A Little Time With Jesus…

“While they were reclining at the table eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me – one who is eating with me.'” (Mark 14:18).

“You know, masks don’t really work.”

Close to 600,000 Americans have died of Covid.

“You know, this whole Covid thing is a hoax.”

“Keep masking up. Protect the most vulnerable. We’re almost through this.”

These are all things people have said to me. Not just any people. Little Church people. Lakewoodgrace people.

One of the things that I’ve been praying for on a daily basis is wisdom. I need wisdom to know how to pastor a congregation where there are such divergent views. I need wisdom to know how to pastor a people who think and believe so differently than I do.

As I was praying and journaling, I came across the scripture readings for Maundy Thursday. Maundy Thursday is the evening Jesus spent with his disciples eating the Passover lamb. We know this as the Last Supper. One of the most heartbreaking realities of the Last Supper is that one of the twelve would betray Jesus late that evening with a kiss.

Yet, Jesus still served all of them. Jesus still washed all their feet. Jesus still offered his body and blood as a sacrifice for sins for all of them.

And it dawned on me. This wasn’t the only time Jesus taught, cared for, loved, served, offered forgiveness to someone who disagreed with him. This was his entire existence. No one understood who Jesus was until the cross and the resurrection. Even his disciples didn’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior until then.

How lonely it must have been.

Regardless of people’s past, histories, baggage, misunderstandings, and false understandings, Jesus loved them. Cared for all. Offered forgiveness and salvation to all.

Shoot. Kinda makes me feel small.

I love you Little Church. I love you Lakewoodgrace. We don’t always have to agree. But I will always love you and do my best to serve you. And when I forget and fail to serve you with my best, forgive me and give me a little time so I can get together with Jesus. He’ll remind me. And I’ll be back to do my best to serve you.