God2Share

Exercise?

Not always on the top of my to do list.

Probably because it stretches me and takes me out of my comfort zone.

But knowing its benefits, I half heartedly commit to move in some small way.

Typically, the gym provides the kind of security I am looking for when exercising.

It offers a controlled environment.

The speed on the treadmill?

Steep inclines or extra weight?

Obstacles?

All controlled by me.

Watching TV or listening to music brings a welcome distraction to the strain I feel in my body..

If I dare to go even further outside my comfort zone, and into the great outdoors,  I like it to be under “favorable conditions.”

Sunny.

Light breeze.

Flat terrain.

Secretly, I have always been envious of people who run outdoors in all kinds of conditions.

They choose to be completely exposed to the unpredictable elements.

Some days are sunny and the road is clear.

Others the rain comes down so hard, you can barely see the path in front of you.

Some days a gentle breeze washes over you.

Others the gusts of wind are so strong, you feel like there is a wall pushing against you with each step.

Somedays the terrain in flat and easy.

Others the hills are steep and the road is anything but smooth.

Jesus came to earth as a man, out of the comforts of heaven.

He knew the benefits of His sacrifice, and fully committed to move for us..

Walking among men did not offer Him security, but it offered us eternity.

Jesus chose to live in “unfavorable conditions” so that He could remove the obstacles for all mankind to be with our Heavenly Father.

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied HImself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of man.  And being in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” 

Philippians 2:5-8 ESV

It was not a sunny day when Jesus was crucified on the cross, but the road He had to take was clear.

There was no gentle breeze that washed over our Savior; instead the scornful and hateful comments of man surrounded him.

He did not adjust His burden, but carried the full weight of our sin on His torn and bloodied back, just as was foretold in the Old Testament.

“ He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.  But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”

 Isaiah 53: 3-5

Jesus was completely exposed.

There was nothing to distract Him from the pain and anguish He felt as He hung on that cross.

But the pain of spending eternity without us was greater.

So Jesus did not choose the easy path or favorable conditions.

He chose us because of His great love.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

This promise remains, that He will walk with us no matter the conditions we face.

Math has never been my best subject.

But If I had to choose, my favorite types of problems are greater than, less than or equals questions.

5 > 1.

3 < 4.

2 + 2 = 4, nothing less, nothing more.

That’s my speed.

These problems have always made the most sense.

So I am fairly sure all the math lovers like me were completely confused when Jesus began His lesson on how one is greater than ninety-nine.

“Look at it this way.  If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one?  And if he finds it, doesn’t he make far more over it than over the ninety-nine who stay put?” Matthew 18: 12-13 MSG

One celebrated more than ninety-nine?

In a world that promotes more is better, how could this be correct?

It was almost as if Jesus was speaking in another language.

And He was.

Jesus spoke in the language of love.

The Great Teacher also included math when teaching lessons on the subjects of grace and forgiveness.

“ At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, “Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?” Jesus replied, “Seven? Hardly.  Try seventy times seven.”

Matthew 18: 21-22 MSG

If this had been a multiple choice question, I probably would have thought the seventy times seven number seemed a little high.

It didn’t make sense.

But if we want to follow Him, than we need to recheck our math.

Jesus wants us to learn to forgive others as many times as He forgives us.

I don’t know about you, but I am sure the number of times He has forgiven me goes well beyond seventy times seven.

Jesus does not use the same textbooks or lessons that the world offers, but invites us to study His word so we may begin to understand His great love for each of us.

“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should how high, how wide, and how deep His love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to fully understand .” Ephesians 3: 18-19 NLT

No formula will ever be able to compute His infinite love for us.

It is immeasurable.

We will never be able to fully understand it .

But as His children, may we never stop trying to learn about it and share it with others.

His love is too great not to share.