Happy Tuesday!

It is late as I was making sure I had everything ready for my TCU class tomorrow afternoon only to discover I had an assignment due beyond the reading for the week. So after a rather late start I took over the dining room table and began to work on the Eucharistic prayer. It has been emailed off before the due date and time. We always get until 5:00 on the day of class to get our work turned in.

Psalm 41:9 “Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.”

Mark 14: 23—25 And He took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and His people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”

I have heard the old saying, “You can only be hurt by someone you love.” Can you imagine how Jesus must have felt when the disciples fled as He hung on the cross? How it must have hurt Him when Judas betrayed Him and Peter denied Him? And then the remaining disciples ran away in fear for their own lives. There were those who spat at Him, scorned Him, scourged Him, showed hatred and despicable behavior. Those things caused physical pain, but did not break His heart. Having a broken heart is the worst pain of all. Even when the disciples fell asleep in the garden (the nap after the meal) Jesus was so hurt that His last night to spend with those he trusted with His message could not even stay awake to support Him in prayer knowing that He faced the cross in just a few short hours.

God requires complete belief in Him and the One he sent. God expects and accepts nothing less. We can’t just believe some of the time. God is God all the time and loves us completely each day. He chooses us each day in which to get his message of love, grace and forgiveness out to those who do not know Him. It is not the unbelief of the enemies of God that hurts Him, but the friends of God who know and have experienced His love who have fled because of the sin in their lives.

Where does that leave us, we modern day “duh-ciples” ? Do we flee from God when things are not going our way? Do we deny Him when we gossip, or yell in traffic, or speak unkindly to our families and friends? Are we His people of integrity? Could others read us as Bibles, God’s Word on foot, and get the message with which we just as those so long ago were charged. Just something to think about…

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your prayers (especially for the Rangers!) Love you all so very much, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.