebook page! Please drop by to see how happy he is today.
If you can, please do leave a comment. I am trying to answer all, and I am failing, but please know this - I read and treasure each one.
Below are my recent releases on Kindle -please excuse their presence in the body of the blog. I haven't the energy to get them up as 'buttons' in the sidebar. You can click on the covers to go to the Amazon links.
What a valuable perspective. It's going to stick with me. Love and support to you and Barb.
ReplyDeletePaula, thank you so much! The love and support are very much appreciated...and back at you.
DeleteOh that song! We did this skit at camp where a couple gets a phone call from Jesus saying he's going to visit. They frantically get the house ready. While cleaning, there are several knocks at the door. People hungry, people naked etc. They shoo them away. In the end, Jesus calls back and says he's already been there..in each person they turned away. Your post reminded me of that skit friend!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful memory from camp! Thanks so much for sharing that, Tara!
DeleteI think I would. I want to say I definitely would. I might ask him to wash his feet and leave his sandals at the door. The question I must ask myself is, WOULD I WASH HIS FEET ? Would I? Good probing post brother. I can count on you through the 31 days of October, right? xo
ReplyDeleteGood question, Susan! I think that you would wash His feet...but would you let Him wash yours? I'm not sure I could overcome the pride in my own humility to do that.
DeleteI'll be here for the full 31 if I am physically able.
XOXOWaggyWaggyWOOF!!!
Love this! Our sermon last week was about Noah's ark. Our pastor focused on the fact that God's heart was broken.... And that the story ends staying that God's heart will break again. If we are truly in relationship with God, we would take care of God. Good thoughts - I like this perspective shift!
ReplyDeleteAnnie, isn't it almost dizzying that our actions can break the heart of our God? It's like the first time you realize you loved someone...and they loved you back...but unimaginably magnified.
DeleteThanks so much for being here!
Excellent, my friend.
ReplyDeleteNorma, my dear friend, thank you so much!
DeleteThat is a really profound idea, Andrew. And I just love that song you linked: I haven't thought of that one in years, but it is so thought-provoking. "Just a stranger on a bus, trying to make his way home..." Jesus comes in so many disguises, doesn't He?
ReplyDeleteJeannie, I'm so glad you liked the post and the song. It's long been one of my favourites.
DeleteHe does come in many disguises...there's a piece of classical music called 'Forkladd Gud" (God in Disguise) by Lars-Erik Larssen that you may enjoy.
First off: I LOVE THAT SONG!!! Secondly, this: " I wonder what His laugh sounds like?" I love that question... something to ponder, for sure! I think I have heard it a million times... I'm sure I will recognize it when I finally get to hear it in person... I'm pretty sure it will be loud and unapologetic... throw your head back contagious... yeah. I think it is all that! xoxo
ReplyDeleteKarrilee, I love your description of Jesus' laugh! hen I get to heaven, I have some jokes to tell Him while we're kicking back with some beers...I'll tell him while he's taking a drink...what do you think will happen?
DeleteXOXO back at you, from everyone here!
Yes! Andrew, thank you for bringing us back to when Jesus walked this earth as one of us. Because He is who He is, we do not have to choose to feel distance. Sometimes I wish I could have lived during Jesus ministry, just so amazing.
ReplyDeleteJulie, I love this..."we do not have to choose to eel distance". Just perfect!
DeleteI kind of think I do know what it might have been like to live during His ministry, because I'm living it now, through His hands and heart, the Five Minute Friday community.
great post today andrew:) great reminder that Jesus is living with us and we need to make our place a hospitable one for Him. thanks:) i'm #30 today.
ReplyDeleteMartha, thank you so much! I'm so pleased and honoured that you could be here today.
DeleteExcellent ...just excellent! Thank yo for sharing!
ReplyDeleteChris, thank you so much! I really appreciate your joining me on this journey.
DeleteI love that song! It's one I've forgotten about as of late. Thanks for this reminder, Andrew. I continually appreciate your perspective. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteJulie, it's long been one of my favourites. I lived in California for a bit, and it was often on the radio as I commuted between San Diego and Fontana.
DeleteBlessings back, and thank you so much for being here.
Can you be the caregiver to a sometimes weary and vulnerable God?
ReplyDeleteI love this, Andrew. I've seen this this past week. How he breaks and wants to be listened to, too. Thank you for this.
And the song, too. :) I always remember Sheryl Crow's cover when I hear it.
Julia
Julia, I love the way you put this - how He breaks and wants to be listened to, too. That's so true ,and so plainly put. Thank you!
DeleteAnd I am so glad you liked the song!
Awesome questions. I do hope Jesus have a friend in me. Thanks for making us think. Blessings upon blessings to you, Andrew. May God surround you with his sweet and powerful grace!
ReplyDeleteMari-Anna, thank you...even through the worsening pain...and it's WAY worse now...grace abounds.
DeleteThis is such a great post, Andrew! I sometimes ask myself the same questions: what would Jesus sound like? What would we talk about if he sat at my table? And then I want to go and find him out there because he reveals himself in the most unexpected places.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great weekend!
Katha, what a thought...what would we talk about if He stopped by? (He might be too busy playing with my dogs to talk much, actually.)
DeleteHe's waiting for one, where we least expect Him. I think He likes surprises.
Thank you so much for stopping by. I really appreciate your thoughts, and your company.
Andrew,
ReplyDeletevery good. We cannot be best friends if we only take and never give. And what He asks for is not one-sided. Truly, what we give is returned to us in greater measure. When we spend time with Him, we gain perspective. We find strength to carry on and pour out His love to a dry and weary world.
:) I don't know how you can continue to pour out, except that you are doing this very thing. Thank you for your faithfulness to God, Andrew. It is what I admire most about you and Barbara.
Love,
Tammy
(#79 this week)
Tammy, I love the way you put this, that we cannot be best friends if we only take and don't give.
DeleteAnd Jesus WANTED friends; "no greater love hath he than he who would lay down his life for his friends" is no theological softsoap. It's real, and it's what He was about to do.
And He hoped that they would love Him enough to honour His memory in their faith and hope and love.
I don't know how I keep going either, Tammy. It's just gotten so bad, but through the darkness I can see the coming dawn. Not death, though a lot of people think I should just quit...but the light of the Love that makes witnessing through the pain worthwhile.
And it is worthwhile.
Love back!
Thanks so much, Marie. You're in my daily prayers.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful and moving post, Andrew. Thanks for your words and your witness, and for introducing me to this song.
ReplyDeleteEsther, thank you so much for this, and for being here. And I am so glad you enjoyed the song!
DeleteAwesome perspective. It rubs up against our natural drive toward self-sufficiency. Jesus chose to be human and experience sore feet and tiredness and hunger. He let go of his needing-nothing life in heaven and came to earth in need. It's a wonder that we rebuff our times of need. Jesus served and received from others the gift of service to him.
ReplyDeleteI want to say I would take care of him, but I'm sure my eight-year-old daughter would do a better job. She's got a dog and cat joke book. I'm sure he'd have a great laugh.
Cheryl, I am absolutely sure that your daughter would have Jesus rolling on the floor, an laughing until He was in tears.
DeleteBut I bet you could do that, too.
It's funny; we get the message that we have to give without holding back, but almost never that we have to be willing to receive, and to hold back our pride.
It's hard!
I'm so grateful you stopped by. Thank you!
I tell my children all the time, that I am sure Jesus loves playing with children. The verse that supports my claim, Matthew 19:14 "Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" I also tell them that Jesus wants to have child like faith. So, when I picture Jesus I picture a bunch of children near Him along with the crowds of people. I am praying for you, Jolene
ReplyDeleteJolene, thank you for this...I see children close to Jesus as well.
DeleteAnd dogs, for what better ambassadors of unconditional love did God create!
Thank you so much for the prayers. These have been terribly hard days.