Pony Tails and Flat Irons

          Tuesday morning I noticed how cute one of my younger co-workers looked.  Almost all the people I work with are younger than I am; but I digress.  Anyway, I told another co-worker how pretty I thought the other woman was.  
        She was dressed neatly but casually.  Her hair was in a simple but classic pony tail.  I voiced a wish my hair looked that good in that style.  I have plenty of hair but it is fine and straight.  I went on to say my pony tails always looked thin and just hung lifelessly.  Her hair was full and bouncy.  
        My friend said, "You know she uses a flat iron on her hair right?"  I was a little surprised ... I said, "Even when she pulls it back like that?"  She nodded yes.  Well, that made me stop and think.  This meant there was work involved - even with such a simple style. 
        As I thought about the time and effort put into having a pretty pony tail, I began to think about our spiritual lives.  It takes time and effort to grow closer to God -- to be Christ like in our dealings with others -- to develop our faith -- and our love.  Just as we have to be willing to put extra time into our physical appearance,  we have to be willing to put extra time into our spiritual lives.
       Hebrews 11:6 says: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (NKJ).  There are so many profound thoughts here in just one verse.  Think about it ... do we believe that He is?  Yes!  Do we understand that God rewards those who diligently seek Him?
       At dictionary.com the word diligently is defined as being "constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything."  Do we want our Father's reward?  Are we willing to put in the work it takes?  Or are we satisfied with what is easiest?  
       Doing what is easiest is a dangerous mindset, especially when it comes to our eternal souls!  Just as it takes time and effort to present a more pleasing physical appearance; it takes time and effort to grow and develop our faith.  
       Please let us not be lazy about our souls!  Let us always keep eternity in mind.  Seek Him ...  through constant prayer and Bible study.  This is where we find Him first.  The Bible contains the most beautiful story ever told.  
        Isn't wonderful to see how certain scriptures go hand in hand with each other?  God's word works like that.  According to 2 Timothy 2:15 we are to "be diligent (there's that word again) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  
      We must study the Truth and study it attentively.  We will not be ashamed to work for Him if we are using the Truth correctly.  If we do not study we will not know what to do to follow the Father's will.  If we take only part of the Truth or if we twist it around somehow, our Heavenly Father will not be pleased with us.  
      We come to God through His truth.  Remember Christ said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through me"(John 14:6).  So when we study scripture we are essentially learning of Christ.  Hopefully, the more we study and learn about Jesus the more our love for Him will grow.  
     Communication with God is not just a one way street.  We hear from God through the Bible.  He hears us through our prayers.  This is another way to draw closer to our God.  It is  vital to the Christian's life.  
      Scripture tells us to be "constant in prayer" (Romans 12:12) and to "continue steadfastly in prayer being watchful in it with thanksgiving" (Colossians 4:2).  Remember our definition of diligence -- "constant in effort" and "attentive and persistent?"  The very definition of diligence is used in these two passages. 
        Going back to Hebrews 11:6 - if we want to please God, we must diligently seek Him.  We seek Him through diligent Bible study.  Yet 2 Timothy 2:15 mentions something else.  It mentions being a worker.  Paul is talking about working and serving the Lord.  If we truly look for Jesus -- if we truly want to be with Him -- to walk with Him, then we must be willing to do His will.  We must work at what we study.  
        Let us not forget the importance of prayer.  We must remember what a blessing prayer is.  There is an amazing peace that comes with being constant in our prayer life.  Yes, it is a command -- but my oh my, the rewards we will gain!
        Seeking God requires time and effort.  We must train ourselves to spend time with Him and we must teach ourselves to live like Christ did.  It is not always easy.  It takes diligence on our part.  I daresay it takes more time than it does to fix our hair.  
          Do we want to come to God?  Will we be constant, attentive and persistent?  It is totally our decision to make.  No one else can decide for us.  It takes commitment and it definitely is not always easy.  But we must remember "He rewards those who diligently seek Him."  

Christ above all things, 
Robin 

Holding On

    

       A certain verse has come to my mind quite often over the last few months.  Somehow this passage keeps coming back around to me.  It is short and easy to remember, but goes straight to the point.  “But test everything; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV).

         In context, the verse refers to the word of God.  The verse directly before tells us “Despise not prophecies” (v. 20).  We are to heed teachings of God’s word but it is important to ‘test the teacher’ … read and study on our own to make sure the teaching is Truth.  We know false prophets (teachers) have always been around.  It is up to us to sort out what is good and hold on to it. 

         Yet for the student of God’s word, holding fast to the good can be applied to many (if not all) situations in life.  This makes sense to me because what is good inevitably goes back to scripture anyway.  Maybe that is why the words keep coming to my mind over and over again.  They are actually a comfort to me, for holding on to the good means doing the right thing. 

         Suppose someone at work is rude – maybe she comes through the office speaking to everyone but me or you.  Do we greet her anyway?  Well, if we are holding on to what is good we certainly do.  Why?  Because the Christ tells us not to return evil for evil. 

If we walk up to a group who happen to be gossiping about someone do we eagerly join in or do the good thing – the right thing?  Test the scripture to see what it says.  You will find Matthew 7:12 – what we call the Golden Rule.  Is it good to “Do unto others as we would have them do unto us?”  Yes!!  Would you want someone to gossip about you?  No?  Then don’t participate.  Hold on to the good! 

         This verse is applicable in so many ways.  When a sister in Christ is rejoicing over a promotion or a new car, what should we do?  Do we complain and pout about how old our vehicle is?  Romans 12:15 says “Rejoice with those who rejoice.”  So we hold on to the good and share in her joy! 

         When we are weary – when we are so bowed down with all the sorrows, storms and trials the world throws our way – Christ tells us “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”   This is wonderful!  Hold on to it … hold on with all our heart!  Take His yoke and walk with Him.  He promises we will find rest for our souls. 

         The world is so full of darkness – strife and division seems to be all around us.  Jesus says “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).  We can “cast our cares on Him, for He cares for us.”  If we are faithful followers, we can hold on to His promises.  He has promised not to leave us or forsake us.  We can find strength, courage and comfort in God’s faithfulness.  We can hold on to what is good. 

         Think about Job.  Even with all the losses he suffered, when the devil afflicted him with those painful boils his wife said, “Do you still hold fast your integrity?  Curse God and die.”  Job replied, “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:8-10).  Job held on to the good. 

         When we are overcome with the beauty of the earth and sky – when the magnificence of what we see literally takes our breath away – we can praise Him for His awesome creation.  We can thank Him for our five senses we use to take it all in. “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31a).   We can hold on to the fact our Creator is good. 

          What about after an illness or injury the health of a loved one is restored?   When we thank the doctors and other care givers, do we remember to turn to God and thank Him?  Psalm 92:1 says “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High.”  Shouldn’t we hold on to that too? 

         And when we look back over our lives, as we all do sometimes, we should remember where all the good comes from.  “Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

         All these things are good.  All these things are worth holding on to.  I was actually surprised to find the phrase ‘hold fast’ or ‘holding fast’ appears in scripture 36 times.   All but four of these refer to the Lord, the scripture or something within God’s will.  It is definitely a topical study one could benefit from. 

Holding fast means to hold on tight!  Don’t let go.  Don’t give in and don’t give up.  Thank God for the goodness in your life.  Realize it is there.  Especially thank Him for our spiritual blessings through Christ Jesus.  

Romans 12:9 says “Let love be genuine.  Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”   Why is holding on so important?  Why should it matter? 

Here is why.  Jesus says: “I am coming soon.  Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown” (Revelation 3:11).

Christ above all things,

Robin      

Who's the Smartest?

      He came into the classroom the same way he always did - full of energy, big brown eyes shining and a smile as bright as his mind.  Like the other children in the class, he was eager to tell me about the adventures of his day.  As we chatted a few minutes before the lesson, the conversation got pretty interesting. 
     I don't remember exactly how it came about, but our exchange went something like this:
        Him: 'I'm smarter than God.' 
       Me:  'Oh, you are very smart, but no one is smarter than                   God.'
       Him: 'I am.'
       Me:  'No, honey - we can't be smarter than God.'                        Him: (Pointing in the direction of the road) 'Well I know
                  that road right out there is 145.'
       Me: 'You're right.  But God made us and He 
                knows everything about us.'
      I couldn't help but smile.  He spoke in such innocence.  I think two and three year old children are wonderful.  They constantly challenge one's thinking.  This is good for both the child and the grown up.  
      Unfortunately, many adults in this world believe they are smarter than God.  It seems we witness more and more of this philosophy in the world today.  Growing numbers of people think Christians are dumb, superstitious and narrow minded.  Then again, maybe it is just I am noticing it more and more.  
      At any rate, according to the world the Bible is a book of fairy tales.  None of the incredible events recorded in its pages could possibly be true.  How could anyone possibly believe that stuff?  It is ludicrous -- right?  Wrong!!!
      To be honest, it all comes down to choice.  Either we choose to believe in God or we don't.  The Bible is either Truth or it isn't.  Either a divine Creator gave us life and made our beautiful world or the world evolved over billions of years.  These arguments are not at all new.  The battle  between a belief in God or not has been going on almost since the world began.
      Quite frankly, I find it easier to believe in creation than in any other theory out there.  I think it takes more faith to  believe in some 'big bang' than it does to believe the earth was exquisitely designed by an omniscient God.  Many would argue that point, but most people I know place their trust in creation by God.  
      If we believe in God and His power to create the world do we believe His Word?  There are some who believe in God; but do not believe in His Son.  Others believe in the Son - but only accept parts of the Bible - or say they believe in Christ - but not the church. 
     A certain passage keeps running through my mind.  It is  1 Corinthians 1:18 -25.  
      "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God (v. 18 ESV).  I won't quote the entire passage here, but I  encourage you to read it.  In these verses the inspired apostle explains the opposing viewpoints perfectly.  
       God has made foolish the wisdom of the world.  Those who believe or trust in their own wisdom will one day perish.  An unbeliever might live many years on this earth - but they are perishing (or dying) spiritually.  
       Paul said the Jews seek signs -- maybe because they read in the scriptures about all the signs God gave His people -- the 10 plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, the fall of Jericho, Jonah surviving three days in the belly of a great fish.  The signs of God's greatness was a huge part of their culture.  They were God's chosen people and they took great pride in that claim. 
      And yet, Jesus Himself gave them many signs - "mighty works and wonders and signs" Peter called them in Acts 2:22 - and still they did not believe in Christ, the Son of the Living God.  Why?  It was foolish to them He should die on a cross.  It was foolish to them when He did not establish the earthly kingdom which would deliver them from captivity once and for all.  
       Just as the history of God's mighty works were part of the Jewish culture, so the desire for knowledge was part of  Greek culture.  Paul said "the Greeks seek wisdom" (1 Cor. 1:22).  The Athenians (Greeks) emphasized philosophy, logic and literature.  They took great pride in their intellect. 
       Things had to make sense to the Greeks.  It was not logical for the son of a god (remember they believed in a plurality of gods) to allow himself to die in such a shameful way.  It just didn't make any sense.  What foolishness!  Why would One so powerful do such a thing? 
       Yet Jesus Christ was the Son of the only God and He did just that.  Neither the unbelieving Jews nor the Greeks understood the simplicity of Christ dying on a cross for a dying world.  It was a simple act of love.  But they had illusions of grandeur.  God and His Son were supposed to be bigger - smarter -more powerful than all that. 
        This is the wisdom of the cross.  This is the mystery of God revealed.  The Savior showed the world nothing is bigger than a selfless act of sacrifice.  Nothing is smarter than conquering death through a glorious resurrection.  And nothing is more powerful than the purity of love.  
       
       "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men" (1 Cor. 1:25).

Christ above all things, 
Robin 





      

Light and Grace

         

Yesterday we celebrated the life of a great lady named Mildred Cole.  After 100 years, Mildred left her earthly home early Wednesday morning.  Her bright shining light is now finally at home with the Father of lights.  She was truly a lady to be respected and admired. 

Mildred was one of my role models.  She lived her life with strength, grace and dignity.  She literally graced this earth for 100 years. I believe she was loved by all who knew her.  Yesterday seemed to prove this true as people of all ages were there to honor her. 

Sometimes it seems words are never enough – to explain what someone meant to us – to speak of the love and joy one gave – or to comfort the loved ones left behind.  But the heart speaks the words we cannot say and shows the love and comfort we long to give.  Sometimes words do not have to be spoken.  Sometimes they are simply felt. 

Mildred was a wonderful example of a Christian.  God always came first in her life.  She wanted others to love and serve Him too.  She often encouraged the young men when they led singing or gave a devotional.  Mildred showed an interest in them and they loved her for it.  

As Tony Brown reminded us yesterday, Mildred lived through things in her lifetime we can only read or study about.  Being born in 1918, she was a child during the Great Depression.  She was only 23 when Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese in 1941.  She lived through the assassination of JFK and Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon.  We can only read about the Great Depression and WW2 – Mildred lived through it.  She knew what it was like because she was there. 

She dearly loved her husband, Pete. They were married for almost 70 years before he passed away.  Pete and Mildred were two of the people who helped form the congregation of Hillcrest Church of Christ in Baldwyn, MS.  Pete was an elder and Mildred filled the role of an elder’s wife gracefully. 

Pete and Mildred worked actively with the teens in their church family.  They were a bright shining light for those young people. The couple often hosted youth events in their home.  My brother Todd attended Hillcrest for a few years.  He had a great respect for both of them. 

In fact, Todd asked Pete to be a groomsman in his wedding in Nashville.  Oh, Mildred was so happy for Pete! She was so proud of him.  It meant the world to her that Todd loved Pete enough to ask him to be a part of his wedding.  I still remember her smiles that day.  She simply glowed with love and pride for the husband she loved so well.

Mildred was always serving God in one fashion or another.  She was a wonderful cook and graced many homes with her fine dishes.  She and her good friend Daisy Rowland prepared fruit baskets for the elderly and needy.  Oh, they had help – but it was their project.  In doing so, they brought a little light to those who needed it. 

I don’t know how long Mildred served refreshments during Vacation Bible School. Forty years later some of us still remember her passing out cookies.  She often served in the background – doing those very necessary things most people don’t think about but still always takes a good bit of time and effort. 

Another way Mildred and Pete served Christ was by working as cooks at Maywood Christian Camp.  Talk about hard work!  But they loved the camp.  It meant so much to them to see young people grow stronger in Christ while they were there.  I still remember seeing Mildred walking through the camp between cooking and serving meals.

Mildred and Pete lost their youngest son during his first semester at Freed-Hardeman University.  I didn’t know them back then. But this is something no parent ever expects to go through.  Despite their grief, the couple never lost their faith in God.  Even during this sad time in her life, the word a friend recently used to describe Mildred was “grace.”  And a few months later, when another couple lost their daughter, Mildred and Pete were right there to offer comfort to the family.

When our Christian brother Pete left this world, Mildred continued to be graceful, strong and courageous.  She kept on loving and serving the Heavenly Father.  She maintained her joy in Christ.  I’m sure her faith was the major factor that kept her going. 

Mildred loved her family.  She always spoke of her children and grandchildren with such a keen love.  I remember how bright her smile was when she talked about them and their accomplishments.  I also remember her happiness when they were there to be with her for worship. 

Mildred loved life.  She had a great sense of humor and loved playing dominoes and card games.  She enjoyed being a lady and dressing like one. She was always neat as a pin.  Personally, I thought Mildred was a beautiful woman.  Perhaps her joy, compassion, goodness and love for God is what made her beautiful. 

Whatever it was, Mildred was a beacon of light to those who knew her.  Like Russ and Tony said yesterday, she could brighten a room by her presence.  Mildred was the type of person others wanted to be around.  And she never stopped talking to others about Jesus.

If I had to use one word to describe Mrs. Mildred Cole, I just wouldn’t be able to do it.  I would have to use at least two.  Light and grace. 

Mildred was light and grace.... and I will miss her.

Christ above all things,

Robin

An Unknown God

       
       As he walked the streets of Athens, Paul became upset.  The whole city was full of idols.  Everywhere he turned an altar was set up for yet another god.   
      What was Paul to do?  He was alone in a strange town full of  unfamiliar people.  Their ways were foreign to him and they worshiped strange unfamiliar gods.  
       Well, Paul did what he always did in a new town.  He taught and preached Jesus.  In the synagogue, he talked with the Jews and devout Greeks who believed in God.  He also went to the marketplace every day and spoke to whoever happened to be there.  
      Now the Athenians loved to hear about new things.  Some of them spent their time doing nothing else.  What Paul said was surely strange to them.  They had never heard of Christ and the resurrection.  
      So they took Paul to the Aeropagus where he had an even bigger audience.  Here he had the ear of the most noble men in the city - the judicial council of Athens.  What a great opportunity to speak of God and His Son! 
       They asked Paul about the strange teaching he was presenting.  They wanted to know what these new ideas meant.  Here is when Paul begins to tell them about the God they did not know.  
      This beautiful sermon is recorded in Acts 17:22-31.  As we see in verses 32- 34, Paul's words were met with mixed reactions.  The same is true anytime God's word is taught.  Not everyone is willing to acknowledge the Truth when they hear it.  
      For time's sake, we will not go through Paul's entire sermon;  but he uses the city's idolatry and the altar to "an unknown god" as a springboard for telling his audience about the One True and Living God.  He explains God is not made with hands but instead we all come from Him.  He made us all.  
      Can you imagine what Paul would think today if he walked the streets of Anytown, USA?  Would he see altars to all sorts of gods?  Would he be upset about idolatry here? No?   Are you sure?  
      Mmmm..... let's think about this a minute.  What would he see?  Well he would see televisions in many homes.  He would see universities -"institutions of higher learning."  He would see folks sitting in front of computers or holding technology in their hands.  He would watch them engrossed in playing the newest video game. 
      Would Paul see idolatry here?  Would he see huge sports stadiums in major towns and ball fields all over the country?  Would he see parents rushing to and fro to get their children to said ball fields for practice or weekend tournaments?  We know this isn't idolatry in the same sense the Athenians practiced it.  But ....
       Long ago Paul told the Athenians about a God they did not know.  But how many of us truly know God here and now?  Oh, perhaps we worship with others on Sunday morning.  Perhaps we sing His praises in buildings throughout the country.  But do we really know our God -
or do we simply pretend to know Him?
     Do we sometimes go through the routine of worship while our mind wanders aimlessly to just about anything else under the sun?  How often do we take the time to acknowledge we ALL come from Him?  Do we race through our busy lives and think only of God in passing?  
     There is a difference between knowing who God is and knowing God.  Our Heavenly Father wants both.  He is our Creator -- He is all knowing and all powerful.  Scripture tells us who God is.  Our faith is built upon this premise. 
      Knowing God comes through spending time with Him.  This means willingly bringing Him into our lives  --seeking Him through prayer.  When we know God, we realize His goodness and recognize the blessings He bestows on us. 
       Paul told the Athenians God is not something made with hands.  The Lord doesn't live in man made temples.  Just because we don't live in Athens in the first century, doesn't mean we don't have temples.  Think about that.   
      I am not saying anything is wrong with television or ballgames or higher education, or even our technological toys.  We all know that.  I am saying we should be very careful.  Sometimes we put things "made" ahead of the One  who made all things.  I think this is a battle most of us fight from time to time. 
      It is such an easy trap to fall into.  Remember though, the devil doesn't care who or what we put first in our lives as long as it is not God.  That dark liar gives us plenty to choose from.  The result is all the same.  They will all render the same eternal consequence. 
      The Heavenly Father does care.  In fact, He is pretty adamant.  God wants us to put Him first.  With the Lord there is only one choice.  It takes love, faith, courage and self-discipline to follow through.  The result?  The result is so much more glorious than anything we could ever imagine!
     Do we know God?  Or do we sometimes have so many other "gods" that the Living God becomes unknown to us?  Yes, it is true nothing is wrong with any of the things I mentioned earlier.  However we should all remember--
the only way to make sure we find God wherever we go is if we take Him there.   

Christ above all things, 
Robin 


      









      


 











 

Regrets or No Regrets?

      
     Most of us have said or done something we wish we hadn't.  I certainly have.  There are plenty of mistakes in my past, and honestly they still plague me from time to time.  Still, up until just two or three years ago I really  never wanted to go back and relive any part of my past.  
      Oh sure, I would love to have the energy of youth, a few less wrinkles, more than a few less pounds and not nearly as many aches and pains.  That isn't really what I'm talking about though.  
      Have you ever heard someone say, "I wish I could be young again, but know what I know now?"  We think we would do things differently - avoid mistakes we made back then.  Now sometimes, I think like that too.
       If only it could work that way!  But we all know it doesn't.   The chance to relive our past is no guarantee our lives would be better now.  Let's say I was 25 again - I might avoid "XYZ" (whatever that may be) - but I would be tempted with "ABC" and succumb to it instead.  In other words, it is highly possible I would mess up something else somewhere along the way.  
      Should we regret our past sins?  I think so.  If we didn't we wouldn't have a conscience.  But should we dwell on them?  Absolutely not!  Thinking about the past all the time does not allow us to enjoy our present  --or move forward to the future.  I know this from experience.  Perhaps several of us do.  God does not want us to live this way.  
      We all know we can't literally turn back the clock.  That is actually a good thing.  The most important thing about our past mistakes (sins) is we can be forgiven for them.  If we are willing to repent and follow God's word, we can start with a clean slate!  How great is that!?  Oh, what peace it brings to the human soul.
      The second most important thing we gain (hopefully) from past errors is knowledge.  We can learn from our mistakes. We learn what is right and what is not. 
      Understanding where we went wrong and being willing to change allows us to move toward our future.  The decision to avoid our same old mistakes gives us hope for a better life here on earth.  Not only that, we acquire a steadfast hope for eternal life with our Savior.  
      Another very important factor for us to remember is the realization that our experience can help others.  We can warn others about the consequences of  certain actions.  How wonderful it is to think we could make a difference in someone else's life!
      Sharing our own stories could help prevent others from making the same mistakes.  Saying we messed up and explaining what we could have done differently may make others think twice about doing what we did.  If only one soul realizes they have a more positive choice, wouldn't sharing our story be worthwhile? 
      Also we can identify with those who have committed the same sins.  We can help them understand what forgiveness is and the joy it can bring.  We can comfort them and help them learn how to move on.  We can bring a light into their darkness. 
      Our experiences can be used in our evangelism efforts.  The change in our lives will show others they can change too.  They can have the same forgiveness and hope we have. Those outside of Christ need Him.  They need to know everyone sins - everyone messes up -- but anyone willing to follow our Savior can be forgiven.  
      It's like this, all of our past experiences - all the things we've done whether bad or good -- bring us to who we are right now.  If  we hadn't lived our life the way we did, we wouldn't be the person we are now- the Christian we are now.  We wouldn't have gained the wisdom or compassion we now have. 
      For some of us, it is difficult to forgive ourselves and move on.  But God doesn't want us to look back.  If we repented and obeyed the gospel our Heavenly Father has forgiven us through the blood of Christ.  Yes, we should look back on our past but only to learn from it, not to pity ourselves.  
     Please don't allow your past keep you from living a righteous life now.  Our past shouldn't paralyze us in the present.  It shouldn't prevent us from living our life for the One who gave Himself from us.  If we are living a righteous life, we cannot let our past poison our hope for the future.  
      As Christians we shouldn't dwell on regrets.  They rob us of our joy in Christ.  Instead we should plan and prepare for His promises by following Him.  If we do, there will be no regrets when we meet God in all His glory!

Christ above all things,
Robin
      
     

      
     
       





  

Worth Saving

      I peered into the nearly empty peanut butter jar  and tried to decide if what was clinging to the sides and bottom would make just one more sandwich.  Could I scrape up enough to spread over one more piece of bread?  Was this scant amount worth saving?  
       It's funny how the most random things can sometimes put our thoughts on a more spiritual plane.  My thoughts immediately turned to Christ.  Do you think our Savior ever questioned whether or not we were worth saving?  Probably not  - and that is totally unfathomable to me.  
      Think about it.  Even in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed to God, He said "not My will, but Your will be done."  Christ knew what He was about to face -- had known from the time He began His ministry.  
      He knew they were going to beat Him and spit on Him.  He knew they would mock Him  -- shame Him.  Jesus could have stood up in that garden, said "Why bother?" and simply gone back to His home in heaven.  
      Instead Jesus chose to go through with it.  He chose to go through all the torture and pain -- to die on the cross -- for all of us.  As they crucified Him, Jesus even prayed "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do"  (Luke 23:34 NKJV).    
      We are much like that almost empty peanut butter jar - with barely anything to offer.  Yet Jesus Christ didn't throw us away.  Instead - even though He was equal with God - Jesus emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant.  He was born in the likeness of men "and being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil. 2:7-8 ESV).
       Jesus definitely believed we were (and are) worth saving!!  What a wonderful thought!  His decision to save us was made "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4). Our Redeemer loved us so much He voluntarily went through a horrible death to save those who are willing to accept His grace through obedience to Him.  We are the ones who decide whether or not to accept it.  We make that decision through obedient faith.  
       Some may ask why Jesus made such an illogical decision - for many would think it illogical to have done so.  Consider Romans 5:6-8: "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
        In the above passage, Paul says we might die for someone we thought was a good person; but Christ died for everyone.  His death was not for people who were good already.  He died for ALL of us. Why would He go through so much for so many who would be so thankless?  Why did Christ think we were worth saving?
      I can think of two reasons.  The first one is quite obviously love.  Christ loved us enough to die for us - all of us.  Ephesians 5:2 says "And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."  The apostle John tells us  "By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us," (1 John 3:16a).
     We can read many scriptures about His love for us.  The Bible is a love story between God and man.  I think there is another reason which is so closely related to His love for us -- or maybe it is PART of  His love for us, I'm not sure.    
      The other reason I'm speaking about is Joy.  He died for us so He can have the joy of offering a way for us to escape the snares of the devil.  He really doesn't want the devil to have any of because He wants us all to be with Him and God in heaven.  Jesus will have great joy in presenting us to the Father as one of His.  
      Think of Jude verse 24: "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy."   And we can't forget Hebrews 12:1b-2:  "and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."  
      The Savior Himself says "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine who need no repentance" (Luke 15:7).  Christ went through agony on the cross; but it was for our sake not His.  He loved us so much He died for us and we give Him great joy when we choose to follow Him.  
      In the eyes of Jesus, we are definitely worth saving.  Through His death we have the joy of forgiveness.  We can give the Savior joy in return when we choose to live for Him.
Won't it be wonderful to hear Him say, "Well done good and faithful servant?" (Matthew 25:21)

      "to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever" (Jude v. 25)

Christ above all things, 
Robin