(in)complete grace

I've always thought it would be a great privilege to be a professor at Texas Tech, my alma mater.

During the winter break, Danny asked me if I would consider it.  Then in February, he said that he had confirmed that the department chair and dean were supportive and asked me if I would consider being the Director of the Water Resources Center - another amazing opportunity!  In April, around Easter, he informed me that he had secured approval from the Provost and the VP of Research for a direct hire, and I went to interview in early May.

Brandi applied for a first grade teacher position on a Saturday evening, got an invitation on Sunday morning for a virtual interview the following day, and they offered her the job at the end of the interview!

I believe that Father is calling us back to Lubbock.  I am taking a step of faith through this open door.  I am also choosing to sow seeds of generosity by leaving significant funding for my team at UTEP instead of taking it all with me like most professors do when they move.

We found a rental house in Lubbock for a year, and we moved last week.  

All we need now is for our house in El Paso to sell.  I trust that Father's goodness towards us will be fulfilled because we are in His hands, and He loves us abundantly.  Yet, my heart feels the tension of wanting the house to sell quickly.

Father, I know that you are kind and full of grace towards your children.  Thank you for your provision and timing.  I trust you, and I love you.

Mocked versus approved

Matthew 15

In his "trials", the night before his death, Jesus was rejected and mocked so that I can be accepted and approved.  Jesus was scorned and ridiculed, but my Father takes delight in me and sings over me.

Jesus was hung on a cross so that all of the sins of the world could be placed on him and cursed because he was hung on a pole.  

2 Cor 5:21 NIV

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

What a privilege Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had to care for the body of our Lord Jesus Christ after he died!  They honored His body by not leaving it exposed overnight and by providing a basic burial with dignity and honor. 

Jesus, thank you for being willing to suffer rejection, mocking, and the curse of sin so that I can be accepted, approved, and blessed.  I want to experience the full measure of what you paid for.  You bought me an all-access pass, and I feel like I have only been watching from the nosebleeds.  You want even more for me than to move from the nosebleeds to the sidelines; you want me to trade places with you in the game.  Holy Spirit, please take me there.  I want to experience what Jesus bought for me.  Everything that I do today, I want to do in love - Christ living in me and through me, revealing the Father.  I love you.

Man's best friend

Boone is such a loyal dog; he will follow you into whatever room you go and sit down near you.

This morning, I told him that I really appreciate his loyalty and friendship.

Then the thought occurred to me that the greatest level of friendship is enabled with bidirectional conversation, especially sharing personal thoughts.

I was reminded of what Jesus said in John 15 about us being his friends:

John 15:14‭-‬15 NIV

You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

I want to be a good friend of God.  I don't want to only know about Him; I want to have a dep personal and conversational relationship with Him.

Father, please guide me to a deeper fellowship with you.  I want to know your thoughts, and I want my thoughts to be confirmed to match your thoughts.  I want my heart to perfectly match your feelings.  I love you.

Jesus was falsely accused AND falsely condemned for our benefit

Mk 14:53-65

I tend to be overly focused on justice and fairness, perhaps an artifact of being firstborn and/or perfectionist.

Jesus was focused on the joy set before Him, so he was willing to endure the injustices and (Rom 12:1-2).  Jesus did not exercise His authority to escape the trial based on false accusations of false teaching or threatening the destruction of the temple.  Nor did Jesus object, appeal, or attempt to escape from the false condemnation of blasphemy after He admitted that He is the Christ, the Son of the Blessed.  Jesus was ultimately vindicated in the resurrection, and He was willing to endure suffering and wait for the Father's timing.  He did it for us.

I want to be like Jesus - willing to deny the desire for immediate vindication without suffering.  He was patient because of His love for the Father and for us.

Father, thank you for your plans, which are better than my plans.  Thank you for your ways, which are better than my ways.  Jesus, thank you for your example of choosing love and patience over justice for yourself in the moment.  Holy Spirit, I need you.  Please fill me and overflow through me today.  I love you.

Disengaging perfectionism

I am beginning to be more self-aware of my perfectionist tendencies.  One of them is a hesitancy to attempt anything that I don't think I can initially do very well, even recreational activities like golf or playing the guitar.  

But I am slowly learning to play the guitar.  I am trying to recognize those opportunities to push through the discomfort of me being disappointed with myself for not doing something very well initially for the sake of being able to enjoy them and appreciating God's grace that covers over all of my mistakes.

Father, thank you for your limitless mercy and grace.  You cover me.  I want to have your perspective of me.  I love you.

What a privilege to be a child of God!

Mike and I started Romans 1 on Sunday morning at Dunkin, and Mike pointed out that it is such a blessing to be included in the family of God.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is good news!  God is not holding poeple's sins against them!  Jesus has paid the debt in full so that we can come home to the Father with no guilt or shame.  And Holy Spirit will cleanse us to the core of who we are!  

This morning, as I read these verses in Psalm 51, I am so thankful for the Father's goodness and that goodness is a fruit of the Spirit.  I want to be good like the Father.

Psalm 51:6‭-‬7‭, ‬9‭-‬12 ESV

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. ... Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Father, thank you for forgiving my sins and inviting me to come home. Please purify my heart! Make me completely good like you are.  Holy Spirit, thank you for your patience with me.  I love you!

God, our Father, is the Creator

Romans 1, Proverbs 8, Psalm 100

The world assaults, undermines, and obscures this fundamental truth.

So much of our faith begins with the humble acknowledgement that God is the Creator, and we are part of His creation.

We are the most prized aspect of His creation.  We are forever worthy of His love because we are created in His image.

The enemy does not want us to remember this truth because it is our fundamental identity, the basis of our relationship with our Father who continually demonstrates his immeasurable compassion and affection for us.

Father, thank you for your love.  Thank you for Jesus (the Messiah, a perfect human) making a way for our brokenness to be healed and the glory of our sonship and righteousness to be restored through faith and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.  I love you, and I want to walk in the fullness of the abundance that you have for me.