The Sale Tops and the Power of Leftover Grain

The picture (above) might not be the actual field in which Ruth gathered the leftover wheat, but I think it is. It looked different thousands of years ago, of course, but it was just a plain field in which cut wheat lay on the ground. 

If we'd been there, we wouldn't have realized it was a miracle-birthing-ground, but it was. 

I'm still studying Ruth, and the image of that field is strong in my mind. When Ruth left their little home one morning, Naomi was an angry, bitter woman. That would not have inspired me to pick up a lot of barley nor to save my lunch for Mrs. Grumpy, but Ruth was a better woman than I.

She went into the field and asked for the privilege of poverty to gather the leftover grain. Ruth spent the day gathering barley. She was dressed in typical Middle Eastern attire, which covers pretty much everything, no matter what your religion. Talk about hot! When lunch came, even though she was surely tired and hungry, she ate part of her meal and saved the rest for Mrs. Grumpy. 

At the end of the day, she returned to their home. I'd have dreaded the trip every step of the way, but Ruth was cheerful when she arrived back to Naomi. "Look at what I gleaned today!" She was full of joy and praise. 

Naomi looked at the leftover lunch and the leftover barley (because it was the grain the hired gleaners had left behind) and something changed in her. She took heart again and began speaking blessings on Boaz instead of cursing God. 

The remarkable change in Naomi's attitude, born of leftover barley, surprised me so, when I read Ruth not long ago, I whispered a little prayer. "Lord, help me understand the power of leftover grain."

I quickly forgot my prayer, but God did not.

A few weeks later a friend of mine was selling some clothes on social media for $5 apiece. I needed a few tops with sleeves below the elbow and high necklines to wear on my upcoming trip to the Middle East. I'd discussed the matter with the Lord and stressed that I couldn't afford the price of new clothes. These were the exact style I needed and the perfect price, so I mailed my check and made my order.

When I pulled the tops out of the mailer, I was shocked. They were just like new. I'd ordered them because of the sleeves and the neckline, but I didn't consider the fabric. Soft. Stretchy.

Those "leftover" tops were as comfortable as anything in my closet, so I decided not to wait until my trip to wear them. I slipped on my new top and marveled at how comfy it was. 

"Leftover grain," the Still Small Voice whispered. I couldn't help but laugh. 

It wasn't the price, the neckline, nor the comfort that encouraged me. It was the clear answer to my prayer that exceeded what I'd asked. Those three tops have quickly become my favorite because they're my "gleaned barley," sent straight from God.

Naomi was filled with hope when she saw the grain in Ruth's bundle because it was an unmistakable answer to her prayers for provision and a reminder that she was not forgotten. She was not alone. Her God knew and cared. 

That's what those $5 tops said to me. My God can, and will, provide. He knows my need, and He cares.

I was filled with joy over God's provision, but I could have easily missed that joy if I'd demanded a different kind of provision. What if I'd demanded new clothes or name-brand clothes? What if I'd accepted only a certain color? 

An unwillingness to accept anything other than one specific type of blessing (or price) can rob us of the joy in God's gifts, and that's a terrible shame.

Today, let's ask our Lord to teach us the power of leftover grain. Ask Him to give us a willingness to accept whatever He sends our way and the joyfulness of heart to rejoice with His provision. 

"God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!" Ephesians 3:20 The Message

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#discipleslife

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When Pondering Leads to Challenging the Body of Christ 

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line

#bodyofChrist

James: The cause of Joy

I love James. I wasn't sure of that for a while, but now, I know I do.

Yesterday, I had a first. I began studying the James study I have just written. As a participant. It didn't seem odd, because the first day's assignment was to read through the book of James. It spoke to me again. 

Today's focus verse is James 1:2. "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials." 

I found something in my study that I didn't include in my writing. JOY. Thayer's Greek Lexicon clarifies the Greek word chara. In this verse, it means more than joy or delight. It means "the cause or occasion of joy."(1)  

It's not intuitive, that's for sure. When we encounter various trials (piercings that allow all the not-like-Jesus parts of us to ooze out during the trial), we are to consider it cause for rejoicing.

Just recently, the automatic waterer for my horses' water trough broke (or wore out). When the horses drank the water out, the trough rolled down the hill and the hose connected to the automatic waterer began to pour water onto the ground. I was out of town, and returned to find my pasture well-watered. (AKA flooded) 

I arrived just in time to unload my suitcase and get ready to leave again for Wed. night Bible study. Dealing with a farm crisis was not on my schedule. My first response to the water situation was not exactly joy, but James 1:2 was fresh in my mind. 

Here's what letting a trial be an occasion for joy looks like...

 I started with prayer. "Lord, I don't want to be late. I'm supposed to meet a visitor at church. I need you to help me deal with this." He did. "I need you to show me something positive about this." He did.

Turning something negative into something positive, at least for me, begins in a conversation with God. It's the right place to start.

I retrieved the barrel-turned-water-trough from the pasture, where it had rolled. Water was pouring out of the wide-open hose, so I washed the trough out. All the dead leaves that accumulated came out in a flash, and somehow I managed not to get wet. Two blessings right there.

My farm hand was already home, but returned just in time to help me turn off the water. The faucet is faulty, and we've taken this occasion to repair it. Two more good blessings.

He turned the water off and stopped the flooding. Another blessing. The pasture was well watered. Blessing #6. 

Right away, I had more blessings than I could imagine from something that seemed like a trial at the start.

When we encounter a trial, we can whine like an infidel or look for joy in the midst of it. If we're to live as disciples of Christ, we'll do what James says. Look for the cause of joy and celebrate it.

Scripture promises that, if we seek, we will find, so let's seek joy.

Today, let's look for the chara (occasions for joy) in every situation we encounter and watch God turn our trials into wonderful blessings. 

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(1) Thayer's Greek Lexicon Accessed 1/16/17

If you'd like to participate in the James study, here's how: More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living
If you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: Trials, Endurance, and the James Bible Study
If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841 If you'd rather use a check or money order, make it out to Global Outreach. Remember to put "Account 4841" on the "for" line. Mail it to: Global Outreach, PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802
#studyJames #Biblestudy #joy 

When the Answer I Needed Was Already Written in the Margin

When Ryan was a little boy, he came home from TCPS one day, full of information. "Hey, Mom. Do you know why Psalm 37 says not to fret three times?"

"No, Ryan. Why is that?"

"Because God really means it. 'Don't fret.' You should read that Psalm. It might help you a lot."

Out of the mouths of babes.

I'd had quite a bit on my mind, and I'd done a bit of fretting. As Ryan tried to tell me, none of my fretting was really necessary. None of it helped anything. All of it was sin. (Originally, I wrote that it was "probably sin" but realized that, if God said do not do it, disobedience to that command was sin.)

I repented, but, over time, my concerns piled up once more and I fretted again.

I'm not talking agonizing, terrified, frantic worry. I "just fretted", but Psalm 37 strictly forbid it. "Fret not." How much plainer could it be? I repented again.

Last week, I had accumulated a mountain of concerns. My son, Ryan. Sam. Ministry. Spiritual warfare. Finding ministry partners. Making prayer cards. Connecting with senior citizens. Getting updates from missionaries. Fundraising. Sam's swallowing. My town. Vandalism at the park. Our sidewalk grant application.The list seemed endless. I was about to drown in concern. (AKA fretting)

I was like Martha (sister of Mary). Concerned about many things when only one thing was needful. You might think I'd remember Martha, but no. I didn't.

Fretting is exhausting work, and, by Sunday morning, I was worn out. I settled in for quiet time and got serious. "Lord, You have to give me some clear direction. I don't know what to do. I'm just worn out with worrying about all this, and I don't know what to do about any of it. Forgive me. Please speak to me today."

That seemed like a prayer God would want to answer, so I headed to church with expectation.  I needed an answer, and God was sure to give it before the day was out. 

Pastor Scooter frequently delivers the very word I've needed to hear, often before I ask God for it, so I expected an 11:00 delivery time. You can't imagine how surprised I was in Sunday school when my "word" arrived early.

"Let's turn to Acts 5," Steadman Harrison (my Sunday School teacher and CEO of Global) told us.

I missed a good bit of what he said after we turned there, because my answer was written in the margin of my Bible, just waiting for me. It had been there for years. Literally. 

"When God wants to do something, there is no demon in hell strong enough to stop Him. My emphasis needs to be on OBEDIENCE, and not warfare."

While Steadman taught with enthusiasm, I had a silent conversation in my heart with our Lord. 

"Just obey? That's the plan?"

"Just obey. That's not all the plan, but it's the part you're supposed to do. I've got the rest."

"So... you're talking about the prayer project with the senior citizens?"

"Yep. And the other things I've said. You just do what I've told you to do already. I can handle the rest."

I don't really want to admit this last part, but I might as well. "You don't need me to help you with that?"

I'm a little surprised about this, but God chose not to dignify that question with an answer. 

I gave Him the answer He wanted. "Okay."

It was what He'd been waiting to hear from me during the weeks I'd spent fretting. I quit trying to figure it out and simply committed myself to doing what He'd said. 

The peace I gained with that decision was monumental. 

There's great freedom in simple obedience, especially when it's not complicated with fretting. 

To make the issue of fretting perfectly clear, God has spoken very clearly in His Word. It's not from Him. We are not to do it. It's sin.

Because of my Sunday epiphany, I've altered my schedule. I still start my day at 5 am, and, whether at Global or working from home, I still have long hours. What's different is the self-imposed pressure to figure out God's plan and my part in it or to try to orchestrate the outcome I think He wants.

It's God's job to reveal the plan. My job is to seek Him. If He wants me to do something, He'll let me know. The Holy Spirit is an expert at conviction. 

Today, let's stop fretting about the concerns in our lives, give those concerns to God, and accept the peace He so freely offers. When we do, we'll find that peace doesn't come alone. It brings joy and contentment, as well.

"...do not fret, it leads only to evildoing." Psalm 37:8 nasb
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: What Becoming A Missionary Taught Me About Myself
#peace #worry

A Merry Heart is Good Medicine

The email in my inbox was titled, "The Dangers of Not Smiling". It was an odd title for an email from a shoe company, so I opened it. The title made reference to a Scientific American article about the benefits of smiling. 

As it turns out, when we frown, it triggers a series of chemical reactions in our body that makes us feel bad. (That's an extremely simplified version of the biochemistry involved.) 

When we smile, it makes us feel better.

What caught my eye is that, when people saw something disgusting, but held a pen in their mouths so that they couldn't make a disgusted expression, they felt less disgust. 

What we do affects how we feel, including what we do with our faces.

No matter how bad our circumstances are, when we smile, it gives our hearts a little lift. 

Today, let's smile. Regardless of how our bodies feel. Regardless of our circumstances. Regardless of the sorrow and distress flooding our world.

Just smile. 

Before you know it, you'll feel better, too.

"A joyful heart is good medicine..." Proverbs 17:22 esv

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In case you missed it, here are the links to the Orlando series:

After Orlando

After Orlando: Lowering the Flag

After Orlando: Gratitude

#smile #merryheart #joy #disciple

Sending the seventy, part 22:

The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." And He said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." (Luke 10:17-20 NASB)

The seventy sent-ones had just returned from their missionary trip, having traveled (on foot) to the towns where Jesus planned to go. They had paved the way by telling the people about Jesus and healing the sick. It was hard. It was exciting. It filled them with joy. 

When they returned, the sent-ones were bubbling over with excitement about their experience. "Even the demons are subject to us in Your name!" It was amazing to them, and it would be to us. They prayed for healing and people were healed. They prayed in the name of Jesus for demons to leave those they tormented, and the demons came out. The healing and restoration they witnessed took their breath away and thrilled them completely. 

"Even demons," they said. The most impossible thing happened through the power of the name of Jesus and they were in awe of that power. 

At the name of Jesus, even the demons fled. 

We, who are so comfortable in our padded pews with church services that are limited to a strict timetable and order of worship, may go a lifetime and never see a soul set free from demonic control at the name of Jesus. We may never see the lame walk, the blind see, the deaf hear. We may never invoke the name of Jesus with the bold faith of these seventy sent-ones, and we will be poorer for our lack of faith. There is one fact that needs to be ingrained in our minds and hearts. Our failure to see, our failure to ask, our failure to pray in no way indicates an inability on God's part to deliver, to hear, to free, or to redeem. The God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever is still able to heal, redeem, and set free. Even demons still have to obey the name of Jesus. 

As we begin this new year, let us embark on the journey of the sent-ones. This year, with nothing but the commission of Christ, let us follow in obedience and invite our Lord to do what we never dreamed was possible this year. Pray that the captives would be set free, that demons would flee, and that we, like the sent-ones, would be filled with joy by all we see God do. 

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Read last night's post, The New Zealand Badge, here. It turns out that faithfulness in working toward a little goal can achieve more than you knew was possible. 

Sending the Seventy, part 21:

"And the seventy returned with joy, saying, 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.' And He said to them, 'I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.'" 
                                                                                                                              Luke 10: 17-20 NASB

Jesus had sent the seventy out with quite a job. They were to go to every town and village where He was headed, telling the good news of Jesus and healing in His name. From the beginning, He told them that He was sending them out as lambs among wolves. That comment alone might have been enough to turn back the most adventuresome among us, but not the seventy.  They plowed ahead. 

They could take nothing at all with them. They had the clothes on their backs but no bag, money, change of garments, or bedroll.  They were to go to a town and look for a man of peace. They were to offer a blessing of peace to those in a house and, if it was received, they could stay there while they ministered in the town. If not, they would move on to the next town. They were to accept whatever hospitality was given without moving around, looking for better accommodations. Some entire towns would reject them. When that happened, and it would, they were to leave and go to the next town. 

This was not a fun vacation on which they embarked. This was a physically exhausting, emotionally trying, spiritually draining trip. It was nothing they had ever done before and likely nothing they had imagined. Still, they went. The sent ones did exactly what Jesus said, in exactly the way He said it, and they made it through.

When they returned, not one of them talked about how meager the accommodations or how insubstantial the food. Not one of them whined to Jesus about how difficult the task or the towns that had rejected them.  When they reported to Jesus, they returned with joy! Imagine that! They loved the trip. They considered it a fun journey. They would likely volunteer to do it again. 

They returned with joy!

Is that how we see obedience? Do we count it as joy, no matter the circumstances? Do we rejoice when we serve God in hard or unpleasant circumstances? 

A few weeks ago, I attended a conference that was nothing at all like I expected. The accommodations were less than optimal and I quickly found out about my own sense of entitlement. It took more time than it should have to find my way to acceptance of the circumstances in which God had thrust me, but, once accomplished, something amazing happened. Through Christ, I was able to rise to the occasion. With His help, none of the circumstances mattered one bit. What mattered was that He was at work all around me and I was allowed to see Him, experience Him in new ways. At the end of the week, I, too, reported back to Jesus with joy, and now find that the experience changed me in some difficult to define, but very important, way. 

The sent-ones served and sacrificed for the Lord they loved, and it was worth it. We, too, will find that sacrifice and service, linked hand-in-hand, are not only worth it, they bring great joy. Jesus took those seventy sent-ones completely out of their comfort zones and made them completely dependent upon Him. He wants to do the same with us. You and me. He wants to use us in ways we cannot imagine, giving us joy in the journey more profound than we can comprehend. He will do it, too, if we allow it. 

What is it to which Christ is calling you? What adventure does He offer? Like the seventy sent-ones, why not step out in faith, accept the challenge, and follow the One who has already made a way? The circumstances may not be to your liking, but by the end of your journey, you, too, will be reporting back with great joy over all you have seen God do.

Sending the Seventy, part 14: The Kingdom of God Comes Near

But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.' I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. (Luke 10:10-12 NASB) 

If the sent ones were to "preach the kingdom of God", it would be helpful to understand what that term means. 

The ISBE gives this description: The Kingdom of God is not one "of worldly splendor and force, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit; beginning in humility, and passing to exaltation only through the dark valley of contrition." We have an explanation in the Lord's Prayer, in which He prayed "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The idea here is that, in the Kingdom of God (heaven), God's will is only and always done. When the Kingdom of God "comes" to us, the same will of God is done. When the Kingdom of God comes, righteousness, peace, and the joy of the Lord will fill our hearts. 

The sent ones were to preach about the coming of the Kingdom of God, and some of those who heard them would reject the Kingdom of God altogether.  What about righteousness, peace, and joy are not attractive? What about righteousness, peace, and joy do we want to reject? That three-strand cord of the Kingdom seems, at first glance, altogether lovely and appealing. Why, then, would we reject it? Righteousness. It is an appealing concept but a difficult reality, mainly because it requires change. 

The ISBE has said correctly that the Kingdom of God begins "in humility, and passing to exaltation only through the dark valley of contrition".  We cannot have the righteousness, peace, and joy without first having humility and contrition. (Contrition is a less-commonly used word that means being deeply sorry for your sins and repentant of them.) 

The problem, of course, is that we like our sin and we want to keep it. It seems a bad trade to keep sin and reject peace and joy, but we do, and often on a daily basis. We want what we want and are not willing to allow change to have something better. What madness! 

For those of us who claim to be disciples of Jesus, we should long for the Kingdom of God, not only on earth but also in us. Come, Lord Jesus, and begin Your work of cleansing and change in me. Much like the words to an old spiritual, it's "not my brother, not my sister, but it's me, oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer." We are the ones "standing in the need" of prayer, repentance, and change. 

There is good news, however. The Kingdom of God is near. We can have the righteousness, peace, and joy of God, but only if we are willing to begin in repentance and allow the transformation that only the Spirit of God can bring. 

The amazing thing about the Kingdom of God is that it has "drawn near" to us in the most incredible way. Wrapped in flesh, nestled in a stone manger filled with hay, the righteousness, peace, and joy of God came to us, dwelt with us, and died to redeem us. As we draw near the Christ Child this advent season, may we also draw near to the Kingdom of God. 

Merry Christmas!

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We often want a "fast food" answer to our prayers when what we need is the "crock pot" solution that allows God to do His work completely, in us and our solution. If you are weary in waiting for the answer to your prayer, here's something that can help. The Waiting: When the Answer to Your Prayer is Delayed and Your Hope is Gone, is now available at http://www.leannahollis.com/online-store/ Get your copy today.  

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Here's the link to last night's post on embracing the imperfect and enjoying a less stressful holiday. 

Coming home

(I'm going to try again to write what I thought I was writing last night. If you were surprised by last night's post, just imagine how surprised I was! I thought I was writing about the Wonder Girls, but no. I was volunteering for war duty, and meant every word of what I wrote. I just didn't mean to reveal it. There is no telling what will happen when I get started writing. It's always been that way!)

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Yesterday, I pulled in to my drive way and was delighted to see Maggie the Wonder Dog and Mamie the Apprentice Wonder Puppy outside playing. When they saw my car, they started running around in circles and barking like crazy. They were insanely excited and it was hilarious. When I opened the car door, they both jumped in, landed in my lap, and refused to get out. They wanted their mama and they were not letting her go! 

When we finally made it out of the car and into the house, they could not be contained. Mamie alternated between running in circles and hopping up and down. Maggie had one thing on her mind, and she would not be deterred. Lap time! Maggie insisted I follow her to the big green chair and sit. She promptly jumped into my lap and snuggled in, intermittently reaching over to give my hand a lick or two. The dogs have followed me everywhere since I got home, and it's surprising how welcome I've felt. 

Truthfully, the dogs are excited to see me whether I've been gone seven days or seven hours. Sometimes, I go to the barn without them and, when I get back to the house, you'd think I had been gone a month. They know how to make a woman feel welcome! 

It's not like that everywhere I go, but wouldn't it be nice if it were? Just imagine people being glad to see us every time we entered a room. Imagine keeping an eye out for the new arrival and celebrating their presence. It goes both ways and it makes arrivals much more fun. 

The thing we often forget is how glad God is when we enter His presence. The psalmist said an interesting thing about being in God's presence:

In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psalms 16:11 NASB)

"Fullness of joy" means everyone present is fully joyful. I guess that means we are glad to be there and He is glad to have us. What a precious welcome our Lord would offer if we would slow down long enough to enter His presence and stay there long enough to share His joy! A Wonder Dog welcome is a fun greeting, but it does not even compare to the greeting of Almighty God. Get still and spend time today with the One who loves you most. Fullness of joy awaits! Don't miss it!

The recognition, part 9: the Joy

And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. (Luke 9:23 NASB)

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 NASB)

The cross of Jesus was a terrible thing. It was viciously brutal, terrifyingly painful, and sickeningly shameful. We have become so accustomed to the fact of Jesus's death on the cross that we no longer see it as unconscionable that the Spotless Lamb of God should suffer on the cross in our place. Jesus did not endure the cross for fun or because of a whim on the part of His Father. He endured it because we could not, we would not. We, who are so enamored of sin that we do not avoid it, had a death-deserving sin penalty that only He, who was so deeply enamored of us, could pay. It was His love for us that required the cross. 

The only sensible, reasonable response to that kind of love, that kind of sacrifice is deep, abiding gratitude and love in return, as well as a desire to follow wherever He may lead. What Jesus has said is that we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. Why would we refuse Him? Why would we dare?  This One who has done so much for us asks us to do so little in comparison to His own sacrifice. We must not fail in obedience. 

The enemy of our soul would have us believe that this cross-taking is too burdensome, too painful, too terrible.  It is not. Our Lord, who despised the shame of the cross, endured the whole terrible ordeal because He knew that, at the end of the hard time, at the end of His suffering, was JOY. Who would expect the outcome of the cross to be joy? Only Jesus. 

If the outcome of cross-bearing is joy, and the writer of Hebrews tells us it is, why would we avoid it? Dear ones, the time for reckless abandon of our own cross is long past. The time of accounting draws near, when we will give an accounting of all that we have done and not done. We will account for our cross-bearing and our lack of it. We must embrace the cross to which God has called us, and we must follow Jesus. There is no other option that will give us joy in the end. 

Press on. Press on with your cross and endure all the way to the joy that waits ahead. 

The Double Portion (Luke 7:42,43)

...When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly." (Luke 7:42, 43 NASB)

We are stepping back a verse or two to catch a lovely truth we missed. Jesus, as you know, told Simon the story of two debtors who were forgiven as an introduction to a defense of the woman with the alabaster vial. "Which one will love more?" He asked. Simon knew it was the one forgiven more. 

The unstated implication was that the woman, who was know by reputation as a sinner, loved more because she was forgiven more. Once again, we see the principle of greatest and least in action. When you think about it, the most notorious sinner can end up as the one who loves our Lord with the most extravagant depth, simply because they KNOW the depth of forgiveness they have received. The one least deserving of forgiveness, the woman, became the one with the greatest love! 

Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion... (Isaiah 61:7 NASB)

This verse gives us a glimpse of something else the woman received. Along with the forgiveness, acceptance, and vindication poured out on her that night, Jesus also replaced her shame and humiliation with joy. This was not just a little happiness, this was "shouting time" joy. Isaiah describes it as a "double portion". 

The greatest love and a double portion of joy!  Doesn't that make you want to repent all over again? Our Christ does not respond to repentant sinners with anger and recrimination. He responds with forgiveness, healing, and joy, and it's more than enough reason to embrace the cross and cling to Jesus. 

Today, pray that we and our loved ones will bring our brokenness and sin to Christ and exchange it for the forgiveness, love and joy only He can give. 

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Link to last night's post:  http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/06/friday-night-with-friends-front-porch.html