Good afternoon, dear people.
Well, my experience at the Clackamas County Jail last night didn’t happen. While John and I were sitting in his car in preparation for going in, he received a cell phone call from the jail office announcing that there had been some kind of crisis among the inmates causing the powers that be to put the jail in “lock down.” We weren’t allowed to go in.
Becki and I don’t normally do an exercise walk/jog together these days since she’s so actively involved with water aerobics. I’m not complaining—in fact I’m very happy to see her staying fit. But she did join me on such an excursion this morning—trekking up the Short Fellows hill. Beautiful morning. Good time. Good fellowship.
God bless your evening.
Love, Ray
Who does Jesus mean when He says YOU? Is it just anyone? Or just anyone who knows how to read and reads what He said? I think it’s best to discern who YOU is by the context. So who is YOU? (I hope my conjugation of the verb is correct.)
First of all, I believe YOU is identified in verses 29-31: “YOU can buy two sparrows for only a copper coin (That’s cheaper than a dime a dozen—although I’m sure that inflation would kick the price up much higher today), yet not even one sparrow falls from its nest without the knowledge of your Father. Aren’t YOU worth much more to God than many sparrows? So don’t worry. For your Father cares deeply about even the smallest detail of your life.” (Before moving on from here, let me raise this parenthetical question: Exactly how many sparrows are you worth anyway? I think the best answer is, NOT MANY if you’re not the YOU Jesus is addressing here. But if you are the YOU He’s talking about, the number would have to go off the charts!)
Another reference to YOU is in verse 32: “If YOU openly and publicly acknowledge me, I will freely and openly acknowledge YOU before my heavenly Father.”
Implicit in the following text is a further description of this special YOU. Verses 37-39 shows YOU to be an all-out passionate disciple/follower of Christ. Jesus lays this challenge on the table: “All who seek to live apart from me will lose it all. But those (all other YOUs) who let go of their lives for my sake and surrender it all to me will discover true life.”
Let me repeat the FOCUS VERSE one more time—modifying it with this emphasis: “Whoever receives YOU receives me, and whoever receives me receives the One who sent me.” Wow! To be sure, YOU is important. And I hope YOU is you.