Excited...

We have a dog given to us from a great friend. The dog, Sister Rosemary, is a female Malta-poo. (Half Maltese, half Poodle.) She has turned out to be a great family pet. She is very loving, she doesn't mess in the house even when left for long periods of time, and she loves to play which is great for our son.
Rosy gets super excited when we come home. She is barking, wagging her tail, and there isn't a chance she will stop shaking for a good 10 minutes. As soon as we enter she is running, jumping, and doing everything she can to show us just how happy she is that we have come home.
At first this little display was a bit annoying, however after considering why she is doing what she is doing, it really is an honor. She is showing how happy she is to see us. Why? Because she loves us. She is looking forward to playing, getting petted, getting feed, in short: having all her needs met, both physical and emotional.
It made me think this morning, "If I believe Jesus can meet all my needs, both physical and emotional, am I as excited to meet with Jesus as Rosy is to meet with me?"

What about you? Are you excited to meet with Jesus? Excited enough to run around?

In Christ,
jon walton

Taking Care of Those Who Don't Deserve It...

I just had to take my dog, Daisy (a Jack Russell Terrier), to the vet the other day. She had gotten bit by something and the wound just wasn't healing properly. In fact, it was getting worse. The vet said she would need to have the wound washed out daily, medicine applied daily, and she would need to be on antibiotics for about 2 weeks. Total cost of the visit and medicine: $116. I looked at Daisy and said, "That's more than I paid for you 10 years ago, dog." Daisy just looked up at me, wagged her tail as if to smile and say, "But I'm worth it!"

I love my dog. She has been my faithful companion since June of 2000. She has always been great with kids, she catches most of the mice around our house, and she always greets us as we come home. She really is a great dog. But she is the one that went out and got in a fight with whatever she did and got the wound. It was her fault.

That's the mindset of a lot of people when they see someone who needs help. "They probably did that to them selves. They drank too much. They committed the crime. They wouldn't work." So does that excuse us from helping them? It doesn't if we are followers of Jesus Christ.

Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me,

I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me.

Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?

And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You?

And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?

And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.

Matt. 25:34-40

This Sunday at Crossroads, we are doing just that. We are putting our Faith into Action. We are closing our church service and serving the community. Even those who don't "deserve" it. God loves us, so we will love them.

In Christ,
jon walton