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Post by michelle on Feb 8, 2007 20:55:52 GMT -8
1/23/06:
I am currently reading the book "The Sacred Romance" by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge. One of the points of the book is that at times we divorce our feelings from our life and start doing the duties we are supposed to, but without any emotional attachment to them. The story of the anointing with the perfume made me think about this. The disciples had become so focused on the teachings of Christ that they forgot to enjoy Him and be in relation with Him. I'm definitely not saying that do the things God asked us to do (i.e. taking care of the poor), but at some point we need to remember that we also need to have a personal relationship with God. This is a theme that seems to be recurring in my life right now. God keeps reminding me that He doesn't just want me to do good things for Him, but He wants to have a deeply personal relationship with me. Now if I can just get past the arrows...
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Post by michelle on Feb 9, 2007 19:09:59 GMT -8
1/23/06:
Can you imagine sitting and eating with someone that you knew was going to be the cause of your death? I'm struck by Jesus in this account. How could He do that? The amazing restraint He showed. And the restraint that the disciples showed. Well, maybe there's was more out of not grasping what was going on.
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Post by michelle on Feb 9, 2007 19:10:32 GMT -8
1/23/06:
"Then all the disciples deserted him and fled"
Wow, I can only imagine how Jesus must have felt to have those closest to Him desert Him in His greatest time of need. It must have been heartbreaking to Him. And I feel like it still is when I desert Him. I just feel so convicted by this verse and my cyclical desertion of Him. I think I may need to post this verse somewhere that I will read often.
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Post by Josh on Feb 9, 2007 19:11:38 GMT -8
1/25/06:
Related to this, of course, must be his feelings about Judas.
BTW, I find it so eerie how Jesus speaks of Judas' betrayal while they're all sitting at the Passover meal-- how they all ask themselves if he's talking about them. And the irony of the fact that he's talking specifically about Judas, but also about all of them in a way:
"I will strike the shepherd and the sheep ofthe flock will be scattered"
That's a quote from a very powerful piece of prophecy in Zechariah (Zech 13:7-9), prophetic both of Jesus' death and the Jewish wars to come in that generation.
I love the similarity/ dissimilarity between Judas and Peter. They both betray their Lord, but one ends with sorrow leading to death, the other ends in sorrow leading to forgiveness and repentance, as Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 7:10.
I also love the passage in John 21:1-19 where Jesus 'reinstates' Peter in a tender, amazing way. Jesus sets it up so that he meets Peter in almost the same way as their very first meeting. Now, that's romantic!
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Post by Josh on Feb 9, 2007 19:12:21 GMT -8
1/23/06:
Yes, it is fascinating that it that story it is the DISCIPLES who are thinking of the poor and JESUS who rebukes them for it! Of course Jesus wanted them to provide for the poor, but that mission is secondary to celebrating our relationship with Jesus.
Now, what are the arrows?
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Post by michelle on Feb 9, 2007 19:13:16 GMT -8
1/23/06:
The arrows are difficult to explain in writing so I'll have to explain them to you in person sometime.
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