He Is Patient and Loving

³⁸ Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. ³⁹ He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. ⁴⁰ Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 
At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. ⁴² Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. John 19:38-42

Funny how the two men who came to care for the body of Jesus was two men who had served Jesus secretly. They loved Jesus. They came to care for the practical things of Jesus, His dead body, his broken pierced beaten body. They came to clean Him, care for Him and give Him a proper Jewish burial. They brought a heavy bag of spices, 75 lbs. of myrrh and aloes, and fresh linens to wrap Jesus’ body. Makes me wonder where was his eleven remaining disciples, the ones that were closest to Him?

Today this passage just spoke to me, I don’t know why but it made me cry. I cried for Joseph and Nicodemus, why? I wondered how they must have felt. Did they feel like they should have done things differently while He was alive? They stepped up to care for the body of their Lord and Savior, certainly not during a time of celebration or victory. Such sorrow they must have felt. I cannot even imagine how Mary felt. Her precious baby boy beaten, tortured knowing very well that He could have done something to stop it! She had witnessed his miracles before; after all she was the one that told Him to do something about the wine at the wedding! That leads me to believe she had seen Him do other miracles before that time. Yet he let them torture him, he allowed death to overcome Him. She had to be grieving and angry at the same time.

I am so thankful that the story doesn’t end there. There is a happy ending. Jesus rose from the dead three days later. He made way for us to have eternal hope, an eternal hope for life beyond the grave. We will get to spend eternity with Jesus. It isn’t over when this life ends. If you know Jesus you get to be reunited with those who have passed before you who loved the Lord. Don’t get so wrapped up in this temporary place that you lose focus on the long term goal. Jesus is for real, not a myth. There is a heaven and a hell. He provided a way for you. He paid for our salvation with His life. Please take advantage of the gift He has already paid for, it wasn’t free; He paid the debt in full with his Life. Please don’t waste the gift that He purchased for you. He loves you so very much. It says in II Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

He is waiting patiently for you. He loves you so very much.

Love, the impatient one :)

Shanin

Have You Ever Disowned Him?

Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man! Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:69-75 Peter was one of Jesus' close friends, disciple! He spent time with Jesus, he saw His miracles FIRST HAND! He was there! When they took Jesus away after Judas betrayed Him Peter followed at a safe distance. He watched them question Him, slap Him, spit in His face. Then there was the servant girl who recognized Peter, as one of Jesus' followers or friend. At first he just pretended that he had no idea what she was taling about but after the second time, Peter did it. He said, "I don't know the man." Wow. Then even his accent gave him away but Peter denied knowing Jesus again. Immediately the rooster crowed and Peter remembered...what Jesus had told him...you will deny or disown me three times and Peter wept bitterly. How sad. Have you ever disowned Jesus? Have you ever had that moment when you didn't speak up when someone was making fun of Jesus or Christians? You probably cringed inside but didn't say anything. Or even so step away that you swear(like Peter did in verse 74)? Peter didn't even want to sound like Jesus at that moment lest he be associated with Him. You know what I am talking about...trying to belong or fit in so much that you distance yourself from Jesus in silence. We should sound like we hang out with Jesus. We should be recognizable that we belong to Jesus. Our speach or "accent" should sound like Him! You want to know the best part? Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him. Jesus knew that this man, his friend and follower, would claim to not know Him but yet HE STILL LOVED PETER> The same is with us. He knows that there will be times that we will fail, yet HE STILL LOVES US! Does it hurt? You bet. It hurts both Him and us. Peter wept bitterly. I am guessing that he was discusted with himself. He failed his friend, Jesus. It doesn't end there. Peter didn't let it end there. He went on to follow Jesus. After the crucifixition Jesus came back! He visited Peter! He didn't hold it against him, He forgave him. Just like He has forgiven us. When we mess up we can still have a relationship with Jesus. He loves us so much that even when He knows that there will be times that we fail Him that He will never leave us or fail us or even give up on us! So know that just because you have messed up things in the past that there we have forgiveness and we can restore our relationship with Him (JESUS)! He is good like that :) Shanin

God is Faithful

It has been so long since I have blogged! I am so sorry!

Let's play catch up! We had a marvelous Christmas Season. I have since started my winter semester at college and I am already in the sick of school mode :) I celebrated my 31st wedding anniversary with my sweet husband. Then on February 20th I left for an amazing adventure to ISRAEL!

I have to share with you that it was a drenching rain on a very parched and dry heart. I had grown weary with the events in life that took place in the past few years. But I want to share that God is faithful.

Funny thing is that I have never desired to go to the Holy Land. NEVER. My daughter and husband have wanted to go but I never have. God provided the opportunity to go on this journey and I went. I was guarded. I have learned to become guarded and with that some of my shininess has become dulled. But God is fatihful.

We arrived in Tel Aviv in the afternoon but it was 4:55 am Idaho time. We started by going straight to a museum. After the museum we went to our hotel to freshen up, have dinner and then a brief meeting. I was dreading the meeting part. Hmmmm perhaps a symptom of the condition of my heart at the very least wounded. The meeting was brief but wonderful. God spoke to my heart and tears streamed down my face as I quickly wiped them in hopes that no one would notice. God is faithful.So the trip began!

Everyday was packed full of walking and seeing amazing sights and just snippets of devotions about once a day. They were meaningful and appropriate for me! God would speak to me and again I would cry. He confirmed a few things that He promised me at the beginning of the year. He confirmed on something that the Lord had started talking to me about sharing. This is exciting in a couple of ways. Number one the word isn't just for me and number two He always gives me teachings before He opens doors for me to speak again! Years ago I would have never desired to speak but now I love it. And He always gives me the teachings to teach...again God is faithful.

It sounds like I cried a lot on this trip. LOL. But not really but when I did they were cleansing tears. I have to tell you that I hate to cry. The funny thing is that I am a sap so I hate watching a sad movie because my family teases me about crying! smile, even watching the Rug Rats movie! So God gave me this metaforical pedicure while I was there. He soaked me in a wonderful setting and atmosphere. He sanded off the calluses that I had developed to protect myself. He then buffed me up with encouragement and affirmation to prepare me for more ministry. Then He even painted my toenails so to speak by blessing me by my beautiful friends and women of God that I met on the trip. "She (wisdom) will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown." Proverbs 4:9 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.
Proverbs 90:17

My favorite parts of the trip? Capernaum (seeing where Jesus healed the woman with the issue of blood and where He healed Jairus's daughter, Sailing across the Sea of Galilee while worshiping, and visiting the excavations of the sites and last but not least riding on my camel across the desert.

All in all an amazing trip of restoration and redemption.

God is faithful!

Shanin