Hello, Jesus!

How do we often greet Jesus? I've been thinking about this a lot of the last couple of days. You see, this past week, in my dear Second Baptist Church family of Houston, Texas, we lost one of our brothers and a dear friend to so many. As I watch and hear of the pain my friends are going through in the midst of this loss, I find myself seeking a Holy Christ on their behalf. Over the years, when I seek God I will beseech God, petition to Him, gently ask for Him, shake my fist at Him, cry out for Him, seek His throne on my knees, reach for Him on my face, and just whisper for Him. Such a myriad of emotions, but I know in the midst of it all - He still answers.

At this very moment, our dear brother in Christ, Sam Sinclair, a faithful servant of the Lord, has the incredible honor of greeting Jesus face to face. I could write for days at how amazing an encounter between a brother in the faith and Jesus must be. It also has me thinking of how I greet Jesus now. There isn't a wrong or right way necessarily for everyone, but I can tell you, after this week, how I greet Jesus has slightly changed. I find myself in a softer place with God, more thankful, more enamored with His glory, more peaceful, more trusting, more strength given by Him, more resolve, more dignity, and even with a heart that cannot imagine putting anything else ahead of Him, my Savior. I want to celebrate the joys in everyone's life, bring on the engagements, the weddings, the birthdays, the anniversaries, the new job announcements, the birth announcements, the new home purchases, the graduations, the retirements, all of it. I've realized life is much too short to not embrace these joys, even if I'm not having them myself.

I've come to a place of utter surrender, and it's outstanding. The surrender wasn't something I was striving for, trying to make happen, I feel as though I literally just stumbled upon it. There were no magic words from someone, no "convicting" words from a fellow believer, nothing like that. I've realized there are things that will workout in life even when we don't think they will, and there are things that we always thought would workout that don't. People may come and go in your life, and the way people treat you may always be changing, but God is without a doubt the most trusted constant you will ever have in your life.

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. - Psalm 91:2, NIV

It may all sound like such a "duh!" moment to recognize God is our immovable peace, and even something I've preached to people about for years. Truly, God is your best friend - and if He isn't, He should be. As I approach God now, I find myself thankful for every trial in my life because I trust that He is bringing about good work in me. It is Him who makes us stronger to make our life count for Him.

...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. - Philippians 1:6, NIV

Furthermore, I know that my security is in Him and my future is in His hands. He never let's go. No matter what it all holds, I can know that His plan is for my life to bring Him the most glory, and bringing Him the most glory is all I can ask for my life. So when it comes to people, albeit brother or sister in Christ, or non-believer, how I treat them is in direct relation with how I treat God. People will not always act like Christ to you, you just have to get over it. Give them grace, forgive, and realize God is so much bigger. Make adjustments if they are unsafe people, you have to be a good steward with the life God has given you. We don't have to figure it all out, He has it all figured out. Now, this is not an excuse to not make an attempt to grow from trials in your life, but you can be rest assured God holds the answers. People will let you down, instead of reacting in a critical spirit, just try to love them as the hands and feet of Christ. Often times we try to over preach to people, over analyze, are quick to admonish, assume things we don't know, try to train or teach a person when we really should be asking ourselves, "Who am I to think I know what is best for this person?" Truth is, we often don't know what is best for them and quite frankly, we often don't like that answer because we think we know what is best for ourselves - and we really don't know that either. But then there is God. Only God knows what's best for us and others, He made us, so let's approach Him. Let's ask Him. Let's petition, beseech, plead, beg, go to Him with our needs and our requests for others.

It is now that I am more inclined to say, fear isn't worth it, because God is bigger and He is trustworthy. Stress isn't worth it because He has it all worked out. Every breath we take is a gift from God and has eternal value. All of these things are what I'm learning on this journey with my King, and I know every day will be different with its own highs and lows. I'm so thankful for the brothers and sisters in Christ who stick by me despite my sin nature, and even the ones who may not over the years. Let us all jointly recognize that God is bigger, He is what matters, as we take our eyes off of our weaknesses and brokenness and put our eyes on the Author and Perfecter of our Faith. I only say this because I am in the trenches with you, and I know we are not guaranteed tomorrow.