Get up!

So yesterday I had another blah day of my own making. One thing set-off another, a domino effect in my brain of negative activity. I took a nap then felt so unmotivated it took all my energy just to lay on the couch and watch a movie. When it got dark at 6:00 p.m., I couldn't take it anymore. I made my cats get off me and I had to do something - anything. When I got bored with trying to figure out what to do and not feeling like doing anything...I got the nagging feeling to just read the Bible.

I talked before about being in the pit...and trying to come out of it. No one else can do that for me. This is all part of my pruning process. So when I cleaned off my desk and sat down to start reading - I started where I left off in my study bible - John 4 with the Samaritan woman at the well. Well...then I remembered what I wanted to study about before - Jesus' attitude. So I started over in John. The first thing that hit me was v 12, 13 - because I believe in Jesus' name - he gives me the RIGHT to become a child of God. It doesn't matter who my father is here on earth - God is my Dad now...by His own choice and He's faithful in that. He's not going to die on me, and He's not going to divorce me, and He's not going to leave me. Pit #1 - gone. It was at this point that I got out of my chair and grabbed my old pageant tiara and put it on. I went back to studying.

I made a LOT of new discoveries. I also noticed how Jesus would respond to people - or start a conversation - and making note of all the "I tell you the truth" phrases. I even pulled out a Strong's Dictionary (has words in Hebrew and Greek) so I can fully know the meaning of a particular word - even got the regular dictionary out. I was REALLY INTO IT last night. I also made a discovery, and if you are even half the drama nut I am, you'll love this. The Word of God truly comes ALIVE when you try and act it out. Stand up - say it out loud - say it like you think Jesus would say it. It becomes a totally different experience. Especially in parts like John's testifying about Christ after the baptizing debate, and what stuck out most to me was thaat God gives the Spirit without limit. Without limit. Without limit. And the subject of grace popped in my head. I was asked recently to extend some grace in a situation. I didn't even know what it meant to do it. I know that Jesus gives grace, God's grace, all that. But to apply it to my own life - not yet. So I studied that too. Grace is basically to give unmerited kindness. Be kind just to be kind. Not because someone did something nice for you - but because you want to do something nice for them. Jesus was full of it. When He went back to Cana in Galilee, a royal offical begged him to heal his son. Jesus extended grace (even after the initial irriating moment). Read it aloud - and remember Jesus was human too, but grace and God's divinity overrode his human nature. Did he sigh and close his eyes before he responded in grace?

So then I get close to my stopping point for last night (after 2 hours). I'm in John 5 at this point. Jesus is in Jerusalem and goes to the healing pool, Bethesda. There a man who was an invalid for 38 years was lying there. Jesus asks him specifically "Do you want to get well?" Well, I gotta tell ya. That question hit me right between the eyes! OF course I did! That's what I've been asking for for months now. So I read on...the invalid guy was a whiner! He wanted to get well, but he was waiting on someone to help him do it - he couldn't get in the pool on his own - someone else always gets there first. Jesus' response? "Get up!" With an exclamation point - read it out-loud..."Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. Now remember, John only writes what he sees...but can you imagine what that invalid mad heard? Jesus hollered at him to get up! When Jesus hollers, do you think it's back up by the host of angels in our heads. I guarantee it. I'm surprised John doesn't write about how the guy wet his pants in the process! Later Jesus found him at the temple....the guy went to worship. That's what I did last night. I got up after Jesus hollered at me and worshiped like I had not worshiped in months! It felt great. And my voice is back. I haven't been able to carry a tune in a bucket lately, and last night I was hitting notes I used to dream about. Talk about a breakthrough - all while wearing my tiara.