Which is better to give or to receive?

April 24, 2025

Maria Acts 20, Ephesians 3, Giving, Knowing Jesus , , Leave a comment

I pray….(that you) know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16, 19 ESV

I just finished a book about how the blood covenant grounds or acts as the foundation for God’s love for us. As Paul wrote, we are not just to learn about Christ through studying His word, but we are meant to experience His love.

There’s a knowing facts and data about someone and a knowing that is gained through doing life with that someone. For instance, I know far more than just biographical facts about my husband, for I am the recipient of his love. Daily, he demonstrates how much he cherishes me.  He studies me to know how best to provide, to show his care, to anticipate my needs and desires. As a result, I have come to trust him. 

What if I were never to let Mike do anything for me? What if I rejected his help, thinking he’ll love me more if I don’t take from him, don’t count on him to help me?

For one, I’d be a fool. More importantly, he would feel hurt. He would rightly conclude that I don’t trust him.

It’s the same with Jesus. The way to really know Jesus is not through earning or meriting His love, but receiving it as ‘gift’.  The amazing news is that He is an eager ‘Giver’.

Yes, according to Luke’s account in Acts, Jesus did teach at one point, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 ESV But, I think there is far more scriptural evidence to support the learned skill of receiving. A joyful recipient completes the joy of the Giver. 

Turning ‘events’ into adventures

July 11, 2024

Maria Fear, Humility, John 17, Knowing Jesus, Prayer, Service , , , 4 Comments

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Stanza 3, William Cowper, Light Shining out of Darkness

All week long, with intentionality, I have fought back old patterns of imagining the worst. Daily I have sought a different truth with which to fight fear. 

Anne had pointed me to Cowper’s poem more than 2 years ago when I was worried about what another family member might ask me to do to help my mother-in-law.  I had been traveling a lot already and did not want to add another air trip.  Besides sharing the Cowper verses, she had me actually articulate the worst that could happen: “I’ll have to fly out to Seattle and escort her to Asheville. And I don’t want to.” Anne then responded: ‘Do you think you’ll survive that short hardship?”

Well, put that way, what could I do but nod ‘yes’?

This morning reading Oswald Chambers devotion for July 11, I saw a healthier and saner way to approach ‘worst case scenarios’.

Oswald describes just how to think about all of life. It’s to keep reminding myself that the purpose of life, of every occurrence I face is to know Jesus.

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3 NIV

And we ‘learn him’ better through every experience, from menial tasks to scary events. That is, IF we remember to view events from that perspective.

Using Jesus’ example of washing his disciples’ feet, Oswald writes that Jesus was willing to humble himself since he knew two fundamental truths: that he had come from God and was returning to God.

Continuing with Oswald, I should not approach a commitment, a volunteer responsibility or household chore with the attitude: ‘There’s work to be done, I must do it’. Instead, I should bring an attitude of wonder to the work at hand.  ‘I wonder what I will learn about Jesus in this?’

Just now sitting in the dental hygienist’s chair, the Holy Spirit reminded me, “This is an ‘event’.  (No, I don’t dread the dentist’s office!) Be on the alert from what you can learn about Jesus.”

I’ve been praying for ‘Karina’ since my last appointment, that she would come to know Jesus. With the Spirit’s prompt, as she removed tools from my mouth I asked her if her mom and dad were believers. That’s when I found out she grew up with Hispanic parents who never went to church.  I broke into Spanish and chatted with her some and created a point in common.  Now I understand more why she has no spiritual point of reference.

This is actually fun! Every part of my day is a new adventure if I seek to see more of Jesus.

And when it comes to those events I dread or worry about, I will continue to work on changing old patterns of fearful imagining of future problems. To that end, I’m copying Jesus, by applying and personalizing John 17:3 –  Since I know the Father loves me, I will do/face what is at hand, eager to know Jesus in a new way.  For this is what true life is.