Unshackled Moments ~ September 15 ~ Addition And Subtraction

Crowds flocked to Jesus. People tore the tops off houses to get to Him. They followed Him for days and miles. Yes, sometimes all they wanted was the miracle, and Jesus even said so. But there was more to it than that. They were after another miracle, the miracle of who He is. Jesus added value to the people He hung out with. He listened to them, really listened with His heart and with His eyes full of compassion and love. He spent His time with someone concerned with how He could be of service to them and not trying to figure out how to get something or boost Himself in any way. Jesus didn't drain folks. He didn't suck the energy from people. They didn't dread being around Him, because hanging out with Jesus wasn't exhausting. Jesus wasn't dry and needy. Jesus was full. Since He was full, His purpose in any encounter with a person never had anything to do with what He could get but was always about what He could give. He came to serve. He added to people's lives instead of taking. The only times He took were times that He took sadness, sorrow, sickness, loneliness, etc. When people encountered Jesus that left knowing at least one person in the world loved them, that they had value to at least one, and a little more about the nature of God than when the encounter began. That hasn't changed. People are sometimes afraid to give up their will to God, because they are afraid that somehow they'll come out on the short end of the stick. But Jesus wants to give to you, not take. If He does remove something, it will only be to make room for something better, something you'll want more, something more fulfilling and satisfying and lasting. We don't have to be afraid of surrender because no one wants more for us...more peace, more joy, more love, than Jesus. We will never come out with less when we give to Him than if we hoard what we have. Ever. So today, let us do two things. Let us be quick to surrender and spend time with our Savior, letting Him add to our lives. Then, powered by His love and grace, let us go through our day full enough to give and to add to the lives of those we encounter rather than pulling from them. But if we find ourselves unable to do that, if we are in a place of neediness, let us like the crowds of Galilee run to Jesus, climb trees and walls and tear up roofs to get to Him. Don't let anything stand between you and the only One who can meet your needs and fill you up.