Recently I had a dear friend call out for a prayer request on how to deal with some grumpy folks she works with on night shift.
Is it just me or has anyone else ever felt like if only people would “act right” and do things the “right way” then we would be able to reflect the love of Jesus to them. As I was praying with her I told her to invite Jesus to work along side her and give her His eyes to see those before her as He does.
We “know” what the word says about loving others (Luke 6:31, Luke 6:35, Romans 12:9, Romans 13:10) yet we don’t understand why we are unable to extend such love and compassion to ALL people as we are ALL created in God’s image (Gen 1:27). We try to do it and yet find ourselves grumbling and complaining which then causes guilt, shame and a feeling of failure. So why are we struggling?
It is simply because we are not spending time with Jesus!
In order to reflect Jesus, to be the salt and light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16) one must spend quality time with Him. We can not simply have the head knowledge and think with our own will power we will be able to love on those “more grace needed” types of people. In and of ourselves we are not able to create and extend that type of love. It only comes from our Father in Heaven (James 1:17). We all have been affected by the fall of man (Genesis 3) which creates within us a sinful and selfish heart. And if you disagree with me on that one, you have not had children yet! It is our nature to be selfish, self pleasing, keepers of what we own and looking out for #1. So it is a must that we plug into the one who is not! And to prove his unselfish love, God sent Jesus to die on the cross for us. That is crazy!!!! No, this girl will never extend that type of love from within. It only comes out after being with Him!
I was chatting with a friend the other day and she was simply in awe of the amazing changes that have taken place in her man over the last year. She said he was like a different person….That is a reflection of someone spending time with Jesus.
Jesus promises in Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Notice who is doing the giving……”I” = Jesus. It is nothing we can do on our own.
We can know His ways, but if we do not sit alone with Him often and allow Him to renew our minds (Romans 12:2) we will do it from a heart of stone rather than through Him with a heart of flesh.
We as parents see this all the time with our children. They watch our every move and soon begin to mimic our words, habits, hand motions…. etc. This should be the desire of every Christian (mini Christ)…. to reflect our Savior, Jesus Christ!
I encourage you to get away with Jesus often in your day. Not telling Him what you want, but telling Him HE is enough! Do not wait for your pastor on Sunday or take the left overs from a friend or spouse. Jesus desires YOU…. Today!
Jeremiah 29:11-15 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.”
Let us all come away with a radiant glow after spending time with Jesus….
Exodus 34:39-35 “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.
When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.”
2himigo,
Amanda
2HIMIGO 
Loved this! I was just doing a study of my own on the “radiant glow” and being the “sweet fragrance of Christ” (2 Cor 2:14-15) I was reading chapter 2&3. I was actually studying something else ( the New Covenant Ministry) ,but what your talking about was the same conclusion the Spirit lead me to. I cant be what I’m supposed to be (love, joyful, peaceful ,patient ,kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self controlled) until I’ve been at His feet and filled up with Him. Thanks for letting God use you to reiterate that for me 🙂