That's Not My Name

This is Mookie Lucy.  For some reason when I met this cute, recently rescued dog, I misunderstood his her name.  So for many days, I said how HE was a nice dog and, "Come on, Mookie."  Mookie Lucy was a good sport and went along with the program and didn't spill the beans even though I believed something about him her that wasn't true.

Sometimes we believe things about others that aren't true.  In fact, we probably do it all the time.  But often we believe things about ourselves that aren't true.  We call ourselves Disappointment.  Failure.  Worthless.  Or perhaps we go in the other direction: Perfect.  Superior.  Sinless.

But Jesus calls us His Own.  We have value and we can't disappoint Him when we trust.  When we look at the standard God sets, an honest assessment of ourselves reveals that we aren't perfect and are in need of a savior.

No matter how we see ourselves, God's opinion is the one that matters. When we seek Him and find Jesus, we are given Honesty, Love and Peace.  The identity we have in Christ is true and invaluable. 

Mookie Lucy was rescued and given a new life and a new name in her new home that she'll have forever.

You can have the same.

Confused and Helpless

Captain is four years old - I found him on June 1, 2011.  I was just getting ready to take a bike ride when I stopped because an ear bud popped out.  I was at the very edge of my property and then I heard it.

The dreaded, "mew."

I went to the other side of the road and there he was.

 

He was confused.  And he was helpless.  That's pretty much how I felt about seeing him too.  The last thing this animal circus needed was another cat.  But there was no place else for him to go.  Despite my attempts to bribe kennel clients to take him - even offering to reduce their bill - no takers.  He was completely unwanted.

 

Have you ever felt that way?  Feeling unwanted, confused, and helpless are unpleasant emotions, but I bet if we're honest more people feel them than are willing to admit.

 

When Jesus talked to the crowds, he had compassion on them.  Because they were confused and helpless.  He took them in, feeding them not with just physical food but the Truth.  And that truth would set them free if they only believed.

 

The Good News is the same today as it was then.  You are wanted by Jesus.  He provides light to dispel the darkness of our confusion.  When we feel helpless, Jesus is still on your side.  Run to Him.  You have a home with Him you can enjoy not just now, but through eternity.

 

Captain is still going strong at his age, very active and engaged.  He enjoys terrorizing the other cats and doing some seriously bad cat behavior.  Yet somehow I manage to forgive him anyway and let him back in the house.

 

That's good news for us too - God's grace covers a multitude of sins.