Thankful for FREE COFFEE!

“The coffee is on us this morning!”  Those were pleasant words to start the day. I was still half asleep and stepping into an early morning bible study with a group of good friends when the man behind the counter gave me that blessing. Free coffee is always good but to a man that loves, I mean loves, good strong hot coffee on a cold morning, those words were music! And I was thankful. Now the coffee isn’t something I need (sometimes J ) but it is something I really like. I was so thankful not just for the coffee but that this man behind the counter thought enough of me to give it to me freeee!

Another friend recently gave Sandy and me a delicious meal at a great Mexican restaurant. Just gave it to us. Free. I am thankful for the meal but very thankful for their friendship. Another friend recently gave me a copy of the new Gospel Transformation Bible. I had wanted one but it was out of reach for us at that time. And this friend just gave it me. Free. I am thankful for the new Bible but very thankful for the friend that thought enough to just give it to me.  What a huge blessing friends are! And what a huge blessing it is when such kindness abounds!

This week enters us into thanksgiving here in the United States. It’s a time set side to remember and cherish those blessings and friends. The greatest by far is the blessing given by Jesus Christ. He came that I might have life and have it the fullest (JN 10:10).  He came that I might be reconciled to God the Father (2 CO 5:18-19). He came to proclaim good news to the poor, liberty to the captives, restore sight to the blind and set at liberty those who are oppressed (Luke 4:16-21). Jesus came to show his love and kindness to those he called his own.

And it’s all free. At least free to me. I couldn’t have bought what Jesus has given freely. But like the coffee and meal and bible, someone paid for what they gave freely to me. In this case, all the blessings I have from Jesus were bought by him, paid for with his life, that I would have life… freely. I am so thankful for those immeasurable blessings from Jesus but far more thankful for Jesus himself. Amen.

Anchored in Jesus,
Harrison

Fixed on Jesus

He almost got caught!  The 10-year old boy was playing flag football for a local recreation league. He had the ball with nothing but the end zone in front of him! The problem was that he wasn’t looking at the end zone! This young man had his eyes fixed, I mean really fixed, on the one single opponent still in pursuit. There was nothing but fear in the player’s eyes as he stared over his right shoulder for forty yards. He ran like that all the way down the field. Although he scored, it was much closer than it should have been. The young player almost got caught by the very thing he feared and he came just inches from running out of bounds. Because his eyes were fixed on his fear instead of the prize, he almost lost it all.

What a picture of the way we often run the race of Christianity. There are so many things people fear. We fear sin, failure, death and being alone. We fear conflict, pain, poverty, success, speaking in front of crowds and little bugs. It’s very easy for us to fix our eyes on those fears.

When we fix our eyes on our fears, we are taking our eyes off of Jesus. That’s when we get caught. We get caught by our own fears, sometimes even paralyzed by the “what if’s” of the fear. And sometimes, just like that young football player, those fears run us out right of bounds. We think we are running a race with Jesus but since our attention is held captive by our fear, we aren’t running in the way or even in the direction Jesus has called us to run.

My friend, take your eyes off of your fears and fix them on Jesus Christ!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrew 12:1-3, NIV)

Anchored in grace,

Harrison

Little things still leave a shadow

Little things still leave a shadow. 

As I was sitting in the sun recently, the smallest of Ladybugs circled around and landed on my knee. Now I really like ladybugs. Their design is beautiful and persistent. They have unique way of getting inside the house even when it is locked up, closed up, tight! But what I loved about this particular ladybug is that, as small as it was, it still threw a shadow.  It wasn’t a humongous shadow by the standards of an elephant or a giraffe but in the world of Ladybugs, this shadow was awesome! And what made it so awesome wasn’t that it was large or long but that this shadow was HER shadow. It was the one God had designed for this particular Ladybug.

I wonder if Ladybugs ever get “shadow envy”. I know people do. We become envious over the shadow or impact of others, frustrated and discouraged that our shadow and impact isn’t as grand or large as someone else’s. But here’s the thing – when you are walking with God, your shadow and impact is just as big as He has designed it. Hebrews 12 encourages you to run the race God has marked out for YOU. God has designed each person differently, each life differently and each race differently. Every shadow is different, unique, impressive... even a shadow the size of a Ladybug. Run your race. Throw your shadow. Enjoy the day!

Anchored in grace,
Harrison