Welcome back.

Its been a while, hasn't it...

I think I'm going to take this blog in a slightly different direction. In hindsight, I usually get numerous little thoughts, and an occasional "big one." While I had been trying -- striving, even -- to post the big ones, they were too infrequent and usually, I'm a bit too busy to really post them all anyway. So, a new direction: post the little thoughts. Here goes...

I was reading in the book of John tonight and I came across this passage. Jesus is speaking. John 17:13 - "And now I am coming to You; I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them." (Emphasis added)

The Amplified Bible expands on this: "...My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them [that they may experience My delight fulfilled in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their own souls, that they may have My gladness within them, filling their hearts]."

Before we start running with this, we need to understand that by "them" Jesus means His disciples, and everyone else who comes to follow Jesus because of them (verse 20, "Neither for these alone do I pray, but also for all those who will ever come to believe in Me..."). So, now re-read verse 17. Jesus: "My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them [all those who will ever come to believe in Me]."

Woah. His joy is made full and complete and perfect IN US!!! You and Me. Think on that for a second. We complete God's joy. He delights in you. He is extremely proud of you, and without you, God's joy would be incomplete.

So, without any sarcasm or cynicism intended: God delights in you, and that makes you extremely special.

Now live that way.