Sunday, November 18, 2012

When Jesus is Everything

I'm pretty sure I am identifying a recurring theme in my life right now.

Shaina and I are raising a little girl that is medically speaking a ticking time bomb that is predicted to eventually gain a pound or grow an inch and consequently go into worsening heart failure. There is no hope apart from Jesus.

We are also planting a church. I could have competence, winsomeness, charisma, passion and vision oozing out of me and still fail miserably at this. It happens daily all over the country. There is no hope apart from Jesus. I'm thinking about C3 and all the potential that is there to impact Columbus and claim a generation for God's renown and all I can think is that if it is left up to me to make this happen, we don't stand a chance.

Everywhere I look I see a bunch of really hard situations that if Jesus doesn't show up, they don't stand a chance.

And you know what? He does. He shows up. He has a knack for showing up. In your marriage. He shows up. In your cancer. He shows up. In your job. He shows up. In your dreams. He shows up. In your nightmares. He shows up.

You can't. You didn't. You couldn't. You don't. You wouldn't. You won't.

He can. did. will.

It is that simple. Jesus + Nothing = Everything.

I don't believe that "God will never give you more than you can handle". That is a bunch of bull. God gives you more than you can handle so that you can find your delight and sustenance and dependance and hope IN HIM.

I couldn't keep Chaia's heart from failing in the hospital.

But Jesus did. And He's still doing it day after day.

I can't get this church off the ground so people in Columbus will be changed and be change.

But Jesus is doing it one heart and one missional community at a time.

You can't save your marriage, beat the diagnosis, survive the holidays, overcome the fear, conquer the insecurity, reconcile the relationship, or make it through the day unless God shows up.

And rest assured. Take it to the bank.

He will show up every time.

I'm living proof.



3 comments:

Jennet Gore said...

Thank you Ben, needed this today!

Anonymous said...

Me too Thanks

Teresa Whitfield said...

Amen! Amen, amen! Thanks for writing this one! Praying for your family.