"Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead." Luke 10:30
I am thankful this new day to the God in whom I love and serve. I am thankful for His saving grace that restored me many years ago when Christ came and found me "half dead" in my spiritual state. I thank Him for His grace that continues to sustain me in each new step I take. I thank Him for strengthening me and for giving me the courage I need as I walk forward with Jesus and His Word.
Each new day I have to remember who Jesus is first, this can be hard because often we wake up and first think of all that things we have to do in the day...and we first think too of all the things that concern us...our minds can be filled with post-it notes, to do lists, and again, the flood of concern that each day can bring. We are constantly being pulled in many different directions by the demands that this life brings...our good intentions to spend time with God and to remember who we are in Him often get put aside by the everyday responsibilities of things just getting done. Tasks getting checked off our calendar. How we need to be intentional to fill up our hearts and not just our schedules...to read God's Word each morning and spend time in prayer, remembering who we first are in Christ and who He is in our life. And we will be surprised at how our seemingly mundane tasks turn into 'good works' which God prepared beforehand (that we should walk in them).
How much it helps me to first remember with each new day who God has made me to be, to remember first that wherever He sends me and whatever He has for me in the day, I am an Ambassador of Christ to bring Christ's reconciliation to others. This is who God made me/us to be in Jesus. To remember my day is His and my 'to do lists' need to be seen as 'His to do lists'. And with each interruption in my day, it is His doing. For His purposes. When I remember this, my day is set on a different focus....and my day becomes more than just another day to getting thing done.
He knew each day before all Eternity and He fashioned each one. He is certain of how each day will unfold. As I remember who I am in Christ I then seek to be intentional, to build each relationship that God has, to share the things of the Lord with those He brings.
Philippians chapter 3, verse 12, reads of pressing to the goal, a goal to have each day, "I press on to make the high calling of knowing Jesus as my own because Christ Jesus has made me His own". To press on, keep moving forward. How often too does pain and grief and trials tempt us to just stop and throw in the towel...to let go, to abandon our convictions. How often do the things that come into our day often distract us in being His hands and feet. But to remember who we are in Christ and to remember our calling gives our day great intentionality. I look to great saints who have suffered and suffered well...who, despite affliction, they continued and remembered who they were in Christ and in doing so they were greatly used by God in times and in places that they would of least expected.
How often God rearranges our day, an interrupted phone call turns into a divine appointment and ministry takes place. A sick child and unplanned Dr appt becomes an opportunity to witness to a nurse who needed encouragement even though that Dr appointment meant that our original plans were now being interrupted. An errand needing to be run that was just another task turns into sharing the Lord with someone who has no hope. All His Divine appointments and Divine visitations are intentional with God and we become His instruments in His hand as we remember who we are first in Christ, His Ambassadors.
"The measure of our love is the measure of our willingness to sometimes be inconvenienced." To put God and others first. I think of the story in the Bible of the Good Samaritan and cant help but think of how during his daily routine he came upon a man who so desperately needed help and acted sacrificially and was very intentional. It is a story about love as we are always reminded of the Good Samaritans example to us but also we can see this story portrays a love that is freely available to each of us as we see our self also as the one wounded in the story....
The Parable of the Good Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37
25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”
29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’
36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”
37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
In this story there is such a beautiful love story revealed before our very eyes, a love available to all...and especially a love that is life changing and unending. How this man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho represents us as we travel on our own roads as we journey through life. We too encounter evil that comes to 'steal and rob and kill' and we are helpless and hopeless and left on the side of the road.
Religion alone cannot help as we see a priest who passes this man in great need...all of mans solutions cannot mend mans brokenness. Then legalism passes this helpless and hopeless man as we see a Levite pass by...but the law has no power to help. Religion and legalism has no power to change from within...they leave us powerless and they are helpless as this story portrays.
Is it not glorious to see that the Samaritan "came to where he was" Luke 10:33....the same way Jesus came down because He seen us and He came to rescue us. Jesus was 'despised and rejected by men' and the Samaritans were a group of people rejected by the Jews.
We see that in the Samaritan's great compassion an image of Christ. We see how Christ came and entered our broken world to rescue us from death. We see how we were saved as this wounded man but also how we now are the ones being used to minister this compassion towards others. It is Christ who pours out oil to heal and wine to purify and cleanse our wounds. He cares for us and pays the full cost that is needed to make us whole again. This Samaritan "went to him and bound up his wounds...then he put him on his own donkey" Luke 10:34. This foreshadows so beautifully Jesus going to the cross.
This wounded man was unable to help or fix himself and he was left as 'half dead'. This is such a powerful allegory of man's spiritual state with Christ. We lack the power to save ourselves. This story is a beautiful picture of our Lord who keeps each promise.
This Samaritan was intentional as he seen, stopped, and helped another soul in need...not just a physical need was seen but how this portrays the spiritual needs we have and the spiritual needs those have who are all around us. And we become aware as we seek intentionality.
Paul was intentional as he knew his coming to others was not in vain. He was made bold to share the gospel of Christ even in much conflict. He ministered to others because he knew he was an Ambassador of Christ and he shared Christ knowing it is God who tests our hearts...and his words were not intended to please men but God. He spoke sharing God's Word and love....being gentle among those he shared with...as he longed for those he shared Christ with. Not only to share the Word but also to share with all those around him of his own life. He knew their spiritual needs, their need for Christ, and the self-sacrifice this took and the willingness but how he loved, exhorted and comforted others as a father does his own children....that all would walk worthy of God. His affection was Gods affection. His love for others, God's love.
Paul sought intentionality, to be used by God at all times and as an Ambassador of Christ with a life on a mission and his mission statement he wrote of in 1 Thessalonians 2:19...."For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy"
I recently received a card from a woman, sister and dear friend who shared with me her own struggles and trials. As we met I was able to share with her that through my own conflicts and trials through this time in my life...it is my mission to allow God to use all that He allows to bring His love, hope and truth to others. This is my joy. This is God's purpose. As I reminded her of Paul's ministry in the midst of his own conflicts she was encouraged and seen her own conflicts in a different perspective. How she shared that she had always been in pursuit of her 'own crowns', not helping others or having intentionality to help others strive for theirs. How God impressed on her heart that she was God's Ambassador and her work continues in the lives of others despite her own setbacks and hindrances. She shared with me that God had showed her that her victory is complete in Him! And to that I say, Amen! He designs, purposes and gives us divine appointments to show Christs love, hope and compassion to those around us.
God continues to do a great work...Paul's work despite hinderances continued as his desire was to come to the church, the brethren, and his affection was so great for them even when he was not able to be with them. He was always so eager to see their face...and he knew that during those times Satan hindered him....but again, even in great conflict, his rejoicing, his prayer, his hope and joy was knowing that through it all others would be in the presence of the Lord. This too was Randy's heart over the last year. Always a concern for the faith of others was intentional in his heart. Each day of his life was lived in seeking intentionality....being intentional in the day through all God allowed in His life that God would be glorified in the greatest of ways through each circumstance and through each life God brought upon his road that he traveled.
This week our family is in South Florida...as God has given us a divine appointment to remember Randy and testify to the Lord through a time of honoring him and his accomplishments at the University of Miami. We have been given opportunities to testify of God's amazing Grace and Randy would want baseball to be used as a platform to be used to ultimately give God all that Glory that He alone deserves. Although our hearts are grieving our loss, what joy we have been given to use this time to edify and encourage others that God brings on our path.
I miss many of you, we continue to pray for you all. I am encouraged each day in hearing of the faith of many of you...."of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, and we also to see you----in all our affliction and distress we are comforted concerning you by your faith. For now we live, if you standfast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God" 1 Thessalonians: 6-9.
Praying to remember who we are in Christ and to remember our calling in Christ gives our day "great intentionality".....in Him and for Him...such a privilege He gives us to share our lives and His Word with others as we 'seek a reckless intentionality' in the days God gives us. To the God of ALL our days..and to Him be the glory!
Michelle A. Guerra
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